This page is always.................
Engineering is the art of modeling materials we do not wholly understand, into shapes we cannot precisely analyze so as to withstand forces we cannot properly assess, in such a way that the public has no reason to suspect the extent of our ignorance.
Back to the main page Dr. AR Dykes
This is the page where we get to
brag on how cool our toy is. so if you don't want to be subjected to our
hubris, you should stop reading. 
We purchased DragonFly plans from Viking Aircraft ( the legal owners of the plans at the time), reviewed them thoroughly, and pronounced them useless. We had "concerns" about nearly everything. Eventually we set them on a shelf and that is where they have stayed for the last 6 years. For the most part, we re-designed the entire aircraft to suit our mission goal. We do not recommend using any of the engineering you see on this ( or any other ) page of this site. We recommend that you build your aircraft as seen in your legally obtained plans.
Certification : June 16, 2001, Experimental. First Flight : June 02, 2002 See web page for current flight testing status.
( Projected ) Top speed of 220 mph ( tested to 160 mph so far ), stall at 62 mph ( tested to 65 mph )
Completely
re-engineered fuselage that is 4” wider and 4” longer ( in the cockpit
area) than standard, upgraded transom and floor layout, cut down
entry, two part gull wing doo
Custom
Lycoming (fuel injected) IO-290-GX-A
( 145 hp ) engine, custom engine mount,
attach points, cooling system, exhaust system
custom
(stretched) cowling with ram inlets and side discharge, conformal oil inspect
door and removal system
18
ft span Roncz R1145MS canard with electric trim tab (not the GU25 airfoil),
electric (active servo) elevator trim (differential
/ redundant)
Gull
wing doors (with split hinge design for easier access), removable
windscreens ( all ), electric speed brakes
Electric
aileron reflexor / trim system, mechanical interconnect aileron servo
tabs, open architecture clam shell aileron hinge system
Side
mounted, (dual, redundant and independent) flight controls
Custom
engineered / fabricated tri-cycle, composite landing gear with integrated
fuselage structural interconnect, custom, all
metal, nose gear, full swivel, 5x5 wheel with shock absorber system
Removable
fiberglass main fuel tank ( 11 gallons ), removable fiberglass aft fuel tank ( 5
gallons ), separate fuel sensors, single point fueling from co-pilot side aft of
door, conformal screw on fuel cap, overboard vents to bottom of fuselage and ram
air pressurization of fuel system
Removable
center console with throttle quadrant and flight level indicator, removable instrument
panel, removable radio panel. Overhead, central electrical bay with
instrument and pilot reading lighting system
Flush fuselage mount strobes (dual), custom landing lights conformal to the leading edge of aft wing, conformal navigation lights in aft wing tips, conformal anti-collision light in rudder leading edge of aft wing) landing lights
one of the long range projects .. a junior mad rocket scientist (summer '98)
is this thing ever gona fly? (summer '98)
where do you wind up the rubber band ? (summer '98)
Got Concrete ? (summer '98)
canard deflection under 5500 lbs. (2500 kg) of load (fall '98)
( v e r y ) early elevator install (fall '99)
landing lights in the aft wing ( click here ) (summer '01)
an early look at the over head electrical bay (summer '01)
gull wing door window frame being created ( click here ) (fall '01)
New rear maintenance hatch ( click here ) (fall '01)
New forward maintenance hatch ( click here ) (fall '01)
Speed brakes 1 ( click here ) (fall '01)
Speed brakes 2 ( click here ) (fall '01)
Speed brakes 3 ( click here ) (fall '01)
the Mark IV ( new) nose gear ( click here ) (really early spring '02)
gettin ready ( click here ) (early spring '02)
a real engine test stand ( click here ) (early spring '02)
a real engine test stand 2 ( click here ) (early spring '02)
initial elevator airspades design ( click here ) (early summer '02)
Lycoming 0-290 compression issues ( click here ) (summer '02)
the new canard airspade tips getting created ( click here ) (summer '02)
annual time (and you thought your inspections were rough) ( click here ) (late summer '02)
the new canard airspade tips looking pretty done ( click here ) (fall '02)
new air inlets ( click here ) fall '02
new air outlets ( click here ) winter '02
the belly of the beast ( click here ) winter '02
the Raptor's new stinger ( click here ) winter '02
This page information was last updated on 12/12/02.
