Helecopter Idea

Have you given up on your airplane? Or, is this in addition to your plane?

had this idea first, just thought to post it

The simplest form of a helicopter is not a helicopter at all, but it sort of looks like one. This Wikipedia article about a Gyrocopter tells about them. These are fairly complicated machines, but are far simpler than true helicopters.

Either of these projects seem to be beyond your scope. Have you built some flying model planes or helos? Perhaps start with those; it will give you a much better idea how complicated and dangerous a full size craft is.

[edit] I see kramarat beat me to the model suggestion by a few minutes. Didn't mean to step on you, Mark.

You didn't step on me. I'm just messing around drinking beer until the wife gets home.

Then I'll still be drinking beer, I just won't be on here, I'll be listening to whatever it is she thinks I need to hear.

"anything that would make this not work"

There is nothing here that is either safe or sane or feasible in any way.

What dont kill you makes you stronger, and if it kills you, you were the strongest you could get, and ive done alot of stupid things, and i was just ganna fly it a lil above the ground, like 10-15 foot tops

Hey, cow, id rather stay in the barn and try to think of something i can innovate, just like cow's fart or manure to use as fuel for cooking. Something like that.

or just to make your neighbors move away

Little birdie in the sky, why'd you do that in my eye. Oh, don't worry, I won't cry, I'm just glad that cows don't fly.

Amazing what pops into one's brain from the past.

What about pigs flying,

Swine flu

Start off with a scale model and think 2 stroke engine....much lighter. Let us know how it goes. Good luck!

http://www.trade-show-guru.com/2008/12/chainsaw-powered-b29/

k, thanks for your help

That's cool.

Yeah it is. I was trying to find the one where a guy used chainsaw engines to power the props on an ultralight. It was basically a hang glider with a seat and wheels............also cool. There's some really cool stuff out there on home made RC planes. Some of those guys spend years on them........................and then they crash.

Excellent! Loved that video! Thanks.

Wow, that ain't just your old Thimble Drome! Great video!

(Texas Chainsaw Smartass Bomber!)

too bad they crashed it (or one like it)

Did you hear the announcer say there's $75,000?

I'm glad I can't afford that hobby, I don't think I could take the heartbreak of crashes.

Wow! Great video! I remember starting those engines by rotating the propeller forcefully with a finger. If you didn't get your finger out of the way when it started, you would get sliced by the propeller.

I am happy to see the amount of control that these RC planes have. It's all software of course, and hats off to the programmers!

Hi The cow says moo,

If you can't communicate accurately (spelling, punctuation, etc.), what makes you think you can build a helicopter (HC) that works and won't kill you?

Let me know if you can think of anything that would make this not work?

Yes. You don't appear to have enough engineering background to make a viable device. Let me ask you some questions:

1. What would be the total weight of the HC plus your weight?
2. How many rotor blades would the main rotor need? The stabilization rotor?
3. What would the blade angle be?
4. What kind of mechanism would you need to steer?
5. Where would the Center of Gravity on the HC have to be in relation to the construction and how it would be able to fly level?

This is not a simple "wow, I just thought of this so I should be able to make it work!" deal.

I am not saying all this to discourage you, but to caution you that there is a lot more that you need to consider in light of your surface idea.

I'm sure that, if you decide to proceed with this project, if you communicate with us here, you will get mostly good advice. The caveat being that you can't wholly trust internet advice, since you don't have any confirmation of credentials. Be careful who you take advice from. (OK, so sue me for violating my own signature advice - OP, disregard this, it is meant for all the other guru's here).

Learn more about mechanical engineering and aerodynamics and let us know how your plans are progressing.

Mike

I believe I'm right in saying that the pitch of helicopter blades is constantly adjusted to allow for fact that when flying forward the blade on one side has higher air speed than on the other, so pitch is reduced to keep the same lift both sides. I don't think that what be easy to engineer in a backyard project.

Cheers........Codey

Exactly my point. Thanks for the input!

Don't let them discourage you. You've got a great idea, go with it and soar with the eagles. I especially like the metal bars, should make it really one of a kind. The open space for the engine at the back, just don't forget to leave space for the gas tank. I would even think about using a push mower UPSIDE DOWN! Then you won't even need to build the helicopter blades, you'll already have them. That's all I can think of. Good Luck!

C'mon PFR. I can understand a little encouragement, but a helicopter out of an upside down lawnmower?

At least you could have mentioned the dangers involved with flying around with an upside down mower................power lines, tree limbs, gas spilling on his head.....

We don't want anyone getting hurt or killed.

Let me know if you can think of anything that would make this not work?

I can think of many things that would make this not work.

I just want the opportunity to video the first flight attempt. It'll be cool if it works. If it does what I expect, it'll go viral......

If it does what I expect, it'll just go bonk.

A good parachute and a current legal will.

Helicopters, gyro-copters and planes are very complex fixtures.

Therefore to build any of them will keep you busy on the ground for a long time and much less in the air. This is a dangerous and risky venture.

Why not thinking of building a hot air balloon?

Good luck,

Arturo

You need around 100 HP for lift off with 100 Kg totall weight. That is why all aircraft parts , engine, etc are made light. For helicopter power/mass ratio is much higher than for plains.

