Aerochia NXT

[georgiacub]

Re: Aerochia NXT

The thrust of the original post was that Darryl's Legacy bore so little resemblance to a standard Legacy and it is allowed to race, that the Aerochia NXT ( even though it is highly modified ) should, without question be allowed to race in the Sport Class.

I just pointed out that the flight characteristics of the Legacy and the Super Legacy are much alike.

The question to be answered is: Is a Super Legacy still a Legacy. My answer is yes, therefore it meets the criteria in the rules that there be at least 5 examples of the kit.

There two questions regarding the Aerochia NXT that need to be asked:
1. Is it still an NXT?
2. If it is an NXT, does the engine fall in the maximum allowed cubic inch displacement?

[Bottom Rudder]

Re: Aerochia NXT

I agree!

[Relentless]

Re: Aerochia NXT

There two questions regarding the Aerochia NXT that need to be asked:
1. Is it still an NXT?
2. If it is an NXT, does the engine fall in the maximum allowed cubic inch displacement?[/QUOTE]

1. No. It is not an NXT. Wet wings, 9" narrowed fuselage, firewall forward uses nothing from the original kit, from the cockpit back the entire tail, rudder, evevator, and horizontal are totally re-built, and landing gear is highly modified to fit into smaller wheels wells.

2. I have heard the engine is 650 cubic inch but not sure of details.

Will be an amazing aircraft and could possibly be contender in Unlimiteds if it was about 2500 lbs heavier?

Can't wait to see it go!!!!! Andy is an amazing builder!

[georgiacub]

Re: Aerochia NXT

I am going to have to disagree with Kevin about if the airplane Andy is working on is an NXT or not.

It is an NXT kit that has been modified. Just like the Super Legacy is a modified Legacy. There is a long list of things that are different in the Super Legacy, but it is still a Legacy.

Andy has obviously modified several things on the NXT he is working on, but it is still an NXT.

I don't know if Andy has said that they plan to race the aircraft, but my vote would be, that if the engine meets the cubic inch displacement requirement, it be allowed to race in the Sport Class.

[Mluvara]

Re: Aerochia NXT

I'm not intimately familiar with the sport class rules, but it would seem appropriate to me to have some wording specified to define what makes a kit plane modified too far. So many of the legacies have new cowls, additional aerodynamic mods, fillets,etc that were not part of the original aircraft. There's a Questair that's been highly modified and the list goes on. Where the intent and wording of the rules come out may be tested by designs like this. Does it mean alteration of the aircraft is fine as long as the profile does not severely change? Can the aircraft dimensions change by some percentage? All questions that may seem up in the air.

Michael

[MRussell]

Re: Aerochia NXT

I love this crap. Greatest spectator sport in the world, period.

Fun to watch the Sport class becoming an "Unauthorized Unlimited" class right before our eyes. I firmly believe that whatever 'Chia does with their NXT, there will be another Sport Class madman (or woman) lined up to return the volley.

[W J Pearce]

Re: Aerochia NXT

This has been discussed before and I belive the followiung still applies. The rules of the sport class are:
1) must have 5 DELIVERED kits
2) engine must be UNDER 650 CID
3) must use fuel available to everyone on the flight line, no power enhancing additives, no NOS.

To the best of my knowledge/recollection, there is no limit on seats or modifications that can be done to the aircraft provided it does not violate the rules above.

The AeroNXT's engine is supposed to put out 660 CID. Now one can shorten the stroke a bit and get it back to 650, but is that okay? They way I read the rules is that the engine can not make more the 650, by design. People have also talked about taking a IO-720 and de-stroking it to 650. I say the the engine is over 650 and therefore illegal. It gets much harder to have to do a volume test after every race on every engine. Now there is also momentum to up the limit to 1000 CID and NOS, which I would like to see. Perhapses that has been done for 2007.

Modification wise, lets keep it open and interesting. I don't want an IROC series, I want innovation. It you have to keep it stock then almost all of them are out. DG, John Parker, Scotty G, Klaus, the Beluga, Dacey, etc etc. Let 'em run!

I too heard that DG did not race because he... did not want too. No issues other than having other interests/hobbies.

One last thing, the TM can be modified like a Strega. It just requires a sawzall, time, and lots of money. Blue's exterior is basically stock (much to the chagrin of a few).

So, will the sports crack 400 in 2007?

[W J Pearce]

Re: Aerochia NXT

Here ya go. No mention of modifications or seats:

IV. AIRCRAFT ELIGIBILITY

A. Aircraft eligible for competition within the Sport Class shall be limited to production model kit-built aircraft, to include Long and Vari Eze models, of which 5 or more kits have been produced and delivered to customers by the manufacturer, powered by a reciprocating engine of 650 cu in. or less, and capable of a 200 MPH qualification lap speed. A kit is herein defined as consisting of wings, empenage, fuselage and all related control surfaces. Also included must be landing gear, canopy, motor mount and sufficient build instructions. The prototype may be included as one of the 5 required kits. The specifications listed herein will be the only specifications of the Sport Class. Aircraft not in compliance will be disqualified from the competition. The Sport Class Board of Directors will implement disqualification upon due consideration along with recommendation of the Technical Committee and/or the Contest Committee. Any significant airframe modifications to eligible kit built aircraft must be approved by the Pilot Standards/Committee prior to entry.

