21. Single Propeller Low Cost Car Like Airplane for Short Run Way Use
A single propeller Airplane for
low cost, low complexity and short runway is designed for car like applications
in residential use likes helicopter. It
has the characteristics of an Airplane but shorter runway like Helicopter. In addition to one propeller it requires one
additional direction control only. Due
to one single propeller it is also more fuel efficient due to reduced friction
and heating in the propellers.
An Airplane has less number of propellers but requires a longer runway. On the other hand a Helicopter has two propellers one for lift and one for thrust which is more comfortable since it does not require any runway and can be used anywhere like residential localities. A combination of these two can be employed to develop some thing like Aerocopter requiring only one propeller and shorter runway. I got this idea several years ago and discussed about this in an Aerospace Exhibition held in Hotel Green Park, Hyderabad, in 2001, with Dr. Ramesh but its publication is delayed due to unavoidable circumstances. This can be designed as follows.
Initially at landing position it will have only two wheels in the front and a resting pad in the back. The persons sitting in them will be slightly bent backwards. There will be only one propeller on the top like a Helicopter. There will be one direction control in the back. As the top propeller starts spinning to take off the back lifts slightly and becomes straighter. Due to a combination of lift and drag initially the plane runs on the runway by two wheels. After some drag the propeller accelerates and it gains sufficient lift to take off. Due to the inclination of the propeller it will have a partial drag and partial lift. With these two combinations it will move with a constant speed with a constant lift. With the only direction control requirement an ordinary person without requiring a trained pilot can drive it.