LOHAN seeks X-Plane bod for simulating relationship

If you're a dab hand with X-Plane's Plane-Maker who just happens to fancy eternal internet glory as part of the Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator (LOHAN) mission, then today's your lucky day. The current state of play with our Vulture 2 spaceplane is that we've replaced the smoking servo which recently gave our plucky …

[Gus]

Solidoworks to X-Plane

I've checked some of the X-plane forums and although you can use Solidworks files as a basis for the representation of what LOHAN looks like, the actual physics of the plane must be created in Planemaker which defines the aerodynamic properties of the plane.

[Lester Haines]

Re: Solidoworks to X-Plane

Yeah, there's a bit of faffing involved. Completely new territory for us, hence the appeal.

[James 132]

Make sure you ask at the Org

forums.x-plane.org is a useful resource with many freeware & payware designers, also forums.x-pilot.com.

Between them there should be someone that can get involved.

[Lester Haines]

Re: Make sure you ask at the Org

Thanks.

[Johndoe888]

Surely Southampton Uni wold be the folk to talk to as they must have all the relevant data from modeling it initially.

[imanidiot]

Having the data and modeling something in a proper CAD environment and then modeling the same thing in Planemaker are 2 entirely different things entirely. Planemaker is not what you would call easy to use if you are used to CAD programs. (Which is also why I won't offer my "services". I would not want to inflict such abbomination as would result on the world)

[Anonymous Coward]

Playmonaut Wheels

I hope the second hand bicycle didn't fall of the lorry of one of these intrepid Playmobil sportsmen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xMmdGXKk5Y

[Faye B]

Try before you buy

I am surprised you didn't get to see a simulated flight envelope from the Southampton boys. You could always get an estimate of the flight characteristics by making a quick balsa wood scale model and chucking it down a hill (slope soaring). After a bit of fiddling around with the CofG you might have enough confidence to do the same with the rocket provided you find a slope with the same glide angle.

Alternatively you could ask Burt Rutan's mob over at Scaled Composites if they could wrangle some flight data as they have lots of experience with canard designed craft. They should have something similar sitting around somewhere.

[Johndoe888]

The actual physics of the plane must have been calculated by Southampton Uni, otherwise the CAD drawings become nothing more than " a back of a fag packet sketch ".

I think the next stage should be to recruit someone such as Jamie Rothwell (score and fold) to knock up a set of plans for a Depron version http://www.parkjets.com/free-plans/category/by-jamie-rothwell

Depron is an underfloor heating foam insulation used for model aircraft construction, if you break it then you can make a new one in an evening, its cheap easy to work with :)

[Monroe]

I can offer to ask our modeler Jan "Jetmanhuss" at VskyLabs if he is interested in modeling the Lohan for you in X-Plane. He's a pretty cool cat and there's no one better I know of doing this type of work.

Monroe King

Team Prometheus

Contact me at [e-mail]

If there is anything else I can do to help out let me know. Awesome project!

[Anonymous Coward]

Wondering

> For what is bound to be a most vexatious labour we have the assistance of Andrew Tridgell and other expert members of the DIY Drones community

That name a) distinctly rings a bell and b) keeps appearing in the unlikeliest places.

It's not that Andrew Tridgell, or is he?

It's impressive the amount of energy some people can have!

[Lester Haines]

Re: Wondering

It is the very same Andrew Tridgell.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Wondering

Wow! :-)