B. All aircraft must have a current FAA issued airworthiness certificate. All certification, registration and current maintenance records must accompany the aircraft and be available for inspection by the Technical Committee, the Contest Committee, the race organizers, or the FAA.

C. All aircraft must display its assigned racing number on each side of the fuselage or vertical stabilizer and on the lower surface of the right wing and the upper surface of the left wing. The number must be as close to 30 in. high as the surface and practicality permit and be of high contrast so that it is readily readable by race officials.

D. The Board of Directors will assign race numbers upon application by eligible pilots or aircraft owners and upon receipt of the annual $ 50 retention fee. Numbers will be permanently assigned to the aircraft and requests for specific numbers will be examined on a case by case basis.

XI. AIRCRAFT FUELS AND ADDITIVES:

A. Sport Class racers may run any fuel pumped from the tank trucks stationed on the flight line that is available to everyone. No additives of any kind are allowed.

B. Gaseous based alternative fuels, such as Nitrous Oxide, etc., are prohibited.

C. Water/Alcohol based Anti-Detonation Injection (ADI) is permitted provided the alcohol content does not exceed 50% of the mixture by volume.

D. Water may be injected or sprayed in any capacity for any purpose of cooling the aircraft engine or other components.

http://www.sportclass.com/2006_SportsClass_rules_06.doc

[Lowell]

Re: Aerochia NXT

If I remember correctly when we first submitted entry paperwork for the first Thunder Mustang in the Sport Class it had to include copies of some of our engineered structural testing and specifications, and I believe the flutter testing results.

Probably each kit manufacturer represented has had to do the same, but maybe not. The question it seems would be where do you draw the line for requiring new data and proof of testing? If it is still required then there should be some guidelines for this.

The wonderful progress and popularity of the fast growing Sport Class could suffer greatly if we were to have a catastrophic structural failure or flutter incident at a race.

The loss of Tommy Rose in his Questair Venture in 2002 could have been a much more tragic event, for instance, had circumstances been slightly different and had the aircraft veered toward the pits or grandstands.

Drawing this line could prove a very difficult thing to do without overkill to the potentials of the class. If there is any consolation, I guess we can always revert to history with the pre-war racers. These were often “backyard-built” and quite varied in design. There wasn't much history (was there?) of in-flight airframe failures with those racers in the mid-late 30's. The speeds were far less but so was the learning curve.

[Bill Marsh]

Re: Aerochia NXT

Red flag #1 big deal......

Without nailing down a default set of rules..... geez, i thought the current rules were fine..... how do you expect current or future a/c builders who pour bug bucks into a class of racing that makes their "legal" current racer obsolute in afew years time.

Current regs should be allowed to let the a/c builders mature the breed.

Let things cruse awhile and announce in X # years , the motor changes or any other changes and give these guys an insentive to "run what they brung" and get some use out of their investmwent.

Let say 2010...... rule change ... this or that. 2015, stepped changes or whatever. This will give the boys a lead-time to mature the sport class in incremental jumps.

If I was the owner of a falconer mustang...... i would NOTNOT be happy.

_______________________


Red Flag #2 .... small deal
This 12 cylinder 2 stroker..... how are trhey control the piston cooking problem.... a la the Crecy


Over
BMarsh

[Skyracer]

Re: Aerochia NXT

Red Flag #2 .... small deal
This 12 cylinder 2 stroker..... how are trhey control the piston cooking problem.... a la the Crecy

Over
BMarsh

I had an acquaintance several years ago that was developing a small (3-4 cylinder) 2-stroke diesel for military applications. Among the many problems encountered were piston failures due to extremes of heat and pressure. That problem was finally overcome with titanium topped pistons (original design was all aluminum) and oil spray directed at the underside of the piston top to cool it. Don't know if the design ever reached production, but the early prototypes made an incredible amount of power for their size and weight.

[AlisoBob]

Re: Aerochia NXT

B. Gaseous based alternative fuels, such as Nitrous Oxide, etc., are prohibited.

N20 is an oxidizer, not a fuel.

[zeke]

Re: Aerochia NXT

This 12 cylinder 2 stroker.....

So this motor, what exactly is it? A custom one off motor for the aerochia, a modified auto/marine engine, a prototype motor for a manufacturer? Can't think of any other uses that it could be sourced from.

[Bill Marsh]

Re: Aerochia NXT

ZEKE

Go to the first posting of this thread and open the photo..... its a custom motor .... flat opposed 12 cylinder.... i do believe not too much is known about its internals or performance.



BMarsh

[zeke]

Re: Aerochia NXT

ZEKE

Go to the first posting of this thread and open the photo..... its a custom motor .... flat opposed 12 cylinder.... i do believe not too much is known about its internals or performance.



BMarsh

Thanks, if it's a custom, one of a kind motor that is only built for this particular aircraft that's a lot of time and expense over modifying an engine already produced.

Maybe there is an idea to produce this as a production engine at a later date and this is the test bed? Just thinking.