DIY four-seater plane. How I made real airplanes

Since childhood, many boys have been fascinated by technology, various cars, trains, and airplanes. They are of great interest in all elements that are directly related to these subjects. To get your child interested in creativity, invite him to make toys together that look like an airplane.

Children's crafts in the shape of an airplane will be a great way to spend time together with your child. You can have fun in your free time. In addition, such crafts can be done together with the children at children's parties.

The photo of airplane-themed crafts demonstrates the variety of models that you can make with your own hands.

Airplane made of wood

When creating an airplane from wood, the question arises, what can you make an airplane out of? To create an airplane craft, you need to have a clothespin, wooden sticks, acrylic paints, brushes, Moment glue, scissors and sandpaper.

Algorithm for creating a toy airplane

Let's consider step by step instructions how to make an airplane. This will allow you to create a craft without any problems if you strictly follow the instructions for creating a toy airplane.

We take blue paint and paint the wings of the future airplane. Then we take red paint and paint the clothespins, which will later become the basis of the airplane. To create the hind wings, you need to cut the stick into two parts. Scissors must be used to round the cut edge.

The tail of the plane consists of a piece of stick. Cut a piece of 10 millimeters from the stick. To do this we use a stationery knife. The edge should not be smooth.

Using sandpaper, sand the surface of the wooden sticks. We paint the resulting parts and glue them together.

Cardboard airplane

To create this version of the airplane you will need blue cardboard, matchboxes, scissors, Moment glue, and cork.

We take a stencil and cut out all the parts of the aircraft, from which we will then create it.

We take a matchbox and glue it to the base of the plane. You need to cut out one small strip from cardboard, which you then glue to the base of the plane. Blanks of the same size are then glued on top of the matchbox on the other side.

To create a tail, you need to cut a strip measuring 50 millimeters by 10 millimeters. The edges are rounded on both sides. The resulting strip must be divided into three equal parts. Each strip should be 15 millimeters. To do this, you need to use a utility knife.

You need to glue stars to the airplane. They will become a real decoration of the model.

We take a wine cork. Using a utility knife, cut off a small circle. Next, apply a little glue to the surface of the cut piece of cork and glue it to the plane. Then you need to create a propeller. Its creation is described as a wooden airplane.

We take a needle that needs to be used to pierce the cork. Then we attach all the parts to the base of the plane. We create small flowers from several sheets of colored paper. To do this, you need to take a decorative hole punch. These leaves must be glued to the entire surface of the airplane.

Note!

Airplane from a bottle

To create an airplane from a bottle, you need to take the bottle itself. Using a knife, you need to make several slits into which you will later need to insert cardboard. This cardboard should look like the wings and tail of an airplane.

From thick cardboard we cut out a part that looks like a propeller. In the center of this figure you need to cut out a place for a plastic plug. It is necessary to install a propeller over the neck of a plastic bottle, and then screw on the plastic cap. This will allow you to secure the propeller to the plastic bottle.

After this, you can invite the child to paint the plastic bottle in the color he wants. The child will be happy to color the base of the plane and its wings.

Thus, crafts from airplanes will be ready. The presented options for creating children's airplanes allow you to quickly make a craft.

You can conduct a master class on airplane-themed crafts. This will make the children's party more interesting and at the same time useful.

Note!

You can make your own choice of materials for crafts with your own hands. If your child is interested in wooden crafts, then it is best to make an airplane out of wood, but if your child is interested in crafts from cardboard, then it is recommended to create a flower airplane.

Photo crafts airplane

Note!

Is it possible to build an airplane on your own these days? Tver amateur aviators Evgeny Ignatiev, Yuri Gulakov and Alexander Abramov answered this question in the affirmative, creating a winged single-seat aircraft, later called Argo-02. The plane turned out to be successful: it successfully flew at all-Union competitions, and was the first prize-winner of the regional review-competition of amateur aircraft in Yaroslavl. The secret of the increased popularity of the Argo among amateur aviators is not in the design or technological delights of the designers, but rather in their traditional nature. The designers managed to achieve a successful combination of design methods for wooden machines of the 1920s and 1930s, developed over many decades, and modern aerodynamic calculations for aircraft of this class. This is, perhaps, one of the main advantages of the aircraft: its production does not require modern plastics and composites, rolled high-strength metals and synthetic fabrics - all you need is pine timber, a little plywood, canvas and enamel.

However, the simplest design made from common materials is just one of the components of the machine’s success. In order for all these pine slats and pieces of plywood to “fly”, they must be “fitted” into certain aerodynamic shapes. In this case, the authors of "Argo" - we must give them their due - showed an enviable design flair. For their aircraft, they chose the aerodynamic design of a classic cantilever low-wing aircraft with a pulling propeller.

Nowadays, against the backdrop of a wide variety of canards, tandems and other wonders of modern aerodynamics, an Argo-type aircraft even looks conservative. But this is the wisdom of an aircraft designer: if you want to build a successfully flying aircraft, choose the classic design - it will never let you down.

However, that's not all. In order for an airplane to fly well, it is necessary to correctly determine the ratio of its mass, engine power and wing area. And here the Argo parameters can be considered optimal for a device with a motor with a power of only 28 hp.

If someone wants to build a similar aircraft, the parameters of the Argo can be taken as a model: it is this ratio that ensures the best flight performance characteristics: speed, rate of climb, takeoff, mileage, etc.

