WHY THREE PARTS?
When starting with the Horten HXc as wing platform to start from, it became very quickly clear that the size of the glider might pose a problem. 15 m (49,2 feet)!
What is the problem?
- Transport on road
- carrying such large surfaces in strong wind
- if splitting up, the connecting of the steering controls might be tricky during assembly
What was our solution?
The DragonWing has three sections.
Midsection with all the controls for airbrakes, landing gear. Just a single push rod goes towards the end of the section for activating the elevon.
Each wingtip has a elevon which is controlled with a single push rod. So ...installing the wingtip is just:
- Push the wingtip into the mid section
- Fixate that connection with Jezus-pin
- Connect the push rod from the steering stick to the push rod towards the elevon
DONE!
What is the main advantage?
Setting up the glider will be a easy task which takes very little time. I have seen enough hangglider pilots loosing a loooot of time before being able to fly. I don't want anything more complicated than a easy to assemble glider.
WHY THE HORTEN CONTROL MIXER?
Why not? Have you seen anything easier to build than the Horten mixer for roll-and-pitch control. It is three times more sensitive to roll that to pitch. That takes away the sensitive pitch of nearly all flying wings. And ...it is soooo easy to make!
Read more about the mixer at this page about the Horten HXb details.
EASY TO THE MAX. THAT IS WHY!
Not only setting up should be easy. The building of the glider itself should be easy. Easy and quick. That way i hoped to avoid many man-hours in the production. And that would reduce the cost of building it. Which would result in a lower and more affordable price for the owner. So the DragonWing is:
- Easy to construct
- Easy to transport
- Easy to assembly
- Easy to steer
WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?