Engines – Power

NASA AD-1 / Ames AD-1

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Robert T. Jones of Ames calculated that an aircraft’s wing made to pivot 4 degrees to the fuselage might halve the fuel consumption. Specifications bases, in particular geometric configuration were established by NASA based on one made by Boeing. In consultation with the Rutan Aircraft Factory, Ames and Dryden built the AD-1 oblique wing aircraft in 1977, a twin jet composite aircraft with direct controls and a top speed of 175kts (324kph). Set perpendicular to the fuselage for takeoff and landing, the oblique wing could be made to rotate up to 60 degrees for higher speed flight and between 1979 and 1982, demonstrated the feasibility of such a concept, performing three landings with the wings pivoted at 45 degrees.

The test aircraft’s 32 foot wing can be pivoted 60 degrees during cruise, to reduce drag while still allowing high airspeeds. In the conventional position, the wing should provide ample lift and stability for takeoffs, landings and low speed manoeuvres. Designated the AD 1, the test aircraft is 40 feet long, has a gross weight of 2,000 pounds and is powered by two 220 pound thrust turbojets. The structure was made entirely of fiberglass.

The aircraft was delivered by Aimes at Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in March 1979. The first flight was performed by test pilot NASA Thomas C. McMurtry December 21, 1979. Thomas flew only the 79 flights until 7 August 1982.

Although the oblique wing is still considered by some as a viable concept for large transport, unpleasant flight characteristics of the AD-1 at certain angles discouraged designers to adopt this configuration.

Gallery

Engines: 2 x Microturbo TRS-18, 220 lb / 100 kg
Wing span: 9.85 m / 34 ft 2 in
Length: 11.82 m
Wing area: 8.60 m²
Aspect ratio: 11.2
Thickness/chord: 12%
Loaded weight: 809 kg
Empty weight: 535 kg
Max speed: 220 knts
Min speed: 74 knts
Seats: 1

NASA QSRA

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QSRA – A Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft built under contract to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration by Boeing. Following a short flight-test period at Boeing, the plane was delivered to NASA Ames in California to continue the design flight test programme. The advanced research vehicle is actually a remanufactured twin-engined C-8A Buffalo built originally by de Havilland Canada and owned for several years by NASA, Boeing created an all-new wing incorporating boundary layer control, four Lycoming turbofans which exhaust over the upper surfaces of the wings and new engine nacelles and cross-ducting, Coanda flaps, a new but similar tail and installed new instrumentation.

Objective of the QSRA is to build an experimental flight research aircraft aimed at developing the technology for quiet short-haul commercial airliners of the future with short takeoff and landing capabilities. Another purpose is to explore the operating procedures of such an airplane in the airport terminal environment.

The QSRA has four engines of 7500 pounds thrust each mounted above the wing and exhausting over the wing. This arrangement provides “upper surface blowing” much like the Boeing YC-14 military prototypes. In union with the specially designed wing and flap system, extremely high lift is generated with very low noise.

Engines: 4 x Lycoming turbofan

NASA Space Shuttle / Rockwell Space Shuttle

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There had long been the desire to have a reusable vehicle that could be launched into Earth orbit, have the ability to manoeuvre in space, re enter Earth’s atmosphere and land conventionally on an airfield. The first step in this direction was made with lifting body research aircraft which, in turn, led to design of the Space Shuttle Orbiter, for which Rockwell International became prime contractor in July 1972.

A large vehicle with a thick section wing of double delta planform, the SSO has a fuselage which conforms to lifting body outlines. Mounted in the rear fuselage are three Rocketdyne SSME rocket engines, each developing 417,300 lb (189287 kg) thrust for launch, at which time the SSO has mounted beneath it a large external fuel tank for the SSME rocket engines, and at each side of the tank a solid propellant rocket booster. The whole assembly is launched with the main engines and the boosters firing; after burn¬out the boosters are jettisoned and recovered by parachute, the main engines then being fed from the external fuel tank, which is jettisoned just before entry into orbit. Having completed its orbital mission, during which the SSO is controlled by orbit manoeuvring and reaction control engines, a de orbiting manoeuvre is initiated and, at a high angle of attack, the SSO re enters Earth’s atmosphere to make an unpowered but otherwise conventional aircraft type landing.