At the same time, the stability and controllability of the aircraft are determined by the ratio of the area of the wing, tail and rudders, as well as their relative position. And in this area, as it turned out (as the Argo designers understood very well!), no one has yet invented anything better than the standard classical scheme. Moreover, for the Argo the parameters were taken straight from the textbook: the area of the horizontal tail is 20% of the wing area, and the vertical tail is 10%; the tail arm is equal to 2.5 times the aerodynamic chord of the wing, and so on, without any deviations from the classical design rules, from which there is obviously no point in departing.

1 – propeller spinner (fiberglass adhesive); 2 – propeller (plywood made of pine); 3 – V-belt reducer; 4 – engine type RMZ-640; 5 – sub-engine frame (pipes made of steel 30KhGSA); 6 – tachometer sensor; 7 – check valve; 8 – fire partition; 9 – gas tank filler flap; 10 – compensator; 11 – fuel tank (sheet aluminum); 12 – instruments (navigation and flight control and engine control); 13 – visor (plexiglass); 14-engine carburetor throttle control handle (EC); 15 – roll and pitch control stick; 16 – pilot’s seat (glued from fiberglass with epoxy binder); 17 – back of the chair; 18 – block of control cable wiring rollers; 19 – intermediate rocker of the elevator; 20 – elevator rod; 21 – engine hood (glued from fiberglass with epoxy binder); 22 – fuel filter; 23 – motor mount mounting unit; 24 – outboard heading control pedals; 25 – attachment point for the spring chassis; 26 – chassis wheel 300×125 mm; 27 – chassis spring (steel 65G); 28 – filling syringe; 29 – elevator control rod; 30 – fairing (glued from fiberglass with epoxy binder); 31 – intermediate elevator control rocker; 32 – block of rollers for rudder control cables; 33 – rudder control cable; 34 – elevator control rod; 35 – block of rollers for rudder control cables; 36 – rudder drive lever; 37 – tail support (crutch)

1– control knob; 2– engine carburetor throttle control handle (EC); 3 – THC; 4 – VR-10; 5 – EUP; 6 – US-250; 7 – VD-10; 8 – TE-45; 9 – shock absorber; 10-fuel tank; 11– fire hydrant; 12– heading control pedals

1 – aircraft roll and pitch control stick; 2 – engine carburetor throttle control handle (EC); 3– rudder; 4– elevator; 5 – aileron; 6 – heading control pedals

Although the aerodynamic data allows the aircraft to perform aerobatic maneuvers, aerial acrobatics means not only successful aerodynamics, but also high structural strength. According to the calculations of the authors and the technical commission, the operational load factor of the Argo was equal to 3, which is quite sufficient for circling flights and short routes. Aerobatics This device is strictly contraindicated.

Amateur aircraft designers should not forget about this... On August 18, 1990, while performing a demonstration flight at a holiday dedicated to Air Fleet Day, Yuri Gulakov introduced the Argo into another coup. This time, the speed turned out to be slightly higher than usual, and the maximum operational overload, obviously, far exceeded the calculated “three”. As a result, the Argo's wing disintegrated in the air, and the pilot died in front of the assembled spectators.

As a rule, such tragic cases, even with all the obviousness of the reasons causing them, force us to look for errors in the design of the aircraft and in the calculations. As for Argo-02, the car withstood exactly as much as it was designed for. That is why the technical and flight methodological commission for amateur-built aircraft of the Ministry aviation industry at one time they recommended “Argo-02” as a prototype for independent construction.

"Argo-02" is an ultra-light training cantilever low-plane of a classic wooden structure with a cantilever tail unit. The aircraft has a spring-type landing gear with a tail support.

The power plant is a two-stroke 2-cylinder air-cooled engine RMZ-640, which drives a two-blade wooden monoblock propeller through a V-belt gearbox. The aircraft control system is of a normal type. The cockpit is equipped with flight team instruments and engine control instruments.

The fuselage is wooden, of a braced truss design, with spars made of wooden slats with a cross-section of 18x18 mm. Behind the cockpit, on top of the fuselage, there is a light garrot, the basis of which is foam diaphragms and stringers. There is also a garrot in the front part of the fuselage; in front of the cabin it is made of wooden diaphragms and casing made of sheet duralumin 0.5 mm thick. The cockpit and the rear part of the fuselage in the area where the stabilizer is attached are covered with plywood 2.5 mm thick. All other surfaces of the fuselage are lined.

The center section spars pass through the cockpit, to which the pilot's seat molded from fiberglass and covered with artificial leather and the manual control station of the aircraft are attached.

The inside of the cabin is covered with foam plastic, and on top of it with artificial leather. On the left side there is an throttle control lever - the throttle control handle for the engine carburetor.

The instrument panel is knocked out of sheet duralumin and covered with hammer enamel. In the cabin it is attached to frame No. 3 on shock absorbers. The following devices are mounted on the board itself: TGC, US-250, VR-10, VD-10, EUP, TE and ignition switch, under the board there is a fuel tap, and on the front spar there is a filler syringe. In the front part of the fuselage, under the garrot, there is a fuel tank with a capacity of 15 liters.

The landing gear attachment points are installed in the lower part of the fuselage in front of the front spar. On the front frame, which is also a fire partition, a link-type pedal mounting unit and a roller and foot control fixing unit are mounted. On the other side of the firewall there is a check valve, a fuel filter and a drain valve.

The motor mount attachment points are installed at the junction of the side members with the front frame. The motor mount itself is welded from chromansil (steel 30GSA) pipes with a diameter of 22×1 mm. The engine is attached to the motor mount via rubber shock absorbers. The power plant is covered with upper and lower fiberglass hoods. The propeller blank is glued together from five pine plates with epoxy resin and, after final processing, covered with fiberglass using an epoxy binder.

