Bluebird Ultralight Airplane, Flying Slow
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- čas přidán 27. 03. 2022
- The Bluebird! This is a homebuilt ultralight airplane, designed and built by me. It's a flying scooter, just for fun. I'm not very bold, usually just making local flights in fair weather, poking around for my own satisfaction.
My Bluebird is a motorfloater, flying slow (light weight, big wing) for comfort, easy flying, and crash safety. The motor is a modern paramotor engine (16 horsepower), there are no ailerons or flight instruments. I start the takeoff with the tail down, but at the end of the flight I can stop with either the nose skid or the tail skid on the ground. The nose down stop makes it easy to get out of the plane, and would also be needed in a strong headwind. For more details see the Bluebird Page:
m-sandlin.info/Bluebird/Bluebi...
Thanks to Oscar Gonzales for the remote video. - Věda a technologie
I may never build one of your planes Mike and that pains me a little but it doesn’t keep me from dreaming about it. Thanks for the video, love watching you and your planes flying.
Glad to see you’re still actively designing and building. Nice flights!
Nice to see your creative engineering juices are still flowing, Mike. One day I’ll finish my Goat whose tail is in my basement.
Ok. You ARE the "bloop guy". I had to look you up. And yep, that's the field alright. I used to keep & fly, both a 'B' model Weedhopper, followed by a Quicksilver MX Sport, there
(And learned to skydive there also) back in the late 70's - early 80's.
One of my most memorable experiences was flying my MX out over the lake a little bit, and "Ridge run" the mtn just to the north in an extended right pattern there. And as I flew an approach in from the east, a hawk swooped down on me & soared with me a few mins. I pulled the power back & man, It seemed like forever. And seemed as though I could almost touch it, even though it kept a fair distance. I was 17 then. And was I ever stoked!
I thought those Arial views of the landscape looked familiar!
Glad to see it's still there & operational after all these years.
I moved to MI back in '88. But I still get out there often. I just may have to take a little jaunt down there next trip out.
Inspirational Mike. Keep it simple- Back to basics at its best.
Thanks. 👍
Beautiful flying at its purest keep up the excellent work, and thank you for your generosity.
It looks great, thank you for posting your latest project!
This is a stunning machine! Thanks for sharing.
I don’t know how I missed this video but the bluebird looks amazing. I’m so fascinated by the work you are doing, you are like a modern day Wright brother 😊
Great work, Mike. Thanks for putting up the drawings!
Beautiful machine!
Great job you have done!
Well Mike another great design, and looks to fly well. Keep up the great work and flying.
Beautiful!!!!
The segments with your shadow in the frame are just fabulous! I miss my ultralight flying days. Easy Riser, Quicksilver, Minimum (German HG power system)
There is something about that boxy 1910-ish looking frame that tickles me. I had a Quicksilver MX back in the 1980's and loved every minute of flight time I could get. Looking forward to more videos of your adventures :-)
Well done with a 16hp 👏
Genial !!!! Muy sencillo y barato !!!! Voy a ver su página !!!
Good plane !!!
great vid!
Sensacional!!!!
Excellent👍
Awesome!
Damnit. You're making me want to try flying again...
I am looking forward to building this aircraft. You have put together all of the elements that I have been looking for. After all of these years and designs you have captured the best design available. In my mind, this aircraft puts you out there where you get the feeling that You are flying. I have been wrestling with the idea that a public airport can restrict the public from using a publicly funded facility. Mike I hope you get that issue settled and I am looking forward to more videos of your aircraft.
03LC is a private use airport.
Bravo !
Awesome new design! If I'm not mistaken, your powerplant is an Atom 80. It's incredible you've built a machine with such efficient lift you can use an 80cc 2T engine. Thank you for making this idea available!
I wanted to try a small engine, it's really different aviation, everything is power limited. I like using an engine that interferes very little with the flying of the airplane, and I can puff up and claim to be the king of airplane efficiency! However, if I were flying much above sea level I would probably want to switch to the next more powerful paramotor engine.
Don't get no better!!!
