Pedalusion   (canard biplane HPA project underway)
by
James Tascione, lifetime RC airplane builder

"to make HPA fun"

"It is a symphony of wood, foam and glue built by a lone man."
 

• James' home site with many photos of his project:    http://www.pedalusion.com/
• News spot in Make: Pedalusion Promises Pedal-powered Flight for the People
• Mohave Desert area in Southern California.    Apple Valley, CA.
• https://www.facebook.com/james.tascione

• 08/19/201   Make article. In article: Estimate of time  up to tow test: "about six weeks."  This if the tow test goes well, the he would use two to three weeks to install the drove and fan system.    Such guess would have such accomplished in the first of November, which has past.   Any further news?
• He posted in Homebuilt Airplanes on Nov. 19, 2013.    Photo seems to be a dated item; wing is not covered yet.
• Mitja commented that Mitja had not seen any prior "inverted V canard."
   
• James Tascione noted on Nov. 19, 2013, that it will be about 5 weeks to the tow test.
• At HomebuiltAirplanes, there are two topic threads related to Pedalusion. One is closed but readable.
  • Closed, but readable. Human powered aircraft designer builder from the Mojave Desert.Hello!!
  • Active topic thread. Human powered biplane project" PEDALUSION"
     

Re: Human powered aircraft designer builder from the Mojave Desert.Hello!!

1. The movement to plans and kits at such an early stage does grow some concern. The man-hours involved by rote followers could become huge. And a short lift-off and break might satisfy some locals. Such would comprise just one of many categories of hopefuls. Pop-up-and-breakers; "I flew!" One-time out might be enough for some.

2. James Tascione's concept of local COTS is a relative thing (What is COTS to one may not be COTS for another; budget, purchasing skills, know-how to handle particular materials). Combined with a choice of type of construction, he will apparently do his best and the project will be a lesson in the annals of HPA. One would just hope that kit-and-plan buyers will enter following with open eyes and ears and be ready for any limitations and trade-offs. James is entrenched for a limited-scope project that will have lesson values for discerning students.

3. Niche-construction-sectors in HPA add to big picture. MacCready first built to see breakage. Design and repair upwards until the thing does not break. After celebratory success, let heavy friend have a go ... and minutes later... a new breaking lesson. The niche of defined construction strategy can be a hobby.
= How far might one go with balsa and Saran wrap?
= How far might one fly with handy foam, wood veneer, Gorilla Glue, and handy Tyvek®?
= Another niche: Trash Technology .... find all material in trash; add glues and lines.
= Another niche: splinted cased inflated bladders (One company calls the ancient art: tensairity.)
= Another: Unlimited funds; 3-D printed parts.
= Another: Carbon dominate.
= Or Dyneema all the way (lines, rolled specialty fabric, tensegrity complexes).
= Or aerogel-dominate strategy.
= Chemically-etched optimized I-beams with taper for aluminum might be another exploration.
= One day graphene HPA!
= Maybe thin-walled quality tapered steel tubing foundation.
= Or CNT wingers!
= I am hoping for programmable self-assembling 3-D matrix "solids" that will be less dense than air. http://io9.com/this-is-a-picture-of-the-lightest-substance-on-earth-461681135

Someone will distinguish themselves in each niche construction arena and in each niche rule-set in competitions. The "sweet spot" of build logistics combined with performance satisfaction varies with tastes. Leading conventional performance parameters are not the only game in town. Taras Kiceniuk, Jr.'s near-ground-kissing ground-skimming specialty airfoil HPA exploration had its niche value.

4. Envisioned purposes may vary. Duration in the air may or may not be important to the pilot-to-be. Stalled-lift-off might be enough. A minute flight might be super great; and some will want to do the minute over and over again. Some will have their own rules that differ from the big-name competitions and prize-awarding entities. Some will allow themselves stored pilot energy. Hybrid possibles are many. Pure HPA?

5. The investment of time to become skilled with DIY carbon fibre could shape decisions. Budget may shape a project. "I will go with what I know right now and see how far that gets me! And enjoy the process perhaps more than the possible flight!" Self-soar versus team-flight project could shape some builds. Materials local-to-my-physical-reach could shape a build.

 In all, there is a view that any project may bless those alert to see lessons that could enrich students following a project.

Truth-in-advertising is favored in my books, no matter the product.

• ARP on Nov. 19, 2013, gave lead for this project. Thanks, Tony.
• Icarus competition in 2015 Royal Aeronautical Society | Icarus Cup
• Chris Roper on RAeS Human Powered Aircraft committee
  • HUMAN POWERED FLIGHT   "Man Powered Aircraft Group" ... since 1959; then in 'Man' to 'Human" in 1988 for Human Powered Aircraft Group.
    • late Mr. Henry Kremer  ... synergistic key to HPA.
    • Transition to practical HPA and sport is at hand.
    • "Anyone is a potential HPA pilot."
    • Aim: HPA as Olympic sport event.
    • Human-Powered/References
    • Pre-1961 references document in PDF format.
  • Roper, C. Human Powered Flying
  •  
• [ ] Update master Timeline
• FAI in the action ... sanctioning Icarus Cup 2013, July.   
• Icarus Cup for Human Powered Aircraft
  • 1st:  2012:   Royal Aeronautical Society HPA Icarus Cup 2012.  13 – 22 July at Lasham Airfield. Not open to the public without approval.
  • 2nd: 2013:  The 2013 ICARUS CUP FOR HUMAN POWERED FLIGHT, SUPPORTED BY BREITLING,  took place at SYWELL AERODROME, Northampton, from 19 - 28 July.    Five teams competed:   Airglow - Betterfly - EA12 - Noctule - SUHPA
  • 2014 ?
  • 2015
• RAeS has "November 1961 marked the first human powered flight by Derek Piggott."    How does that sit with facts? What are the definitions?  I know that I flew under muscle power before that date, but under rules that were probably different from the RAeS rules. What does it mean to have "human-powered flight"?
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