Wainfan Facetmobile
| FMX-4 Facetmobile | |
|---|---|
| |
| The FMX-4 Facetmobile in flight | |
| Role | Homebuilt Aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Designer | Barnaby Wainfan, Lynne Wainfan, Rick Dean |
| First flight | 22 April 1993 |
| Number built | 1 |
The Wainfan FMX-4 Facetmobile is an American homebuilt aircraft designed by Barnaby Wainfan, a Northrop Grumman aerodynamicist and homebuilt aircraft engineer.
While only one Facetmobile prototype was produced, it has become well known due to its unique nature.[1] The aircraft is something of a cross between a lifting body and flying wing configuration - the whole aircraft is one low aspect ratio wing: a flat, angular lifting shape.[2] Particularly notable is that the aircraft's shape is formed of a series of 11 flat surfaces, somewhat similar to the body of the F-117 Nighthawk jet strike aircraft, but without separate wing structures.
Design and development
The Facetmobile is a unique design in many ways.[2][3]
Shape
As noted above, the Facetmobile is a unique airfoil shape, but is generally similar to some other generally low-aspect-ratio delta-wing light aircraft, such as the Dyke JD-1 Delta, Dyke JD-2 Manta Delta, the Hatfield LB1, Hatfield LB3, and the ARUP S-2.
The FMX-4 Facetmobile shape forms 11 flat planes, plus two wingtip rudders. Three flat shapes form the bottom of the aircraft (slightly inclined front, flat middle, and sharply raised back), and eight form the top (one large downwards-sloping rear section, one thin nose section, and three inclined side panels per side). The wing section is an 18% thickness ratio, much thicker than the typical 12-15% thickness of normal light aircraft wings. At least one commercial model airplane kit of the Facetmobile is in production.[4]
The prototype FMX-4 Facetmobile crashed on October 13, 1995, after an in-flight engine failure. The aircraft landed at low speed into a barbed wire fence, which caused extensive skin, engine, and some structural damage, though there was no injury to the pilot (Barnaby Wainfan).[5] As of 2006, the aircraft has been partially repaired but not flown again.
Structure
The Facetmobile structure is composed of 6061 aluminum tubing fastened with Cherrymax rivets. The fuselage uses conventional fabric covering. The aircraft uses elevons and rudders for control. The landing gear is a fixed tricycle type. The large windshield sections are augmented by two floor-mounted windows. The aircraft is boarded through a bottom-mounted hatch. The aircraft has a BRS parachute system installed.
Variants
Wainfan has proposed two derivative aircraft based on the FMX-4 Facetmobile.
- FMX-5 Facetmobile, a larger 2-seat design using the same aluminum-tube-and-fabric construction.
- An unnamed similar 2-seat design using advanced flat composite panel construction.[6]
Specifications (Facetmobile FMX-4)
Data from Sport Aviation
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)
- Wingspan: 15 ft (4.6 m)
- Wing area: 214 sq ft (19.9 m2)
- Empty weight: 370 lb (168 kg)
- Gross weight: 740 lb (336 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 10-13 gallons
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 503 DC , 50 hp (37 kW)
- Propellers: 3-bladed GSC
Performance
- Maximum speed: 96 kn (110 mph, 178 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 80 kn (92 mph, 150 km/h)
- Stall speed: 29 kn (33 mph, 53 km/h)
- Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (3.8 m/s)
- Wing loading: 3.45 lb/sq ft (16.8 kg/m2)
See also
References
- ^ Jack Cox (October 1994). "The Facetmobile". Sport Aviation.
- ^ a b Barnaby and Lynn Wainfan's Facetmobile page, accessed Oct 24, 2006
- ^ Facetmobile FAQ, accessed Oct 24, 2006
- ^ Incredible Facetmobile, accessed Oct 24, 2006
- ^ Popular Science. January 2005.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ NASA LARC NAG-1-03054 "Feasibility Study of the Low Aspect Ratio All All-Lifting Configuration as a Low-Cost Personal Aircraft", Barnaby Wainfan and Hans Neiubert, February 2004, accessed Oct 24, 2006
External links
- Barnaby and Lynne Wainfan's Facetmobile page, accessed September 23 2011.