Practical Aeronautics

The LTV A-7A/B/C/E Corsair II*, affectionally known as the SLUF**, was based on the earlier F-8 Crusader, minus the afterburning turbojet and variable incidence wing.?It was initially powered by a single non-afterburning TF30 low bypass ratio turbofan engine.?For its day (late 60s), it possessed some advancements taken for granted today, like moving map displays and inertial navigation.?It was designed to be easy to maintain, with much of its surface covered in access panels.?Designed during the Vietnam War to replace the A-4 Skyhawk, the Corsair II first flew in September 1965 and served in the Navy through Desert Storm.?Although it was primarily an attack aircraft, it also served as a tanker when equipped with air-refueling pods and extra external fuel tanks.?Designated the A-7D, it flew for the USAF as a replacement for the F-100 and A-1, albeit with a more powerful Allison TF41 turbofan.?The Navy later incorporated the TF41 into its airplanes, forming the A-7E.?The last Navy planes were retired in 1991, and the last ANG planes were retired in 1993, although a number continued service in other countries.?A total of 1,355 were made of all types. #turbofan?????????#navyair????????????#sluf????#attack?????????????#bpr *Although labeled the Corsair II, it was actually the third Corsair, the first two being a biplane in the ‘20s and the famous inverted gull wing prop fighter of WW2 and Korea. **SLUF = Short, Little, Ugly Fellow (although there are more “pithy” words sometimes used for the last word) https://lnkd.in/e-TjP7Xw

The LTV A-7A/B/C/E Corsair II*, affectionally known as the SLUF**, was based on the earlier F-8 Crusader, minus the afterburning turbojet and variable incidence wing.?It was initially powered by a single non-afterburning TF30 low bypass ratio turbofan engine.?For its day (late 60s), it possessed some advancements taken for granted today, like moving map displays and inertial navigation.?It was designed to be easy to maintain, with much of its surface covered in access panels.?Designed during the Vietnam War to replace the A-4 Skyhawk, the Corsair II first flew in September 1965 and served in the Navy through Desert Storm.?Although it was primarily an attack aircraft, it also served as a tanker when equipped with air-refueling pods and extra external fuel tanks.?Designated the A-7D, it flew for the USAF as a replacement for the F-100 and A-1, albeit with a more powerful Allison TF41 turbofan.?The Navy later incorporated the TF41 into its airplanes, forming the A-7E.?The last Navy planes were retired in 1991, and the last ANG planes were retired in 1993, although a number continued service in other countries.?A total of 1,355 were made of all types. #turbofan?????????#navyair????????????#sluf????#attack?????????????#bpr *Although labeled the Corsair II, it was actually the third Corsair, the first two being a biplane in the ‘20s and the famous inverted gull wing prop fighter of WW2 and Korea. **SLUF = Short, Little, Ugly Fellow (although there are more “pithy” words sometimes used for the last word) https://lnkd.in/e-TjP7Xw

The Rutan VariEze (“Very Easy”) is a swept-wing aircraft with a canard up front and a pusher prop in the rear.?It’s wing also features winglets that double as vertical stabilizers and rudders.?It first flew in 1975 powered by a modified Volkswagen engine (later replaced by a Continental O-200).?Its construction was a composite fiberglass/foam sandwich with epoxy resin.?Although the early VariEzes use differential canards for both pitch and roll control, later versions used the canard only for pitch and used ailerons for roll.?Because the canard was at a slightly higher incidence angle than the wing, at high angles of attack, it stalls first, thus keeping the overall aircraft from stalling.?Additionally, the overall aerodynamic configuration with the canard and wing was extremely efficient, enabling the aircraft to cruise a long way at high speeds but with a very low fuel consumption.?Although the main gear is fixed, the nose gear retracts into the fuselage both in flight and when it is parked (a configuration also known as kneeling).?Sold as plans for the homebuilt market, by 1982 about 400 had been built, after which Rutan stopped selling plans.?We feature this aircraft in our Introduction to Aeronautics class! #varieze????????????#rutanaircraft??#canards??????????#winglets?????????????#sweptwings???#pitchandroll??#introtoaero https://lnkd.in/eMzXHcJb https://lnkd.in/e7P8w4sX

Our favorite artist, John Wissler, shares his passion for aviation in this month's Practical Aero Spotlight!?

