ORIGINAL: DWNUNDR
I was hoping Chip might like to say something about his design. I for one would like to know the following:
Inspiration to design the bipe like this,
What advantages do you see with the YS over Electric at this point in the game?
Is this design yours alone or has there been any outside influence?
Have you got any prototypes of it you are testing?
I was also wondering how you decide who will manufacture your model?
Do they approach you or do you have to go out and find an interested manufacturer?
Do you do the CAD work or is it something you work with Oxai to develop?
Just curious. I've always wondered what the steps were for top pilots designers to go through from designing to finding a manufacturer as we usually only see the finished product.
Hope you are reading this thread and maybe would be able to give some info.
Wayne
I must say this has been an interesting thread to say the least. I have always been aware of the old theory about needing a chord width between the wings on a bipe but after flying them for the last 25 years I have yet to figure out why. I even went so far as to fly a triplane one year at the ETOC and it flew incredible. However I still did not have anything as far as a new design until the finals of the Nats last year.
The Alferma had a big part in this design simply because it proved in the worst possible conditions a YS powered Bipe easily held its own and that allowed Brett approx 3 seconds per manuever more time to think which is huge in an unknown. As good as Jason flew the Sensation it still looked like every other lightly wing loaded bipe I have ever seen and I just cant see there being a way to over come that. Finally even when watching Andrew fly the nearly flawless unknown the round he was first up with the monoplane, I knew that combination was not an option for me. I was watching the one guy in the world that could of made that flight, in those conditions, at that pace and that was Andrew.
So those 3 were the inspiration for thisdesign (Final Touch) as well as a new monoplane. Once I had 2d drawing I made, I sent them to Seba. He likes them both but was a little nervous about investing in all the molds simply because of the unknowns which I completely understand. I also sent my 2d drawing to Oxai at the same time because we have been talking about doing a plane together for the past few years. I never really pursued it because I wasn't about to waste this opportunity on just another pattern design it had to be something at least as unique as the Visa.
Anyhow they replied within a few hours ao we planned out a realistic timeframe and that brings us to today. They a cutting the Molds right off the drawings Mariano did for me and I should have the first one in mid to late May. Since that will be cutting it close for the Nats I went ahead and ordered two Axiom+GP's. I hear they are about ready to be shipped which will give me some proven planes right away.
Anyhow I am totally fine with some peoples opinouns that it will never work, and I appriciate Doug as well as others letting me know this. However something in my head tells me it will be ok and I have to go with that.
I will put up some pics as I get them. I have been watching Matt and Jims planes fly with the 175's and if mine are anywhere in the ballpark its going to be a fun year.
Chip