the dark side

[niall]

mmm...

anyone want to talk about downwind machines ?

seems a bit of a moot point but they are a lot of fun ....its a bit like when luke skywalker went into that dark tree ...



failed attempt above ...but they certainetly ask questions ....

[Dale S]

Absolutely, tell us more, show us more, do you have video if it up and running?

[niall]

theres not really much left of it now Dale.... ...the tail went back on sometime later...this one was a copy of some similar ones that were on fl way back

 ...you can just about hear a small bit of (helicoptering) noise in the vid caused by the small wake from the mast ...it never made this upwind..
 

it was tricky to run consistantly , one big issue ( there were many ) was that it would have really needed a VERY vertical mast and getting it track low wind was a headache....lot of fun though

downwinds seem  to have a lot of strange stuff going on....sometimes in light winds it would just sit there with prop not moving ...once it would spin up a little it would quickly yaw ( snap ) into the wind as if the prop was windseeking in some way ...
 




a smaller machine would have been better to experiment with ...i think a coned prop would have been a big help to it   

[philb]

Hi Niall,
Remember I had one a few years back that shucked the tail just to go to the dark side. I put the tail back on and it tore it up so bad it was totally unusable.

[niall]

hi Phil

i remember your write up very well...

loosing a tail can definitely alter your perspective .....
i,d like to try it again (one day) so it,s definitely on the "things to try" list ...i have one eBay bike motor that might be a candidate ...and some extra props ..





copying a basic Proven layout (as you suggested i recall ) ....would be an interesting jump off point ....(the coning furling bit ) ...erm.. ....another downwind problem to think about ....maybe in a small machine electronic braking might work a bit  ...ish ..very ish


the alt could be on a drive shaft then ...with a "bruiser"  size hub bearing dealing with the prop ....interesting to think about ....

the "wish list" just got a bit longer 
 

[philb]

Beautiful blades Niall. That e bike motor might work as well. Your tests will tell.
Both look like a really good start. As you know, it's uphill from here.

Is this one going to originate on the dark side? 

I had a Proven construction manual downloaded somewhere. That might give you some ideas.

I did find some old Dunlite stuff while looking. I posted here. http://www.anotherpower.com/gallery2/main.php/v/philb/Dunlite/ They may interest you.

Edit: I'll keep looking.