Jon's organization of this film is superb. If everyone had these habits, we would have far fewer accidents. Alaska has unlimited opportunities for these kinds of landing spots. One can spend many years exploring Alaska!
Nice to be able to go 'anywhere'. People use large tires for this but how much are the tires really challenged? could a much smaller tire, especially on trailing link suspension rally handle this and more with ease? it seems a little ironic that some have very large balloon tires on the front and that little tail dragger wheel at the back. So in reality could you make a completely normal looking plane able to do these bush landings. Good power to weight ratio so it can force itself into the air with short runway. Why not a light plane with jet engines, able to go both fast and far and do these outback STOL landings. There is actually a german company (Frank turbine) doing a small turbofan engine pretty much what I have been calling for. 1500N thrust, 22kg weight. 2 spool turbofan and supposedly 0.5lb/lbf hr fuel efficiency which if true is on par with airliner engines. Two such engines on an 800kg MTOW plane would be 300kg thrust for an 800kg plane which is better than most. With modest size airless square profile wheels on suspension it might be a bush plane able to go mach 0.7 above the weather if pressurized.
Jon's organization of this film is superb. If everyone had these habits, we would have far fewer accidents. Alaska has unlimited opportunities for these kinds of landing spots. One can spend many years exploring Alaska!
Jon is a real inspiration!
This sounds like a great series of steps to take to make a safe landing in an unknown area.
Nice to be able to go 'anywhere'. People use large tires for this but how much are the tires really challenged? could a much smaller tire, especially on trailing link suspension rally handle this and more with ease? it seems a little ironic that some have very large balloon tires on the front and that little tail dragger wheel at the back. So in reality could you make a completely normal looking plane able to do these bush landings. Good power to weight ratio so it can force itself into the air with short runway.
Why not a light plane with jet engines, able to go both fast and far and do these outback STOL landings. There is actually a german company (Frank turbine) doing a small turbofan engine pretty much what I have been calling for. 1500N thrust, 22kg weight. 2 spool turbofan and supposedly 0.5lb/lbf hr fuel efficiency which if true is on par with airliner engines. Two such engines on an 800kg MTOW plane would be 300kg thrust for an 800kg plane which is better than most. With modest size airless square profile wheels on suspension it might be a bush plane able to go mach 0.7 above the weather if pressurized.
Good stuff
I dont love travelling. I like flying but not for travel