The basis of each half-wing is a longitudinal and transverse set. The first consists of two spars - the main and auxiliary (wall), a frontal stringer and a flow fin. The main spar is double-flange, the upper and lower shelves are made of pine slats of variable section. So, section top shelf: at the root of the wing - 30x40 mm, and at the end - 10x40 mm; bottom – 20×40 mm and 10×40 mm, respectively. Diaphragms are installed between the flanges in the area of the ribs. The spar is covered on both sides with plywood 1 mm thick; in the root part - plywood 3 mm thick. Wooden bosses are fixed in the root part of the wing and the area where the aileron rocker is attached.

The joints between the wing consoles and the center section are mounted in the root part of the wing on the front (main) spar. They are made of steel grade 30KhGSA. At the end of the spar there is a mooring unit.

The front stringer of the wing frame is made of a wooden lath with a cross-section of 10×16 mm, the tail stringer is made of a lath with a cross-section of 10×30 mm.

From the toe to the front spar, the wing is covered with 1 mm thick plywood. A ladder is formed in the root part of plywood 4 mm thick.

The transverse set of the wing includes normal and reinforced ribs. The latter (ribs No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3) have a beam structure and consist of shelves with a section of 5 × 10 mm, racks and a plywood wall 1 mm thick with relief holes. Normal ribs have a truss structure. They are assembled from shelves and braces with a cross-section of 5×8 mm using scarves and booklets. The wingtips are foam. After processing, they are covered with fiberglass with an epoxy binder.

The aileron is a slotted type with a frame made of a spar with a cross-section of 10×80 mm, ribs made of plates 5 mm thick, attack ribs and flow ribs. The toe is sewn up with plywood 1 mm thick; Together with the spar, the lining forms a rigid closed profile, reminiscent of a semicircular pipe. The aileron linkage units are mounted on the spar, and the counter linkage brackets are mounted on the rear wing spar. All surfaces of the aileron and the wing itself are covered with fabric.

The horizontal tail of the Argo-02 aircraft consists of a stabilizer and elevators. The stabilizer is two-spar, with diagonally arranged ribs, which provides it with high torsional rigidity. The toe to the front spar is covered with 1 mm thick plywood. The stabilizer can be used in both cantilever and strutted versions. The second option involves installing strut attachment points on the rear spar. The attachment points for the stabilizer to the fuselage are mounted on the front and rear spars. The elevator linkage units are located on the rear stabilizer spar; their design is similar to the design of the components of the A-1 airframe. The ends of the stabilizer are foam plastic, covered with fiberglass, the central part is covered with plywood.

The elevator is made of two parts, which to some extent duplicate each other. Each part consists of a spar, diagonally placed ribs with toes and flow ribs. The nose of the steering wheel is covered with plywood 1 mm thick. The elevator control horn is fixed in the root part.

The vertical tail of an aircraft is the fin and rudder. The keel is structurally integral with the fuselage according to a two-spar design. Its frontal part (up to the front spar) is covered with plywood. The rear spar is a development of the rear fuselage frame.

The rudder is similar in design to the elevator or aileron. It also consists of a spar, straight and braced ribs and a fin. The front part of the steering wheel up to the spar is covered with plywood. The attachment points are fork bolts. The control lever is fixed in the lower part of the spar. The strut fastening unit is also mounted there. The entire plumage is covered with canvas.

The main landing gear of the aircraft is two-wheeled, spring type. The spring is curved from steel 65G; Wheels measuring 300×125 mm are attached to its ends. The spring is attached to the fuselage by a steel plate and a pair of bolts on each side, with the help of which the spring is clamped and thereby fixed relative to the fuselage.

The tail support is a strip of 65G steel attached to the fuselage with two bolts, to which a support cup is screwed from below.

1 – carburetor; 2 – check valve; 3 – fuel filter; 4 – consumable container; 5 – tank plug with drainage; 6 – fuel tank; 7 – fire hydrant; 8 – power supply connection; 9 – drain fitting; 10 – drain valve; 11 – filler syringe

1 – static pressure distributor; 2– durite hose; 3 – aluminum pipeline; 4 – air pressure receiver (APR)

The elevator control is rigid, using a handle (from a Yak-50 aircraft), duralumin rods and intermediate rockers. Aileron control is also tight. The steering wheel drive is cable driven, using suspended lever pedals, steel cables with a diameter of

3mm and textolite rollers with a diameter of 70 mm. To prevent foreign objects from getting into the control units, the floor and the route of rods and cables are covered with a decorative screen.

The power plant of the aircraft is based on an RMZ-640 type engine, mounted on an engine mount in an inverted position - with the cylinders down. On top of the engine is the upper pulley of the V-belt gearbox with a belt tensioning mechanism. The fiberglass hoods are secured with screws to self-locking anchor nuts on the fuselage and connecting ring.

The propeller is glued together with epoxy resin from pine plates, and then processed according to templates, covered with fiberglass and painted. The Argo 02 used several of these propellers with different diameters and pitches. One of the most acceptable in terms of its aerodynamic qualities has the following characteristics: diameter - 1450 mm, pitch - 850 mm, chord - 100 mm, static thrust - 85 kgf. The propeller spinner is glued out of fiberglass with an epoxy binder and mounted on a duralumin ring. Fastening the spinner to the propeller with screws.

The aircraft's fuel system includes a 14-liter fuel tank, a fuel pump, a fuel filter, a check valve, a fire hydrant, a drain valve, a tee and a piping system.

