Yup - the pilot's head rest is velcroed to the front surface of the spar, protecting his head from bashing off the root-end metal fittings!
Not sure I'd lower the wings by much as this would raise the centre of gravity and possibly alter the handling.
I've also been investigating methods of forming clear plexiglass / polycarbonate into compound shapes and reckon it should be possible to form the clear canopy out of a single piece, and thus get rid of the hoop just in front of the pilot. I'm also considering attaching the canopy to the front of the fuselage and using a light weight gas-spring to keep it open on the ground - as used in bigger sailplanes.
All just ideas for now!
Phil.
From:
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This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] On Behalf Of Kenny
Sent: 06 October 2011 16:34
To:
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Subject: [Carbondragonbuildersandpilots] Re: Improving the pilot's field of view
There isn't that much load on the small chunk of leading edge and I think it could possibly be worked out.
The other option might be to lower the wing so that your head was above the wing. I haven't posted my spreadsheet yet, but I added a couple of inches to the cockpit width, and as far as I understand the spar is just aft of the seat. I don't know why you couldn't lower it and then modify the cockpit so that it was a little more 'standard sailplane' looking. you may even be able to design around an existing canopy (like offered from Todd's canopies), that way it wouldn't be so expensive, and maybe actually easier to do that the standard one in the plans. I'll give that some thought. I think what one should be concerned about is the weight an balance. If the tail boom got just a little bit longer it wouldn't take much ballast to balance it if it were a tad nose-heavy.
Just thinking out-loud.
Kenny
--- In
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., "Philip Lardner"
wrote:
>
> Hi Folks,
>
> My impression, from looking at photos of Carbon Dragons already built, is
> that the pilot's field of view is restricted by having his head more or less
> inside the wing. His field of vision is blinkered by the root-ribs forward
> of the spar.
>
> If one were to angle the nose section of the root ribs outwards from the
> spar to the leading edge at the nose of the second rib the field of view
> would be considerably improved. That 'cut away' section of the leading edge
> could then be skinned with very thin plexiglass or other clear polycarbonate
> material. Granted the view might not be brilliant but it would be a big
> improvement, giving the pilot a few additional seconds of other air traffic
> in the column.
>
> My main concern would be to know how much torsional/twist stress the leading
> edge is carrying between the root rib and the second rib.
>
> Good or bad idea?
>
> Phil.
>
> PS - I've updated my wing calculations spreadsheet after fixing a couple of
> errors that made my figures and spar design a wee bit conservative. My
> thanks to Kenny for causing me to re-examine them. 