It was not until 13 August 1977 that the Enterprise and its crew were launched in free flight from the SCA at a height of 22,800 ft (6950 m), to make a gliding and unpowered flight to a conventional landing at Edwards AFB, California.

Boeing 747 123 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) (NASA 905)

Almost four years later, on 12 April 1981, the spacecraft OV 102 Columbia, crewed by astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen, lifted off from Cape Canaveral on the first orbital mission. It then completed 37 orbits of the earth in 54 hours and on 14 April made a near perfect unpowered 200 mph (322 km/h) landing on Runway 23 at Rogers Dry Lake, Edwards AFB, California. The first ever “soft” return from space in a re-usable craft that is part spaceship and part aeroplane.

The Columbia was subsequently flown back to Cape Canaveral on the back of its Boeing 747 mother-plane for full examination and preparation for the next mission.

Enterprise

Gallery

Boosters: 2 x Solid rocket, 1,315,430 kg (2,900,000 lb) thrust each

Nash Petrel / Procter Aircraft Associates Petrel

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Prototype Nash Petrel at the Farnborough SBAC Show in September 1982

The Nash Petrel also known as the Procter Petrel is a two-seat aerobatic or glider tug aircraft. It was designed for amateur production by Procter Aircraft Associates of Camberley, Surrey, England.

Based on the earlier Mitchell-Procter Kittiwake design, the Petrel is an all-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane of conventional design powered by a 130 hp Rolls-Royce Continental O-240-A piston engine. By the time the aircraft first flew on 8 November 1980, Procter had changed ownership and had been renamed Nash Aircraft Ltd.

Only two aircraft were built, the prototype registered G-AXSF and one built by apprentices at the British Aircraft Corporation factory at Preston in 1973, registered G-BACA. G-BACA had a serious fault with the landing gear and only flew 15 hours before being grounded. The prototype still exists but without a current certificate of airworthiness. It is presently fitted with a Lycoming O-360-A3A engine.

Powerplant: 1 × Avco Lycoming O-320-D2A, 89 kW (119 hp)
Wingspan: 8.94 m (29 ft 4 in)
Wing area: 12.63 m2 (135.9 sq ft)
Aspect ratio: 6.6:1
Airfoil: NACA 3415
Length: 6.22 m (20 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.23 m (7 ft 4 in)
Empty weight: 540 kg (1,190 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 762 kg (1,680 lb)
Fuel capacity: 104.5 L (27.6 US gal; 23.0 imp gal)
Maximum speed: 210 km/h (130 mph, 110 kn)
Cruise speed: 195 km/h (121 mph, 105 kn)
Stall speed: 74 km/h (46 mph, 40 kn) (flaps down)
Rate of climb: 5.6 m/s (1,100 ft/min)
Crew: 2

Nardi FN.315

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As a 1938 development of the FN305, there were also 25 F.N.315 intermediate trainers with the 172-kW (230-hp) Hirth HM 508D inline, a revised canopy, a new tail unit, flaps and increased dihedral on the outer wing panels.

The F.N.315 was also produced with the Alfa Romeo 115-1 of 185 hp.

The F.N.315 was exported to six countries, and a light-attack version was flown experimentally.

Engine: Hirth HM 508, 172 kW (230 hp).
Wingspan: 27 ft 9 in
Wing area: 129.12 sq.ft
Length: 22 ft 11 in
Height: 6 ft 10.5 in
Empty weight: 1562 lb
Loaded weight: 2255 lb
Max speed: 239 mph at 8200 ft
Cruise: 220 mph at 11,480 ft
Time to 13,120ft: 6 min 40 sec
Cruise range: 590 mi

Nardi FN.305

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First flown in January 1935, the F.N.305 training, touring and sporting aeroplane had single or tandem seating under a large glasshouse canopy and, with a 149-kW (200-hp) Fiat A.70S radial, attained a fair level of performance thanks to its retractable landing gear. Several one-off variants were produced before Piaggio started building the F.N.305A two-seat version with the Alfa-Romeo 115 inline. The type was used by the Italian air force as a tighter trainer and liaison aeroplane. Between 1937 and 1943 production totalled 258 including small numbers of the F.N.305B and F.N.305C single-seaters with open and enclosed cockpits respectively.