The fuel tank is welded from 1.8 mm thick aluminum sheet. In the lower part there is a supply container into which the supply and drain fittings are welded, in the upper part there is a filler neck with drainage, inside there are communicating partitions to prevent fuel foaming. The tank is secured to two beams using tie straps with felt pads.

The air pressure receiver system (APR) consists of an APR tube (from the Yak-18 aircraft) installed on the left plane of the wing, dynamic and static pressure tubes, connecting rubber hoses, a distributor and instruments.

Aircraft flight technical data

Length, m………………………………………………………4.55

Height, m……………………………………1.8

Wingspan, m…………………………………..6.3

Wing area, m2……………………………6.3

Wing narrowing……………………………………0

Wing end chord, m……………………..1.0

MAR, m…………………………………………………..1.0

Wing installation angle, degrees…………………..4

Angle V, degrees…………………………………………..4

Sweep angle, degrees…………………….0

Wing profile……………………….R-W 15.5%

Aileron area, m2………………………..0.375

Aileron span, m……………………………..1.5

Aileron deflection angles, degrees:

up……………………………………………..25

down…………………………………………………….16

GO range, m……………………………………..1.86

Area of the urban area, m2…………………………………..1,2

GO installation angle, degrees………………………..0

RV area, m2…………………………….0.642

VO area, m2…………………………………0.66

VO height, m……………………………………1.0

Area PH, m2…………………………………0.38

Deviation angle PH, degrees…………………- 25

Deflection angle РВ, degrees………………….- 25

Fuselage width along the cabin, m…………0.55

Height of the fuselage over the cabin, m………….0.85

Chassis base, m……………………………………2.9

Chassis track, m……………………………………1.3

Engine:

type…………………………………………RMZ-640

power, hp…………………………………………..28

Max. rotation speed, rpm ………5500

Gearbox:

type………………………………..V-belt,

four-strand

gear ratio…………………………….0.5

belts, type……………………………………………………….A-710

Fuel……………………………..gasoline A-76

Oil…………………………………………..MS-20

Screw diameter, m……………………………1.5

Propeller pitch, m…………………………………..0.95

Static thrust, kgf……………………………95

Weight of empty apparatus, kg…………………145

Maximum take-off weight, kg………7235

Fuel capacity, l…………………………………15

Range

flight balances, % MAR…………24. ..27

Stall speed, km/h……………………72

Max. speed

horizontal flight, km/h……………..160

Maximum

piloting speed, km/h…………….190

Cruising speed, km/h…………………120

Lift-off speed, km/h………………………….80

Landing speed, km/h……………………70

Rate of climb at the ground, m/s………………2

Takeoff run, m……………………………………………………….100

Mileage, m………………………………………………………..80

Range

operational overloads…….+3..- 1.5

A. ABRAMOV, Tver

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Flying on your own plane is not a cheap pleasure. Few people can afford to buy a factory light-engine aircraft with their own money. As for used factory aircraft, they also require a number of additional investments from their new owners: despite previous technical revisions, the new owner inevitably faces other people's problems. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem. Home-built aircraft that have an EEBC certificate in the experimental category have become increasingly popular at gatherings of aviation enthusiasts.

Apart from the additional time spent on construction, amateur-built aircraft RV, Sonexes, Velocity and many others received well-deserved high marks for a low cost with excellent flight qualities that are not inferior to their factory counterparts. But, as often happens, there is back side homemade: for every hobby project completed, there are several abandoned. So, in order for a project to become successful, you need to take the right steps, have certain knowledge and be able to apply it.

Step 1. Selecting an aircraft model

Perhaps the goal of the project is the main factor influencing the success of the entire event before construction begins.

Starting an airplane project can be ranked in importance with a marriage proposal, the conclusion of an important deal, and even the choice of a pet. As in all previous cases, here you need to think through all the details before making a final decision.

Most of those who don't reach the finish line burn out over trifles. The grace of the Falco aircraft, the aerial acrobatics of the Pitts 12 and the mischievous flight of the Glastar: all can whet the interest of the future builder to make a decision based only on appearance. The simplicity of this solution can be deceiving. The essence of the right decision is not in external attributes, but in the purpose of construction.

The right decision requires completely honest and sincere self-examination. Of course, many people dream of flying like Viktor Chmal or Svetlana Kapanina, but is this true or not? Each person has his own personality and his own style of piloting, and it is impossible to live by someone else's experience. You can build an airplane for air tourism and long cross-country flights, but then discover that you prefer a country picnic on a green lawn with friends 60 kilometers from the flying club. It is important to resolve all your doubts and sincerely think through the dream of having a “home plane”. After all, the main thing is to improve your life and do more of what you really like.

Once you decide on your dream, choosing a plane will not be difficult. After selecting the aircraft model, it will be time to conduct an examination. A quick glance at the 15th summer issue of Modelist - Constructor magazine will have a slightly sobering effect - perhaps because most of the aircraft models offered there have already gone out of fashion. The world of home cockpit builders has its own niche in the market, but even with a strong motivation, doing business in such a territory will not be an easy task from the economic side, because the market is very individualized, and trends replace each other, like swimsuit fashion. Before you start building, you should do some preparatory work: analyze the design of the aircraft in detail, call people who have already been involved in this project and look at the list of accidents. Starting work on an outdated project, in which parts and components are difficult to obtain, is, in principle, an expensive and costly undertaking.

Step 2: Planning your time

There are hardly a few people who have handled a project that requires as much attention, effort and time as building an airplane from scratch. This activity is not for amateurs. It requires constant and measured effort over a long period of time.

