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Dear Skycarâ fans:
Recent tests of the Skycar's artificial stability system indicate that the system is now working within acceptable parameters. The Skycar's stability is determined by the computer driven stability system and the amount of control power available. We have been operating at the top end of the power band for our single-rotor engines. This limits the control response and we have looked at ways to increase the thrust without further increasing the power output.
We identified a method of improving thrust and made the change to the front nacelles. After verification of the improvements in a series of tethered flight tests, we were so impressed with the results the team is now implementing the change to the rear nacelles. We hope to have the modifications done by early April.
In parallel we spotted another area where we believe we can pick up some additional thrust and have rolled out the Nacelle Test Stand to verify this potential improvement. Because of some changes we have made to the deflection vane angle, we believe we can improve airflow through the duct with new duct inserts. This theoretical improvement can easily be verified on our Test Stand, so we should know the results in the next few days.
I believe the increased thrust from this change may be sufficient to allow the current prototype to be manned for future flight-testing. As you know the plan up to now was to continue un-manned flights until we replaced the current engines with the higher-output two-rotor, liquid-cooled versions of our Rotapowerâ engine. This thrust improvement may allow manned flights in the M400 prototype, to include the maneuvering flight, without the need to change engines. This could cut several months out of our projected flight test schedule.
All of the incremental improvements we have been making since we began tethered flight-testing are paying off. The on-board artificial stabilization system has been “dialed-in” and is working great. We feel confident that the improved thrust will allow us to reach the next elusive milestone, the prolonged hover flight, within the next few weeks.
Yours truly,
Paul S. Moller