Re: [ULF-1] ULF-1 wind limitations

From: Member 1
Date: 2007-03-31 08:26 UTC-05:00
Message: #0027
Thanks for all the replies regarding your locations and areas of interest, 
guys. It's nice to know more about who is onboard.

I haven't heard from Dieter for a while. I think he gets busy and is sometimes 
delayed in replying to e-mail.

Regarding design complexity: It has been 2-3 months since I studied my new set 
of ULF-1 plans, so I'll try to not get too carried away with my recollections. 
The drawings are very nice and seem very thorough. There is a LOT of 
information presented in them, and therefore much to absorb. It is no surprise 
that there is an intimidation factor involved for anyone who is new to the 
design. I've learned that there is always some degree of fear factor or 
feelings of inadequacy involved when taking on a new challenge, but that these 
feelings always go away after I've "rolled up my sleeves" and immersed myself 
in the project. Since I've come to expect that, I don't let those feelings 
scare me as much anymore. My intimidation factor with the ULF-1 project is 
based primarily on knowing that the time and life energy I have available to 
me right now are not suficient for success (timely completion of the project).

I was hoping that, in contrast to the Carbon Dragon, the ULF-1 would be kind 
of like a scaled-up balsa glider, as it tends to look in the photos. Alas, it 
is not. It is much more sophisticated than my naive hopes had given it credit 
for (especially aerodynamically), and of course all components are carefully 
designed to be as lightweight as practical. Aerodynamic sophistication, super 
light weight and robust strength are simply not compatible with a simple 
structure. Just the fact that it has tapered wings makes its fabrication more 
complicated than the kinds of ultralights I've accustomed to building (the 
ribs are all different, made in pairs). The control systems are by necessity 
very clever and not simple.

I find the ULF-1 plans more straighforward than the Carbon Dragon plans. The 
CD has all those weird minimalist parts made by wrapping carbon tow and resin 
around molds and then somehow getting the molds out... the drawings weren't 
enough to convey the process sufficiently, and this left me very frustrated. 
Some photographs would have been very helpful. I'd encourage Dieter or one of 
his builders to offer a set of good quality photographs of all the systems and 
major component groups on aircraft that are in-process and completed; seeing 
everything in 3-D would really help the 2-D drawings come to life, speed up 
the learning process, and reduce the intimidation factor.

I don't want my comments to disccourage anyone from starting a ULF-1 project, 
unless it would be preventing them from launching into a project that is not 
realistic for them to complete (I think most designers would agree with this 
as well). Those who have built airplanes before -- especially those who have 
started a project that was never completed -- know what a huge commitment it 
takes to see something like this through to completion. If your available 
resources of time and money don't allow you to complete the project within 1-2 
years, there is a very good chance of failure. 2-3 years after starting you'll 
discover that the aircraft isn't what you really want anymore, or something 
else will come along that you desire more... It really helps to have a lot of 
time -- such as being retired -- so you can get it done before problems like 
this can arise. Of course, many builders take 10 years or more on a project 
and actually succeed in completing it, but I don't see that happening with 
myself. "Know thyself" is a very good maxim when considering beginning a 
project like this. Still, the time spent building beautiful structures such as 
aircraft parts can be quite rewarding even if the project is eventually abandoned.

Time lapses or long breaks in work on a project like this can be deadly, too. 
It is very common for other commitments or life events to pull one away from 
the project for a couple of weeks, then it becomes a couple of months... Once 
you're off a project for more than a few weeks it can be VERY difficult to 
pick up where you left off and get back into it. I'm saying all this from 
experience with several aircraft projects!

The ULF-1 is by no means too complicated or difficult for me to build, or for 
many of those who are considering it. I'd like everyone to understand that I 
have balked, hopefully temporarily, because I have so much going on in other 
areas of my life and I know from my earlier experience that it would be too 
much for me to try to start the project right now. So I'm keeping my foot in 
the door and hoping my life will un-complicate soon to the point where I can 
start cutting spruce and plywood.

I hope we'll see some actual ULF-1 builders join this list so they can remind 
us that the project is just gluing a bunch of sticks together, and that big 
projects are nothing more than a series of little projects. I'd at least like 
to build a rudder or something this summer to get a better feel for the 
project and Dieter's construction methods. And I hope I can help encourage 
others to do the same -- the world needs more homemade, low-cost, foot-launch 
soaring machines!

Doug


Member 2 wrote:
> Gentlemen,
>  
> The airchair list presently has a discussion going on concerning wind 
> limitations of Dieter's design.  I'm hoping we can get Dieter to comment 
> and possibly clarify what he meant when he suggested wind limitations in 
> the plans.  Dieter, can you help us out with this? 
>  
>  Also, it would appear that some people are intimitated by the design 
> complexity.  Not having a set of plans in my possession as yet, I cannot 
> comment on this.  How  about any of you guys?  Has anybody in this group 
> had enough time to study the plans well enough to comment on the 
> complexity of the design.?  I'd like to suggest that it's probably a 
> matter of "One person's ceiling is another person's floor"  when it 
> comes to ability and/or willingness to spend the time necessary to 
> complete a project as complex as an aircraft but I would still like to 
> hear from you guys.