To ensure that there are fewer delays along the way and that progress on the project does not stand still, you can break down all the work into many small tasks. Working on each task will not seem so difficult, and success will come gradually as you complete each task. On average, a builder will need 15 to 20 hours per week to complete a project simple plane in a reasonable time.

For keen builders, most aeronautical projects take between two and four years to complete. On average, building an aircraft can take five or even ten years. This is why experienced aircraft builders will never set an exact date for the first flight, despite the constant questioning glances of friends. As an excuse, you can say “it’s not worth it” or “as soon as possible.”

There is no place for idealists here

Not all builders realize the importance of proper time management. Aircraft building is not a social endeavor, and in fact it can get pretty damn lonely while working. Sociable people may find this activity more difficult than one might imagine. Therefore, everyone who devotes himself to this work should find pleasure in working alone.

The next plane to be built without any gaps in the holes will be the first of all time. Robert Piercing, in his cult novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, talks about mistakes when drilling holes. These mistakes can discourage a builder from working on a project for a long time. Such mistakes often accompany aviation projects, and if the builder does not have the personal qualities that would push him to cope with such difficulties, the project may be abandoned.

Perfectionists who strive for perfection in everything should look for another occupation. If all airplanes had to perfectly comply with the laws of aerodynamics, hardly anyone would dare to take off. Perfectionism is often mistaken for craft, but they are very different things. It doesn’t matter how good a thing is: you can always improve something, make it brighter and better. The goal is not to make the best airplane - the goal is to make a practical airplane so that the builder would not be ashamed of it and would not be afraid to fly it.

Step 3. Workshop equipment

Next important point- construction site. Not everyone can afford to have a workshop like the Cessna hangars. Size, in fact, does not play a decisive role in this case.

Light aircraft are built in basements, trailers, shipping containers, country sheds, and adobe huts. In most cases, a two-car garage is sufficient. A one-car garage may also suffice if you have a dedicated storage area for wing units.

Most people believe that the best place for the construction of the aircraft is located in the hangar of the city airport. In reality, hangars are the least suitable for aviation projects. Most often, hangars are much warmer in the summer and colder in the winter than outside. They are poorly lit everywhere and are rarely near your home.

Regardless of where the aircraft is assembled, you should think about amenities. Investing in comfort, some semblance of climate control, good lighting and a desk at a comfortable height, rubber mats on a concrete floor will more than pay for itself.

Here's how Martin and Claudia Sutter describe their experience building an RV-6 in their living room: “In Texas, where there are always extreme temperature changes, air conditioning in the hangar would have cost us more than building the airplane itself. We thought about working in a garage, but as it turned out, our cars couldn't stand being exposed to the open sun for long. Therefore, breakfast in the bar, housing in the bedroom, and construction in the living room - this is how our work was organized. Amenities included domestic air conditioning, heating and large sliding doors that allowed the plane to be rolled out. The most important thing was that everything was always at hand."

Step 4. Where can I get money for the plane?

Second only to time is the issue of money. How much will it cost to build an airplane? There is no one-size-fits-all answer here: on average, such projects cost between $50,000 and $65,000, and the actual cost can be lower or much higher. The construction of an aircraft is like a phased repayment of a loan; it is important to correctly assess the entire volume of required resources, both financial and time, before the start of the active investment phase.

Allocation of project costs begins with determining the tasks that the aircraft will solve. Modern manufacturers aircraft We are ready to install everything you could possibly want on your products. Home aircraft builders, in turn, know exactly what they want. If the aircraft will not fly by instruments, then there is no need to install instrument flight equipment on it. There is no need to fly at night - why install runway lights for $1000. A constant pitch propeller costs three times less than a constant speed propeller, and in most cases is not much inferior to a constant speed propeller in terms of flight efficiency.

The right question is where to get the money? Rich Aunt Praskovya will not leave a will in time to finance the construction, so you will have to postpone your trip to the south, or increase your income.

Van's Air Force website owner Doug Reeves suggests the first approach. His book "Ten Steps to Getting a Jet" includes putting off buying new car, giving up cable television, switching to light, healthy meals of vegetables and fruits, giving up unlimited phone plans in favor of economical plans. Overall, Doug estimates that adopting and following these steps allowed him to save about $570 each month. He faithfully put this amount into his piggy bank every month and now flies an RV-6.

Bob Collins, an RV builder, took a different route (not everyone who builds an airplane builds an RV). His job as an editor for public radio supported him and his family, but it wasn't enough to buy a plane. In general, he became “the oldest newspaper delivery man.” Seven days a week, from two to six in the afternoon, he delivered the local press. This activity, combined with his regular job, family life and airplane plans, did not leave him much time to sleep, but he eventually became the proud owner of an RV-7A.

Step 5. Where to get smart?

“I’ve never riveted, welded, or painted anything, and in general I’m not a master of gold,” an inexperienced builder may object. Am I even capable of building something as complex as an airplane?

In reality, it's not that difficult. Home-built airplanes are ordinary mechanical devices. Mechanical control units, simple and easy-to-understand electrics, almost no hydraulics - you can study and assemble everything yourself. A standard aircraft engine, for example, consists of four hoses, three cables and two wires. Well, if your knowledge is not enough, you can always find out the missing gaps from textbooks and manuals.

The aircraft construction technique is simple and obvious. Riveting can be mastered in one day, welding will require more time, but it is fun and almost free. In everyday life, many things are made from wood, wood processing techniques and tools have been brought to perfection, and everything can be mastered via the Internet and Youtube.

If a structured presentation of the material suits you best when learning new information, then you can take lessons in aircraft manufacturing. Similar events are held by kit kit manufacturers and some private builders.

