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GEORGE GREGORY'S ROADABLE
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General Design Explanation
- Efficiency - I want to try to make as much as possible do double duty. Weight transfer is to be accomplished using the same components for both modes of travel.
- Automotive foot print - The driving dimensions of the vehicle would fit comfortably in a standard parking space; about as big as a minivan.
- Minimum conversion hassles - As little as possible folds; just the wings, and perhaps a bumper of some sort, at least on the front.
- Surface configuration - I need the smallest possible wings. This is accomplished by dividing the wing area between two lifting surfaces.
- Wheels and wheel mounting requirement - The canard holds the front wheels. The canard incorporates the automotive suspension, which means that it serves dual duty as a lifting surface and as landing gear. A shock absorber would be mounted at the end of the assembly, inside the fuselage. A locking pin would hold the wing rigid for flight operations.
- The running gear - The design uses tricycle gear, two wheels in front, one in back. Why? It's easier to store the wings when you don't have to get them between a pair of back wheels. Besides, a three wheeler is a motorcycle as far as regulatory bodies are concerned.
- Weight transfer - The rear wheel has 3 positions. Retracted forward for flight, it comes down about 40 degrees for landing, and rotates past the vertical to assume an aft position for driving. It lengthens the effective wheelbase, which means the centre of gravity is automatically closer to centre of the vehicle. Further, by stowing the wings forward we move the weight forward for driving purposes. A front bumper could be stored in the tail for flight, and moved forward for automotive use,again providing more beneficial weight transfer.
- Wings - For ease of storage, and adequate lift coefficient for reasonable landing speeds, small wings with lots of high lift goodies on them are part of the design. The canard would need similar treatment, and be interconnected so its flaps deployed at the same time as the main wing's. The wings store underneath. The damage potential could be minimized in several ways such as introducing anhedral to the canard, and using appropriately sized wheels. A removable, replacable double skin on the bottoms of the wing would protect the areas most prone to damage.
- Engine location - It is placed in the back, almost over the rear wheel. The engine compartment would be an self contained unit that can be dropped out of the fuselage to facilitate major work; the compartment needs to be accessable for minor things like oil changes and the like.
Back to Page #1 of "George Gregory's Roadable"
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