Burt Rutan's SkiGull successfully took to the skies this week from the Coeur d'Alene Airport. The unusual airplane, which is designed to take off and land from water, snow and land, flew for 1.8 hours with test pilot Glenn Smith at the controls.
The test flight included basic stability and control tests in the cruise and landing configurations, the latter of which with flaps and skis extended. Speeds were limited to 80 knots and the SkiGull remained below 8,000 feet. Smith reported that the airplane flew straight with his hands off the controls. He also reported the speed and maneuvering stability as excellent. Lowering the skis and flaps resulted in no trim change and the stall speed appeared slower than that of the Piper Cub chase plane, Rutan said. However, he described this early evaluation of the airplane's stall characteristics as unacceptable, with no buffet and a roll drop-off to the right.
The flight was conducted mostly at low power settings and the Rotax 912iS burned less than three gallons during the flight, Rutan said.
SkiGullThe first flight was conducted just a couple of weeks after we reported that water testing had started at Hayden Lake north of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Rutan rejoiced after the flight, stating that it happened "just in time, since we got our first North Idaho snow just hours after the flight."
Rutan built the SkiGull in his garage, a 20-month project that he described as "grueling." He said he will never again get involved in the process of composite construction and finishing, though he will continue to design airplanes.
According: flyingmag.com
Burt Rutan has started testing his latest airplane design, the SkiGull, an amphibious design he says will be his last. This week, the legendary airplane designer took the airplane to Hayden Lake for some early water testing. The fuselage was launched into the water before the wings were attached and Rutan briefed test pilot Glenn Smith on what water-taxi maneuvers to perform.
Rutan then observed the test from a boat. The testing showed that the SkiGull's design needed some tweaking, as the pitch angles at low speeds were not ideal. Rutan says he will now make modifications to improve the pitch angles and divulged that seaplane designs are "more difficult to perfect than airplane designs."
The SkiGull is designed with a retractable, flexible ski system, which provides five times the shock absorption deflection of a typical landplane allowing the airplane to operate in rough water, even beach waves, Rutan said. The system will be pneumatically deployed during water takeoffs at 18 knots and deactivated at 12 knots during landing.
Rutan said the amphibious airplane will likely rarely go to an airport since it uses car and boat fuel and can be stored in a single garage. It is designed to resist corrosion, even in saltwater, and will have a docking system using two 12 hp electric motors driving a folding propeller. In addition to providing the capability of maneuvering the airplane on the water, including rotating and backing up, the docking system will be capable of flying the airplane about 8 miles in case the Rotax engine fails. Rutan also claims the unique airplane design will be capable of loitering for 35 hours at about 15 percent power without any noise footprint as long as the airplane stays above 500 feet.
Rutan said the SkiGull will be his last design and, having spent more of his life developing new airplanes than flying them, he wants to fly this one around the world with his wife Tonya.
According: flyingmag.com