Comprehensive support needed

If the dream of flying your own plane does not leave you, and enthusiasm fills you to the very top, then support from like-minded pilots will help speed up work on the project.

The first step is to enlist the support of your family. Working hours in the workshop can be long and tiring, including for the rest of your family. Spousal and family support in such cases is simply necessary. Any aircraft projects that interfere with the relationship are doomed: “He spends all his time on this damn plane. She nags me all the time about my project,” whether it’s worth starting a project in this state of affairs. Mitch Locke adheres to a simple tactic: “Before I start building a new airplane, I go to my wife and ask her for a list of all the benefits that she wants her life to be better while I spend less time on her.” And it works: Mitch built seven airplanes on his own. At the same time, there are many projects that are carried out by family teams: parents with children, spouses. When shared teamwork brings people together, building an airplane becomes an additional opportunity to spend time with loved ones.
Support outside the family circle is also important.
When choosing a decision in favor of a particular project, it is also important to take into account the service support and experience of previous builders. Is it possible to change the thickness of the ribs without compromising the safety of the structure? Will the aircraft model company be able to answer this question? How quickly will the answers come? Is there a forum for aircraft builders that can help newbies?

Tips on how to speed up work on a project - help from professionals and kits

One of the reasons for the growth in the number of home aircraft builders is the emergence of KIT kits. Most aircraft in the past were built from scratch. The builders purchased a set of drawings for the aircraft of their choice (or designed it themselves at their own peril and risk), and then ordered materials for the manufacture of parts and assemblies.

Here are some tips for those who decide to go this route:

You can use virtual design programs, such as X-Plane: Aircraft designer David Rose uses this program to design his models, supplementing it with the Airplane PDQ package (total cost: $198). The cost of the package is low, and the capabilities are at the level of industrial systems for $30,000.
The structure can be designed: To do this, you can study Martin Hallman’s book “Design modern aircraft"(Modern Aircraft Design) or Gorbenko K. S. “We build airplanes ourselves.”

If you are not ready to make an airplane from scratch, then it makes sense to think about buying a KIT kit. The kit manufacturer can provide accurate and ready-to-assemble aircraft parts with significant savings in resources and materials compared to building from scratch. Assembly instructions, as opposed to engineering drawings, can save you countless hours of thinking about how parts fit together. This time saving will lead to the fact that you will be able to assemble more complex and high-tech aircraft. Today's KIT kits cover an astonishingly wide range of models, from wood and fabric models like the Piper Cub to composite models with prices comparable to the Citation.

Here is a list of kit manufacturers that aircraft manufacturers may find useful:

KIT – sets of Piper Cub PA-18 and its replicas

SKB "Vulkan-Avia"

CJSC Interavia

KIT – RV airplane kits

KIT – airplane sets C.C.C.P.

Your plane.ru

KIT – Ultra Pup airplane sets

KIT - CH-701 aircraft sets, as well as Zenit, Zodiac and Bearhawk

Avia-Comp Company

In order to legalize flights on a home-built aircraft, you will have to go through the procedure of obtaining a certificate of a single aircraft (EEVS, more details).

Construction may not be for everyone. If you love working with your hands and your head, know who to turn to for support, have enough money to buy a pickup truck, and have space to store it, you should be able to make your own airplane. Of course, this activity is not for everyone, but those who do it consider this experience one of the most exciting and joyful moments in their lives.

useful links

Websites dedicated to aircraft construction:

www.stroimsamolet.ru
www.reaa.ru
www.avia-master.ru
vk.com/club4449615 - VKontakte group with a lot of useful information
www.avialibrary.com - library of aircraft designers

If for some reason you were not destined to become a pilot or pilot, and your financial capabilities do not allow you to purchase an aircraft, in this case, you can make it yourself. How to build an airplane, what is needed for this, what characteristics should it have? Let's go in order.

First of all, it should be remembered that the aerobatic properties of a homemade aircraft should be accessible to both ordinary amateurs who are behind the wheel for the first time, and professionals. It must be easy not only to operate, but also to take off and land. It should make it easy to perform simple aerobatics. In no case should the piloting scheme of your aircraft contradict generally accepted piloting standards, and non-standard control systems are strictly prohibited!

Speed limits

In the case when you and your family or friends decide: we’ll build the plane ourselves, we don’t need anyone, be sure to take into account the following requirements and speed limits:

the aircraft's lift-off speed during takeoff must be at least 1.2 stall speeds;
the approach speed must be at least 1.3 stall speed;
landing speed is not less than 0.95 stall speed;
cruising speed of the aircraft is not less than 1.3 stall speed;
The stall speed itself should be no more than 90 km/h.

Stall speed is the minimum acceptable speed for any aircraft. The stall itself is accompanied by a lowering of the nose of the aircraft without a roll, and subsequently, the speed should increase. If this does not happen, then the pilot should pay attention to signs (shaking of the control stick or the structure itself) that indicate that the aircraft is approaching a stall.

In the event of engine malfunction, it is necessary to ensure that your aircraft is balanced in the prescribed straight flight. In this situation, you should stop the flight and land. It should be noted that the landing itself should also be extremely simple, focusing solely on favorable conditions and increased attention of the pilot. During the takeoff and run, the aircraft must adhere to the given direction as stably as possible.

The rate of climb after take-off must be at least 1.5 m/s, and the run and take-off run must not exceed 250 meters. 10 meters is the generally established height of flight over any obstacle bordering the runway. The soil strength of asphalt, dirt and concrete platforms from which the aircraft is operated should not exceed 5 kg/cm2.