I wanted to say that you need 100 HP if you want the rotor to be of reasonable size. With composites and the like, you can make a big and light rotor that requires less power but a lot of money. To fly it, if it is above certain weight, in US you need a license from FAA and have the "thing" certified by them. To have it certified it has to be inspected from the inception of construction as to materials, design, etc.

IMO IF you have no clue how to properly design and build a chopper nor have the aeronautical engineering education and experience, then you have no business going through this fiasco (or dream) unless you have some strong urge to kill yourself or have death wish. You may be able to kill or maim others around you too!

Be careful not to chop off your head guy with those blades!

Interesting that The cow says moo has not been back to reply to all the wisdom offered here.

I hope he doesn't do anything stupid and get himself killed.

I love the one where the stupid rich guy totals his new toy seconds into his first flight!

When your expendable income outweighs your intelligence by a factor of a 1000:1 or more this is what you get as an end result!!!

http://www.dynamicflight.com/aerodynamics/

videos

Chris

Designing an airplane is a challenge in that weight and balance have to be right for the thing to fly. A properly designed airplane is stable (in pitch and yaw) and easily controlled in the roll axis by ailerons.

Helicopters are inherently unstable in all three axes and you have not only the weight and balance issues but all sorts of stability problems. To control the helicopter in pitch and roll, you have to change the blade angle of attack on each rotation (cyclic control). You have to change the collective pitch to ascend and descend. These controls have to control the blades while they are spinning. Then you have gyroscopic forces to make things really interesting.

In short, there is no such thing as a "simple helicopter" and the chances of putting something together like this and expecting it to fly controllably are nil. The best thing to do is to build a model to understand the problems involved.

Just watched the B29 video and it reminded me of a model air show I went to as a kid.

These for guys built a replica Lancaster bomber, it took them about 5 years to build it by hand. Its maiden flight was at this show.

It was a beautiful calm sunny day, the runway was a long stretch of grass on top of a small hill.

Engines revving the, the bomber run down the runway and had just lifted off when 2 of the engines died.

This would normally not be to much of a problem but for the forest half way down the hill.

A lot of people went home with souvenirs that day.

Helecopter is only for few persons not too many. what is the need of simplifications?

Suggestion #1

Learn to spell.

Suggestion #2

Go to the library and read about helicopters.

Suggestion #3

Save up about $5000. Spend it on learning how to fly a helicopter. If you are going to build a flying machine, when you go to test it, that test should not be the first flight for both of you.

Suggestion #4

After completing Suggestions 1 through 3, re-read your post and see if you still think it's a good idea.

"Save up about $5000. Spend it on learning how to fly a helicopter. If you are going to build a flying machine, when you go to test it, that test should not be the first flight for both of you."

Since you have to have a fixed wing license before you can begin helicopter flight training, you'll need considerably more than $5,000.00.

And a lot more than 12.5 to 20 hp.

Maybe he's thinking 'remote piloted'

Actually, you can start out helicopter training without a fixed-wing license. It's just the more expensive way to do it. Doing the cross-country and other parts that just involve boring holes in the sky is a lot cheaper in fixed-wing though. Either is gonna cost you more than $5000 today though. Even a Cessna 150 is running over a $100 an hour. Plus instructor. The cheapest helicopter is gonna be well over $300 an hour and helo instructors charge more than fixed-wing. And how many students really finish in the 40-hour minimum (in the US)?

You're right. I should have said "should have a fixed wing....................."

It's academic anyway, I think.

Q: Let me know if you can think of anything that would make this not work?

A: You.

As someone who has had some really crazy ideas I can sympathise with this guy. His problem is not the lack of imagination but the lack of knowledge.

But for every 10 crazy ideas comes a gem.

Where would we be if the Wright brothers had listened to all the people who said they where crazy to want to build an aeroplane. They must have looked really crazy when they started.

I believe this forum should be used to educate people not ridicule them.

So Mr Cow if you want to build a helicopter, I say do it, But make sure you do it the right way. Do the research, take a flying lesson and most of all ask questions even if they appear to be dumb ones. It's the only way to learn.

Oh come on robin, he got 25% help and good advice and ideas as bad as his disserve a "perspective" hope he'll see that perspective before he hurts himself. I'm sure if he takes some of the advice here and tries to build something that might work like a gyro and comes back for more feedback he'll do better than 25%.

I was encouraged by his feedback:

don't lose faith in your ideas Cow, if we don't hear back from you in a few months we'll figure you hurt yourself and can't type so be careful.

didn't Nikola Tesla jump off a barn with an umbrella as a young man?

my first helicopter idea was similar. (but I only ended up making pictures of it)

my second helicopter idea, I actually built an aluminum shell for it.. and did some rotor testing (scary) but never got it built... decided it would be appropriate to learn some basic RC stuff first.. so built an RC gas engine Cessna...

but the whole thing is a learning experience.. I think it is fair enough to say 'take plenty of safety precautions when testing your ideas" but I don't think it is fair to imply a lack of intelligence, based on a perceived lack of knowledge. that is just mean.

Chris

Why not pay for this guy to come from China, then you two can fly his?

Laughed my ass off, wooden propellers for the win. Love the links in the article that send you to a life insurance site.

Sorry about the gaming jargon but I couldn't resist.