I was following your progress with the bluebird up until a bit past your local airfield banned ultralights, and was wondering how it's been going since then. I assume you haven't found anywhere else to fly?
Is that Nichols Field (or ? its called these days...), you're operating out of, by Otay Lake by chance?
16 hp, amazing
I suppose this one isnt suited for car top transport like goats are?
What is the max length of an individual piece (thinking about needed trailer length)?
Good question. Now I can send you to the Bluebird drawings! Go to the Bluebird Website (link is in the video text description), then link to "Bluebird Drawings Online", then link to the Assembly Drawings, then link to "BBA3 Nominal Dimensions". Here you will see that the longest fabricated solid part is the main wing panel, which is less than 12 feet long. The plane can be disassembled for transport in a big box rental truck, but it isn't quick and is not intended for trailer transport.
Hi Mike!
I am facing the construction of the GOAT 1. Still studying the plans... My first question: what is the best Airfoil for the GOAT1? I have read a lot but I have not read anyone who categorically says that the Airfoi is better than the original one of your plane, some recommend NACA 4415, others 2512... anyway... your opinion is essential.
Thank you for the gift you gave to the flying community
Aldo, from Buenos Aires
I think the Goat 1 (& Goat 4) airfoil is the right one to use. The documented (NACA, etc.) wing airfoils are all multi-speed airfoils, whereas the Goat is just about a one speed aircraft. The Goat airfoil flat bottom encloses the ladder structure of the wing, and the low leading edge provides lots of camber (thus lift) for slow flying. A lower drag but faster flying airfoil would be much less practical, you need to be able to slow down for effective thermalling.
@airchairp Thank you for making this available. Making the cheapest simplest thing I can possibly make to get my old fat ass up in the air before I am too dang old to even try. :)
Cost and build time?
Currently building a goat inspired motor floater with a GY6 four stroke motor. Aiming for the UK Sub70kg weight allowance.
If all else fails I may try the Atom 80, its 4kg lighter than a GY6... Quite a bit thirstier though!
A Sub70 airplane would be an exciting project, I don't know of any now flying. Only the light trikes are currently flying Sub70, from what I can see on the videos. A Sub70 airplane can be done, I think: the Bluebird initial weight was only a dozen pounds over 75 kg. (including the parachute and 5 kg. added for fuel). A motorfloater should be able to meet the 23 mph. minimum airspeed requirement with some heavier pilots (the Bloop did it on CZcams). The two stroke engine seems like the right choice for a weight limited airplane, engine reliability doesn't mean much if you're going to run out of gas anyway.
@@airchairp
There is not much I could strip from the Goat 4 but I have gone with a single boom tube much like your Skypuppy (love the look of that aircraft!)
I am considering 4 or 5mm dyneema rigging and my pilot frame is a welded truss affair. It has only gained 150g on my weight calculations so far (I am slowly eating into a calculated 2kg buffer)
Just taken delivery of a 63inch propeller and finished machining the output pully and shaft so I can run the prop around the boom... I have three of these engines and they burn 2.2L/h with a smaller 51 inch propeller (paraglider at 25mph) so I ought to be in good shape with fuel.
The UK Sub70kg allows 5kg for a reserve chute so the Bluebird is VERY close to being just right.
I am too far along in my build to change tactics now.
If this thing ever flies, ill owe you a beer! (Assuming you are indeed the one and only Mr Mike Sandlin)
Great mike... it's encouraging video for beginners like me... but can you guide how to start from beginning where cost factor can be subsidies by other factors specially on country like India
For economy flying in the flat lands your best bet would probably be to form a group, then buy and to learn to fly a paramotor. Next, perhaps a light trike, which will allow landings in stronger winds and will have no canopy issues. After that, a motorfloater will add enhanced pitch stability and crash safety, and still be easy to fly. These selections are based mainly on what is available and practical to use.
@@airchairp thanks for positive advice.. I am working on that only but yet to get enthusiastic guys in my area. Please do let me know if you come across through near by Mumbai India.. I will join with them...
