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Lightning/Esqual Pics

 
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dashvii(at)hotmail.com
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 7:58 am    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

Here are some comparison pictures. As I've already established the planes
look similar and were designed for basically the same role, to be a fun
airplane, but there are some differences in looks too.

Picture 1 - This is the Esqual wing planform. I drew a dashed blue line to
show the basic shape of the wing as it does have a little wingtip flare at
the end. This is a different airfoil than the Lightning. In a power off
dive the Esqual wing will top out at about 195mph (terminal velocity) but
the Lightning wing keeps going to ???Mph.

Picture 2 - This is the Hybrid Esqual actually, but the prototype Lightning
wing was tested on this airframe, so it is identical in shape at least to
the Lightning wing on the production planes. As you can see the airfoil is
slightly thicker, It almost looks symmetrical but isn't, and it has this
interesting dual trailing edge cusp which makes a teardrop shape. The idea
is that it will work like the pressure recovery wheelpants and create a
lower pressure towards the back of the airfoil making it stay laminar for
longer.

Picture 3 - This is an Esqual from the front quarter. Notice that the
canopy just swings up and has nothing holding it up but forward weight. The
inlets are square on the cowling and the scoop pretrudes out the bottom of
the cowling for the oil cooler.

Picture 4 - The cowling inlets are round, the oil cooler is fed by a NACA
duct. (there's a new NACA duct that has been tested and shown even better
cooling, I think 10 degrees cooler in oil temps!) This canopy is held up by
gas struts to keep it in place. There are side rear windows. It may be
hard to tell in most of these pics but the shape of the canopy is different
and the optics are much clearer in the Lightning. The Esqual always had
distortion in the canopy. The canopy also seems to be thicker in the
Lightning.

Picture 5 - This is me running up an Esqual last winter. Good profile
comparison

Picture 6 - The Lightning has a longer nose to it. These planes always felt
sportier with how it sits with the long nose and all. Notice the afterbody
behind the wing section stays the same longer ont he Lightning before
beginning to taper. This means more speed than the Esqual due to the more
favorable cross sectional area. Again there's a rear window and you can
actually see behind you. That's something the Esqual really lacked. The
tail is slightly taller in the Lightning giving better rudder authority.
This plane feels a lot better in a strong crosswind landing than the Esqual.

Pic 7 - Another profile view of the Esqual.

Pic 8 - The Lightning has weighted and balanced control surfaces which the
Esqual lacked. This allows for higher speeds without encountering flutter
and also a good feel to the controls in flight. That leading edge on the
vertical stabilizer acts like a spade and gives more of a feel to the rudder
than the Esqual had.

Have one more set of pics coming


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lozhoffman(at)yahoo.com
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 1:38 am    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

HI Brian,
Just a quick note to say thank you for the time that
you have obviously put into organising the comparison
photos. As someone who has been trying to compare the
two airframes for some time without having actually
seen either in the flesh, your information has been
invaluable.
Laurie
Sydney

--- Brian Whittingham <dashvii(at)hotmail.com> wrote:

Quote:
Here are some comparison pictures. As I've already
established the planes
look similar and were designed for basically the
same role, to be a fun
airplane, but there are some differences in looks
too.

Picture 1 - This is the Esqual wing planform. I
drew a dashed blue line to
show the basic shape of the wing as it does have a
little wingtip flare at
the end. This is a different airfoil than the
Lightning. In a power off
dive the Esqual wing will top out at about 195mph
(terminal velocity) but
the Lightning wing keeps going to ???Mph.

Picture 2 - This is the Hybrid Esqual actually, but
the prototype Lightning
wing was tested on this airframe, so it is identical
in shape at least to
the Lightning wing on the production planes. As you
can see the airfoil is
slightly thicker, It almost looks symmetrical but
isn't, and it has this
interesting dual trailing edge cusp which makes a
teardrop shape. The idea
is that it will work like the pressure recovery
wheelpants and create a
lower pressure towards the back of the airfoil
making it stay laminar for
longer.

Picture 3 - This is an Esqual from the front
quarter. Notice that the
canopy just swings up and has nothing holding it up
but forward weight. The
inlets are square on the cowling and the scoop
pretrudes out the bottom of
the cowling for the oil cooler.

Picture 4 - The cowling inlets are round, the oil
cooler is fed by a NACA
duct. (there's a new NACA duct that has been tested
and shown even better
cooling, I think 10 degrees cooler in oil temps!)
This canopy is held up by
gas struts to keep it in place. There are side rear
windows. It may be
hard to tell in most of these pics but the shape of
the canopy is different
and the optics are much clearer in the Lightning.
The Esqual always had
distortion in the canopy. The canopy also seems to
be thicker in the
Lightning.

Picture 5 - This is me running up an Esqual last
winter. Good profile
comparison

Picture 6 - The Lightning has a longer nose to it.
These planes always felt
sportier with how it sits with the long nose and
all. Notice the afterbody
behind the wing section stays the same longer ont he
Lightning before
beginning to taper. This means more speed than the
Esqual due to the more
favorable cross sectional area. Again there's a
rear window and you can
actually see behind you. That's something the
Esqual really lacked. The
tail is slightly taller in the Lightning giving
better rudder authority.
This plane feels a lot better in a strong crosswind
landing than the Esqual.

Pic 7 - Another profile view of the Esqual.