The angular F-117 Nighthawk was the world’s first operational stealth fighter.?Built by Lockheed and first flown in 1981 only 31 months after contract award, it started off highly classified and was only unveiled publicly in 1990.?At first glance, it has all the features one might expect for a supersonic fighter such as highly swept wings, sharp leading edges, and a very pointed nose.?But those features were not for speed.?Along with its highly faceted fuselage, angled v-tail, grill-patterned intakes, and saw-tooth edged panels and canopy, these features were for low observability.?However, a second glance might reveal some aerodynamics weakness:?lots of opportunity for flow separation, potentially poor low-speed handling qualities, and high wave drag.?All this enabled an aircraft that was subsonic but very hard to see on radar.?It was very unstable, so it required fly-by-wire flight controls.?Powered by two non-afterburning F404 turbofan engines, it carried two laser-guided bombs that it delivered with pinpoint accuracy in operations such as Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.?Although a few are still flying, the fleet was officially retired in 2008 after a production run of 59; one was shot down over Yugoslavia.?During our Introduction to Aeronautics class last week, we took a field trip to the National Museum of the USAF and made a point to stop by and look at the one on display in the Cold War gallery. #introtoaero????#turbofans???????#nmusaf???????????#sweptwings?????????????#stealthfighter #flybywire https://lnkd.in/e5sE8kFP https://lnkd.in/ed2Sz57R

Register today for our Introduction to Gas Turbine Engine Mechanical Systems, 9-11 April, in Lancaster, CA. The focus of this 20-hour class is foundational understanding of gas turbine engine (GTE) “secondary” or “support” systems – bearings and lubrication, sealing, cooling, heating, controlling, gearing, fuel delivery, starting and engine-driven accessories. These systems are essential for overall engine/application operation yet are often not well understood or covered in college courses.

A warm welcome to one of our newest associates, Jessica Peterson! Sting has over 19 years of flight test experience on fighter, bomber, and autonomous vehicles. As a graduate and instructor of USAF TPS, she has instructed hundreds of flight test and space test professionals, flown in over 40 different aircraft types with 600+ military flight hours (primarily the T-38, F-16, and C-12 aircraft), and directed hundreds of control room missions. We are thrilled to have her on our team!

The Vought F4U Corsair, with its massive Pratt&Whitney R2800 2,000-HP engine and 14-foot diameter propellor and its unique inverted gull wing, was probably the most capable carrier-based fighter in World War 2.?It first flew on 29 May 1940 and was the first US fighter to exceed 400 mph in level flight.?However, until 1944 concerns over visibility and landing gear relegated it to land-based service with the Marines.?Once the British proved it could safely operate from aircraft carriers the US Navy began sending it to sea.?By the end of the war, F4U pilots had shot down 2,140 enemy aircraft for the loss of only 189 F4Us.?By the early 1950s, equipped with an early radar mounted in the starboard wing, it earned the designation F4U-5N and became a potent night fighter in the skies over Korea.?Flying an F4U-5N at night, Lt Guy Bordelon became the Navy’s only ace of the Korean War.?In addition to US service, it flew with the British, Australian, New Zealand, Honduras, El Salvadoran, and Argentine militaries. #invertedgullwing?????????#navyair????????????#marineair???????#nightfighters?????????????#radialengines https://lnkd.in/e-_V5D-T https://lnkd.in/eZbpRsT6

First flown in 1910, the Wright Model B was also known as the “headless Wright” because it used a horizontal stabilizer instead of a canard.?It was the Wrights’ most successful aircraft and was produced from 1910 to 1914.?It was faster, stronger, easier to fly, and easier to launch than the earlier Wright aircraft like the Flyers I through III and the Model A.?It had a wingspan of 39 feet and weighed 800 pounds with a pilot and passenger and was powered by a 4-cylinder 28 to 42 HP engine that gave it a 44-mph average speed.?The Wrights hoped it would make them leaders again in aviation, but it was rapidly outclassed by other aircraft of the day that had fuselages and the tractor propulsion configuration (for reference, the last year it was produced was the year WW1 started).?Despite its shortcomings, it was a popular aircraft and participated in many firsts such as dropping live bombs, carrying the first military airborne radio, conducting the first military reconnaissance missions, and carrying the first American President to fly (who was it?).?Calbraith Perry Rodgers flew a modified Model B, the Vinn Fiz Flyer, in the first flight across the US.?Of the approximately 100 made, the only surviving actual Model B is in the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia; there is a Model B of uncertain pedigree on display at the National Museum of the USAF. #canard????????????#WrightBrothers???????????#EarlyFlight??????#IntrotoAero References: https://lnkd.in/eqiNi3RK https://lnkd.in/erDyWYCq

Check out our upcoming courses on our website and start your year in the right direction.