Where is this wonderful airfield?
The airport is John Nichols Field in San Diego, California. Small private airplanes are no longer allowed to fly there due to a business decision by the management about a year ago. Commercial air traffic was increasing at the site.
Awesome....can this plane be towed by car for glider tests?
Yes, I suppose you could leave off the engine, move the pilot forward for balance, and turn the Bluebird into a car tow glider, if you wanted to. I'm not sure what would be tested by that. Roll launching down a hill would be simpler, see the "Pig Rolling Launch" glider video.
What type of material did you use to canvas the wing? i'm projecting a similar airplane and idk what kinda of material to use
Use the link in the video caption to see everything. The online drawings are at:
m-sandlin.info/Bluebird/Bluebird%20Online%20Visible%20Drawings/BB%20Online%20Viewable%20Drawings%20Menu.html
The fabric details are mostly in the "Assembly" drawings.
@@airchairp I don't understand english very well (Technical terms) and i can't translate the page. So can you tell just a summary of wing Materials? If it is necessary to use Styrofoam, or it can just be with aluminum spars and the wing profile made of wood
Dear Sandling, admired designer, ¿could you let me know which airplane is easier to build and assemble; And which plane has more flight lift? (comparing bloop and blue bird) thank you very much.
Those hills look familiar. Where are you?
San Diego, California back country.
Are there plans for this machine???
You can download the drawings from the website.
Hey Mike this is so cool!
I know you build for an American market but would you consider taking on the ultimate challenge of building a sub 74kg powered glider for us poor folks in the UK?
Would be super appreciative of any and all help you can give me because aviation here is super expensive.
Let's say I design and build for American regulations ("market" sounds like something for sale, which I don't have).
That Sub 70 Class is a real challenge for which the Bluebird is two dozen pounds overweight before counting the fuel, but maybe a similar design could be developed for lighter weight. Light trikes are flying in this category already, but an airplane layout should have the advantages of better pitch stability, easier handling, and better crash safety.
Жарайсыз кандай мотор орнатылган
[Wrong Engine] ? Maybe 16 horsepower is too wimpy for most pilots, but remember that this plane was intended to provide the experience of flying with a minimal engine, like back in the day of the first motorized hang gliders.
Hello! Link for bloop4 plans pdf download is dead :(
Yes, thanks for the note. The downloads from my Bloop website are being blocked as "insecure". I presume this is because my download is using the old http file transfer protocol. It may be that the newer https secure protocol is now being required instead. I don't know how to fix this, I will give it some thought. For now, the online Bloop 4 drawings can be consulted, and copied one at a time if need be.
Chapter 2: I opened the website in the html editor and changed the file transfer protocol of the download link (the "http" at the beginning of the URL (web address)) to the modern protocol, "https" (the "s" stands for "secure"). It worked, and the drawing file could now be downloaded as before. So, the fix was trivial, but I still don't know why the problem so arose suddenly. I will now change all the Bloop and Bluebird download URLs to the more modern protocol, so the system should be back to normal soon.
The lesson: standards change, no file source lasts forever, so if you want files get them now and secure them in multiple formats in your own system.
@@airchairp Thanks for quick response, do you ever plan to design tractor biplane ultralight?
I like the prop in back so I don't need walls and windows to shield me from the prop wash. Flying in the ambient relative breeze is comfortable in nice conditions.
What is engine 🤔
As it says in the video caption, "a modern paramotor engine, 16 horsepower...For more detail see the Bluebird Page : [website link]". This means go to the video caption and click on the website link for more info.
ｐｒｏｍｏｓｍ
Blue bird? When Picasso was in his "Blue Period" he actually painted with blue. So what's your excuse?
Kidding aside, you and your puddle jumper reminds me of Bloop on these You Tube web pages:
czcams.com/video/a88_dmD9lV8/video.html
I take my lead from the Blackhawk helicopter, which is usually green.
@@airchairp The Skydive staff said (08/27/22) the ultralight folks did not renew their lease @ the field & most moved to Brown Field...did that include you?