Pic 8 - The Lightning has weighted and balanced
control surfaces which the
Esqual lacked. This allows for higher speeds
without encountering flutter
and also a good feel to the controls in flight.
That leading edge on the
vertical stabilizer acts like a spade and gives more
of a feel to the rudder
than the Esqual had.

Have one more set of pics coming




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N1BZRich(at)AOL.COM
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:44 am    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

A couple of questions for Nick, Brian, and all Lightning and/or Esqual listers to consider. It has been stated several times on these list that the terminal velocity of the Esqual is 195 mph (due to the wing). Help me to understand terminal velocity. I know what it means for a falling object, but what is the definition for an airplane - is it at idle power or full power? Is it at 90 degrees of dive angle? Why do I ask - well I have seen 198 mph in level flight while making a pass down the runway here in Williamsburg (almost sea level). That was with the 54 fixed pitch prop and I was pulling the power slightly to keep from going over 3300 rpm. So, am I going terminal velocity in level flight? How can I do that - does the Lightning cowling on 31BZ help the Esqual drag curve that much? From my flight testing phase we already know that the Lightning cowling certainly increases cruise and top speed on 31BZ, but can it have that much an effect on terminal velocity? Points to ponder!
Blue Skies,
Buz
[quote][b]


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dashvii(at)hotmail.com
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:41 am    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

Buzz,
It was at an altitude of about 12,000 feet starting, power to idle, nose
down to about 30 degrees and then steeper. I couldn't get anymore out of it
with power at idle. Now with power in I could get the speed to climb. By
terminal velocity I was stating that there must be a large drag rise on the
airfoil at around that airspeed. I was reading indicated, don't know what
the TAS was. With some power you should be able to overcome that rise in
drag but it is in my opinion that Bravo Zulu is bumping up against that part
of the curve where the drag goes way up with an increase in speed. I think
there's two ways to overcome this, either reduce drag, such as gap seals,
hinge fairings, etc, or add more power to the plane.

I do believe that your plane probably suffers quit a bit less from drag
penalties as do other Esquals, obviously something to it since you have the
fastest Esqual ever built. It is a good question though. It is my
assumption that it is because of a rise in drag. With no power in and
approaching a vertical orientation why else would there be a difference?
Brian W.

P.S. If you could bring that roll of duralar to SYI when you do come in
November that'd be great! Did you ever get your new autopilot installed
yet?


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:53 pm    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

In a message dated 10/8/2006 12:42:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, dashvii(at)hotmail.com writes:
Quote:
It was at an altitude of about 12,000 feet starting, power to idle, nose
down to about 30 degrees and then steeper. I couldn't get anymore out of it
with power at idle.


So the total drag of the Esqual you were flying was the real culprit.  Total meaning wings, fuselage, gear leg fairings, wheel pants, cowling, etc. Also, with the engine in idle with the prop wind milling would add to the drag total as well. It would have been interesting to do the same test in 424EA - the hybrid Esqual with the Lightning wings. But I certainly agree with your bottom line that the Lightning wing is a considerably lower drag wing than the Esqual wing.
Buz
[quote][b]


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:51 pm    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

In a message dated 10/8/2006 12:42:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, dashvii(at)hotmail.com writes:
Quote:
P.S. If you could bring that roll of duralar to SYI when you do come in
November that'd be great! Did you ever get your new autopilot installed
yet?


Brain, I forgot to answer the above. Yes, I did get the new autopilot installed during my last trip to SYI. It is working fine. And yes, I will bring the duralar to you guys when I drive through there in early November on my way to Colorado. I need to also bring Ben my framing nail gun. I think he plans some kind of secret mods to his Mustang so it will be as fast as Nick's Corvette. If all goes according to plan I will be driving my new Corvette on this trip.
Blue Skies,
Buz
[quote][b]


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dashvii(at)hotmail.com
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 7:38 pm    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

Buzz,
I've never done the power-off dive in 424EA, but the plane that I did it
in also didn't have gear leg fairings or wheelpants at the time. So there's
even additional drag on the airframe.


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vettin74(at)yahoo.com
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:17 am    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

LOL......

nick

N1BZRich(at)aol.com wrote:
[quote] In a message dated 10/8/2006 12:42:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, dashvii(at)hotmail.com writes:
Quote:
P.S. If you could bring that roll of duralar to SYI when you do come in
November that'd be great! Did you ever get your new autopilot installed
yet?


Brain, I forgot to answer the above. Yes, I did get the new autopilot installed during my last trip to SYI. It is working fine. And yes, I will bring the duralar [quote][b]


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jefflach(at)airlan.com.au
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 1:50 am    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

Hi from Australia,
I noticed the mention of an installation of an autopilot. What exactly have you installed? Has anyone come acoss a single axis autopolit by Navaid Devices Inc. Can anyone give experience on this unit at all and would it be suitable in the lightning.
regards Jeff
[quote] --


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 6:29 pm    Post subject: Lightning/Esqual Pics Reply with quote

In a message dated 10/15/2006 5:51:12 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jefflach(at)airlan.com.au writes:
Quote:
I noticed the mention of an installation of an autopilot. What exactly have you installed?


Jeff,
I have the TruTrak Flight Systems Digiflight ll installed with two TruTrak servos. This system provides pitch, roll and altitude hold. Before this system was in I had the TruTrak Pictoral Pilot which was a roll axis only "wing leveler". Both are fantastic systems and relatively inexpensive when compared to systems for certified aircraft.
Blue Skies,
Buz
[quote][b]


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