An experimental version, the F.N.305-D, established s long-distance record by flying from Rome to Addis Ababa.

F.N.305
Wingspan: 27 ft 9 in
Wing area: 129.12 sq.ft
Length: 22 ft 11 in
Height: 6 ft 10.5 in
Empty weight: 1320 lb
Loaded weight: 1980 lb
Max speed: 211 mph
Cruise: 189 mph
Service ceiling: 22,950 ft
Range: 435 mi

F.N.305A
Powerplant: l x Alfa-Romeo 115-1, 142kW (190 hp)
Span: 8.47m (27ft 9.5in)
Length: 7m (22 ft 11.5 in)
Armament: 1 or 2 x 7.7-mm (0.303-in) mg
Max T/O weight: 900kg (1,9841b)
Max speed: 193 mph
Operational range: 311 miles.

Narahara No.5 Ohtori Nisei-go

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While the Narahara No.4 Ohtori-go was touring Japan with demonstration flights by Shimo, the Narahara No.5 Ohtori Nisei-go (meaning Ohtori the 2nd) was built. It was almost identical to the No.4 but was powered by a 70hp Gnome rotary engine and had a strengthened undercarriage. This aeroplane was completed in June 1913 and made exhibition flights at Ibaragi, Toyama, Ishikawa and Niigata from June to September that year.

Sanji Narahara eventually retired completely from aviation at his family’s insistence. His aviation activities were first taken over by Einosuke Shirato who then began manufacturing aeroplanes under his own name and provided flying training at Inage beach. In addition to Shirato’s activities, Otojiro Itoh also became known for his aviation endeavours, and between the two, a new era of civil aviation began in 1913 stemming from Narahara’s works and now centred at the Shirato/ltoh Airfields.

Narahara 4 Ohtori-go

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In the autumn of 1911, Narahara’s group was joined by Shuhei Iwamoto, later a professor of Tokyo University, and Kiyoshi Shiga, BSc. By March 1912 they had created the Narahara No.4 Aeroplane with the help of Saken Kawabe, Otojiro Itoh and Ginjiro Goto, themselves to become notable in aviation. The aeroplane was built at the Orient Aeroplane Company (Toyo Hikoki Shokai), having its office in Kyobashi, Tokyo. The factory was then located at Fukagawa (near or at Susaki Airfield) and final assembly was made at Tokorozawa where it was to be flown. It received the name of Ohtori-go, after a champion sumo-wrestler, Ohtori, at the request of the sponsor who supported the project.

A single-engine tractor training biplane with wooden structure with fabric covering. The pupil and instructor were in an open cockpit.

The aeroplane performed well and was taken on exhibition tours, with flights at major cities throughout Japan to demonstrate what was referred to as their ‘Japanese-made civil aeroplane’. Since there were no airfields in Japan at this time, flights were made from race tracks or military parade grounds of such relatively small size that landings and take offs were very near the spectators. During the first of these exhibition flights on 13 April, 1912, at Kawasaki Race Track, Kanagawa Prefecture, a failing engine caused the aeroplane to land short, allowing a wingtip to strike a school boy, breaking his arm.

The aeroplane was again demonstrated on 11 and 12 May for His Highness the Crown Prince (later Emperor Taisho) and his three sons (one to later become Emperor Showa [Hirohito]) along with Field Marshal Aritomo Yamagata and many other high-ranking officers at the Aoyama Military Parade Grounds. These demonstrations brought Narahara an award by the Imperial House, the first distinction given to someone involved in Japanese civil aviation.

The last exhibition flight by the Ohtori No.4 was in Seoul, Korea, on 3 and 4 April, 1913.

Engine: 50hp Gnome
Propeller: two-bladed wooden
Span, upper: 11.40m (37ft 5in)
Span, lower: 9.30m (30ft 6in)
Wing area: 39sq m (419.8sq ft)
Length: 7m (22ft 11.5in)
Height: 2.80m (9ft 2.25in)
Empty weight 470kg (1,036lb)
Maximum speed 38kt (44mph)