Design Challenges of the Spruce Goose Part 1

Joe discusses the design challenges of building the Spruce Goose for the Academy Award winning movie The Aviator.

Motor Testing

Aero Telemetry's computer controlled engine dyno. Hacker A200 electric motor testing. 

Telemetry Systems

The various telemetry systems we repair and service can be used for many different applications such as: 

• RF video/data surveillance projects requiring wideband analysis capability
• Antenna tracking systems and satellite telemetry downlinks
• Command and control systems using remotely controlled receivers
• Fixed sites or mobile platforms requiring reliable, mission critical telemetry receivers
• Reception of satellite meteorological data from  S/L/C-Band  LEO, MEO, and GEO satellites
• Live video from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's) 

UAV Heli Project

Aero Telemetry designed, integrated, and tested several different engine systems for an unmanned helicopter project. The initial design called for a power plant that could produce about 125 lbs of lift from a custom 4-bladed rotor system. Several different air cooled 2-stroke engines were installed and tested. Most problematic was keeping the air-cooled engines operating within acceptable temperatures during hover and flight. This proved to be a considerable problem with larger displacement, high horsepower 2-stroke engines.

Finally, a water cooled 2-stroke engine was installed.  It produced more horsepower than the air-cooled engines and did so at much lower operating temperatures. However, it operated at a much different RPM band that required we come up with different gearing for the main rotor. Once the new pulleys were made the new combination was tested with excellent results.

 

H-1 Landing Gear Re-Design saves 6 lbs!

Weight comparison between original lower landing gear section and new rebound damped assembly. A weight savings of more than 1.5 lbs per side.

 
Parts removed from Rev 1 landing gear...1.25 lbs !

For the Hughes H1 Racer, Aero Telemetry designed new lower landing gear suspension system. Rebound damped with hydraulics, pre-load adjustable, scissor fork anti-rotation, and new 1 inch axle. Weight savings of over 3 lbs plus rebound damped suspension.

 

Custom UAV Design

This custom UAV  was designed by Aero Telemetry for a customer that required a strong and reliable unmanned air vehicle that could be flown easily from unimproved locations and provide heavy-lift capabilities as a flying test-bed for advanced avionics systems. The fuselage of the UAV breaks down for easy transport.

Aero Telemetry was responsible for the design and integration of the the entire UAV. Details included fabrication of the two-piece fuselage, Y-tail empennage, shock absorbing landing gear, steerable nose-wheel assembly, gear-reduced engine, fuel system integration and finally the electro-mechanical control system and uplink.  

Engine Restoration - The Lawrance L-5

 

The Lawrance L-5, 5-cylinder radial engine. A very rare and relatively unknown radial engine developed by Charles Lawrance, whose company Lawrance Aero Engines Ltd. was purchased by Wright Aeronautical in 1923. Lawrance then went on to develop the extremely successful Wright Whirlwind  for which was used by Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart on their record setting long distance flights.

This specific engine is unique in that it was designed to operate mounted vertical as a auxiliary power unit on airplanes designed to operate from remote locations or over the ocean. A  Martin PBM Mariner used during World War Two may have used this engine to provide enough 28VDC power to start one of the main engines while at some remote South Pacific island. Incredibly compact and smooth running, the L-5 produces about 35 HP.

After the War, airplane enthusiasts obtained a few L-5 engines as surplus and attempted to convert them for use on small ultralight airplanes. There were several issues that made the conversion problematic. The oiling system and sump were setup for vertical operation and there was no provision for mounting and driving a propeller (as in thrust bearings or splined prop shaft)

These issues added some complexity to the rebuild, however using a pusher type propeller in an "airplane-style" mount and some modification to the oiling system allowed the Aero Telemetry team to complete this rare radial restoration in less than a month...it is most likely the only reliable running example in the world.