Aircraft construction diagram

Before you build an airplane with your own hands, you need to decide on the model of the desired aircraft. If you want to construct an aircraft in a short period of time and with the lowest financial costs, in this case, the ideal option would be to build an ultra-light aircraft (ULA). Often, ULA has upper wings. The distinctive features of this device are its simple design and low weight.

Experts recommend building ULA according to ready-made, custom-made drawings. After all, without experience in designing such devices, you can make a lot of serious mistakes, for which you will have to pay seriously. When designing an aircraft, it is necessary to take as a basis high quality work that will have a positive impact on your entire aircraft. If deadlines are tight, then for maximum productivity in building an aircraft, you need a good workshop and high-quality tools. The absence of these things will have a detrimental effect on the quality and speed of your work. Knowing theoretically how to build an airplane with your own hands and having prepared everything you might need, you can move on to practice.

Practical part

All work begins with the machining of aluminum blanks, from which parts of the future aircraft are created. You can either purchase such blanks or order the already required parts: fuselage, wings, etc. If your workshop is equipped with a special milling machine, in this case, you can obtain elements of the desired size and shape from metal blanks. Installation of rivets in the panels of each wing and fuselage of the aircraft, as well as drilling holes, is best done with a laser on a riveting machine. It can also be used to cut other small parts for aircraft. There are almost no straight parts in any aircraft, and in order to give the necessary curvature, you need to use a set of forms for covering on a press specially designed for this: you should install the element in the press, press it with belts and apply the necessary amount of force to achieve the desired shape. After this, you need to cover all parts with primer to avoid corrosion. Marking the installation of technological fasteners must be done manually. To avoid backlash, the holes of bolted connections must be processed in such a way that the joint is as tight as possible, because this increases the service life of the part itself. Don't forget to use headphones when building your aircraft, and even more so when hand riveting!

The power plant is the heart of the aircraft, so if the engine of your aircraft is homemade and not purchased, it is necessary to provide for duplication of all important systems, as well as the ability to start the engine during flight. Each element of the aircraft control system must be highly reliable. It is necessary to consider the possibility of duplicating the most critical components of the aircraft. Take, for example, steering rods; if cables were used as cables, make sure that they cannot become pinched. It is necessary to secure the guide rollers well in the wiring of these cables. They must be able to withstand loads that can be several times higher than designed. Remember, your life during the flight depends on the reliability of these things. Do not forget to take sales receipts when purchasing the necessary materials; it is possible that they will be needed during the process of registering your aircraft.

Many of us often wonder: who built the first airplane? Who, one way or another, when creating our own, do we want to emulate at least a little? And the world's first aircraft, with a weight heavier than our air, was built by American inventors Orville and Wilbur. Their Wright airplane was equipped with an internal combustion engine. And on December 17, 1903, the first flight was made.

Building my own homemade airplane - a biplane - has been my dream since childhood. However, I was able to implement it not so long ago, although I paved the way to the sky in military aviation, and then on a hang-glider. Then he built an airplane. But the lack of experience and knowledge in this matter also produced a corresponding result - the plane never took off.

Failure didn’t exactly discourage the desire to build aircrafts, but cooled down the ardor thoroughly - a lot of time and effort was spent. And what helped revive this desire was, in general, an incident when the opportunity arose to inexpensively purchase some parts from a decommissioned An-2 aircraft, better known among the people as the “Corn Man”.

And I only purchased ailerons with trim tabs and flaps. But from them it was already possible to make wings for a light biplane aircraft. Well, the wing is almost half the plane! Why did you decide to build a biplane? Yes, because the aileron area was not enough for a monoplane. But for a biplane it was quite enough, and the wings from the An-2 ailerons were even shortened a little.

Ailerons are located only on the lower wing. They are made from twin aileron trimmers of the same An-2 aircraft and are suspended on the wing on ordinary piano hinges. To increase the efficiency of aircraft control, wooden (pine) triangular slats 10 mm high are glued along the trailing edge of the ailerons and covered with strips of covering fabric.

The biplane aircraft was conceived as a training aircraft, and according to the classification it belongs to ultra-light devices (ultralights).

By design, the homemade biplane is a single-seat, single-strut biplane with a tricycle landing gear with a steerable tail wheel.

The wing is detachable and consists of two consoles, the joint between which is covered with a cover. The wing set is metal (duralumin), the covering is linen impregnated with enamel. The wing tips and root parts of the wing consoles are also covered with a thin duralumin sheet. The upper wing consoles are additionally supported by struts running from the attachment points of the inter-wing struts to the lower fuselage spars.

The air pressure receiver is fixed at a distance of 650 mm from the end of the left upper wing console. The lower wing consoles are also detachable and are attached to the lower fuselage spars (on the sides of the cabin). The gaps between the root part and the fuselage are covered with linen (impregnated with enamel) fairings, which are attached to the consoles with adhesive tapes - burdocks.

The installation angle of the upper wing is 2 degrees, the lower one is 0 degrees. The transverse V at the upper wing is 0, and at the lower one it is 2 degrees. The sweep angle of the upper wing is 4 degrees, and that of the lower wing is 5 degrees.

The lower and upper consoles of each wing are connected to each other by struts made, like the struts, from duralumin pipes from the control rods of the An-2 aircraft.

The fuselage frame of a homemade biplane is a truss, welded from steel thin-walled (1.2 mm) pipes with an outer diameter of 18 mm.

Its basis is four spars: two upper and two lower. Along the sides, pairs of spars (one upper and one lower) are connected by an equal number and equally spaced posts and struts and form two symmetrical trusses.

Pairs of upper and lower spars are connected by cross members and jibs, but their number and location at the top and bottom often do not coincide. Where the location of the crossbars and posts coincide, they form frames. Form-forming arcs are welded on top of the front rectangular frames.

The remaining (rear) fuselage frames are triangular, isosceles.

The frames of the fin, stabilizer, rudders and elevators are welded from thin-walled steel pipes with a diameter of 16 mm. The linen covering is sewn to the frame parts, and the seams are additionally taped with strips of the same calico fabric impregnated with enamel. The stabilizer consists of two halves that are attached to the keel.

To do this, an M10 pin is passed over the fuselage through the keel near the leading edge, and a tubular axis with a diameter of 14 mm is passed at the trailing edge. Ears with sector grooves are welded to the root rods of the stabilizer halves, which serve to install the horizontal tail at the required angle, depending on the mass of the pilot.

Each half is placed with an eye on a stud and secured with a nut, and the trailing edge tube is placed on the axle and pulled to the keel by a brace made of steel wire with a diameter of 4 mm.

From the editor. To prevent spontaneous rotation of the stabilizer in flight, it is advisable to make several holes for a pin instead of a sector groove in the ears.

Now the biplane aircraft has a propeller-driven installation with an engine from the Ufa Motor Plant UMZ 440-02 (the plant equips the Lynx snowmobiles with such engines) with a planetary gearbox and a two-bladed propeller.

Engine with a volume of 431 cm3 and a power of 40 hp. with a speed of up to 6000 per minute, air-cooled, two-cylinder, two-stroke, with separate lubrication, runs on gasoline, starting with AI-76. Carburetor - K68R Air cooling system - although homemade, it is effective.

It is made in the same way as the Walter-Minor aircraft engines: with an air intake in the shape of a truncated cone and deflectors on the cylinders.

Previously, the biplane aircraft had a modernized engine from the Whirlwind outboard motor with a power of only 30 hp. and V-belt transmission (gear ratio 2.5). But even with them the plane flew confidently.

It has grilles on the sides for the outlet of heated air and on the right there is also a hatch with a cover for exiting the cord with a handle - they start the engine.

The propeller-engine installation on a homemade biplane is suspended on a simple motor mount in the form of two consoles with struts, the rear ends of which are fixed to the struts of the front frame-frame of the fuselage frame.

The aircraft's electrical equipment is 12-volt.

The main landing gear legs are welded from sections of steel pipe with a diameter of 30 mm, and their struts are welded from pipes with a diameter of 22 mm. The shock absorber is a rubber cord wound around the front pipes of the struts and the trapezoid of the fuselage frame. The wheels of the main landing gear - non-braking, with a diameter of 360 mm - are from a mini-mokie, they have reinforced hubs. The rear support has a spring-type shock absorber and a steerable wheel with a diameter of 80 mm (from an aircraft stepladder). Control of the ailerons and elevator is rigid, from the aircraft control stick through rods made of duralumin tubes; The rudder and tail wheel are cable driven, from the pedals.

Construction of the aircraft was completed in 2004, and it was tested by pilot E.V. Yakovlev.

Steel welded frame of the biplane fuselage: 1 - upper spar (pipe with a diameter of 18x1, 2 pcs.); 2- lower spars (pipe with a diameter of 18x1, 2 pcs.); 3 - aircraft control stick support; 4 - spinal beam (2 pcs.); 5-quadrangular frame (pipe with a diameter of 18, 3 pcs.); 6- forming arc of the first and third frames (pipe with a diameter of 18x1, 2 pcs.); 7 - struts and braces (pipe with a diameter of 18x1, according to the drawing); 8- lugs and lugs for fastening and hanging structural elements (as needed); 9 - trapezoid for fastening the rubber cord shock absorber of the main landing gear (pipe with a diameter of 18x1); 10-triangle tail frames (18x1 diameter tube, 4 pcs.)

Angles of installation of the wing consoles (a - upper wing; b - lower wing): 1 - transverse V; 2-swept wings; 3 - installation angle

Motor frame of a homemade biplane: I - spar (steel pipe 30x30x2.2 pcs.); 2-spar extension (pipe with a diameter of 22.2 pcs.); 3 - cross member (steel sheet s4); 4 - silent blocks (4 pcs.); 5-lug for fastening the strut (steel sheet s4.2 pcs.); 6 - hood support bow (steel wire with a diameter of 8); 7 strut (pipe diameter 22, 2 pcs.)

The main landing gear of the biplane: 1 - wheel (360 in diameter, from a mini-mokie); 2- wheel hub; .3 - main stand (steel pipe with a diameter of 30); 4 - main strut (steel pipe with a diameter of 22); 5 - shock absorber (rubber band with a diameter of 12); 6 - travel limiter of the main rack (cable with a diameter of 3); 7 - shock absorber mounting trapezoid (fuselage truss element); 8- fuselage truss; 9 additional landing gear (steel coarse with a diameter of 22); 10- shock absorber grip (pipe with a diameter of 22); 11 - additional strut (steel pipe with a diameter of 22); 12 connection racks (steel pipe with a diameter of 22)

Instrument gloss (at the bottom you can clearly see the rudder and tail wheel control pedals on the trapezoid and the rubber shock absorber of the main landing gear): 1 - carburetor throttle control handle; 2 - horizontal speed indicator; 3 - variometer; 4 - instrument panel mounting screw (3 pcs.); 5—turn and slide indicator; 6-light engine failure alarm; 7 - ignition switch; 8-cylinder head temperature sensor; 9 - rudder control pedals