Get your own Free Home PageNovember 19, 2002
Concept Design Review Package has been completed. We have three conceptual designs: the Phoenix (conventional wing configuration), the Nightingale (tandem wing configuration), and the Yggdrasil (tri-surface wing configuration). The Concept Design Review Package can be downloaded by clicking here. The Project Plan can be downloaded by clicking here.
November 1, 2002
Ok, it's been a while so there's a lot to update. Firstly, the Project Plan is nearing completion and to be handed in before the end of this day. A more detailed schedule has been layed out in the Project Plan, which will be available for download soon after completion. Most of the previous year's Heavy Lift team's materials have been recovered and pre-analyzed. Some of the material can be salvaged, however, the FX motor and Futaba radio transmitter/receiver set has not been found, yet. In case we can't find the electronic equipment, prices for a brand new O.S. .61 FX engine and a 4 channel Futaba radio transmitter/receiver set are $249.99 and $259.99, respectively.
October 15, 2002
Just talked to Curtis about the preliminary budget analysis for our project, particularly for building the plane. So far, the total estimate of the cost is $1350 (CAN). But keep in mind that is the worst case scenario where all material is to be bought brand new with no discounts and at the high-end of the price range for each considered component. The FX engine itself is currently retailing for $249.99, and confirmed by Adam, yet he thinks we still might be able to get a discount for it.
Meanwhile, the current stage of design we are in is focused on the requirements, hence the first design review is the Requirements Review. The first review package has been sent out on night of October 10th. Currently, the team contract and agenda for the Requirements Review is being finalized.
On a side note of things, although there is a limitation of the aircraft's overall width, there has been no limitation mentioned for the overall plan form area of the plane. This opens a window of opportunity to consider tandemn wing configurations instead of bi-plane configurations.
October 10, 2002
Final draft of Requirements Design Review Package #1 to be sent out. Correction on the room number reserved for the Requirements Review to be held on Thursday October 17th, 2002. The room number is MEB 402.
October 9, 2002
I've talked to Adam over the weekend, and he's able to attend the Requirements Review on Thursday.
October 4, 2002
First Design Review, the Requirements Review, will be held on Thursday October 17th, 2002. Time and location of the meeting is at 3:30pm to 5:00pm in MEB 404, respectively. The Design Review Package #1 will be due and distributed on Wednesday October 9th, 2002.
October 1, 2002
Ok. There are 3 designs that we have to evaluate and consider before we commit ourselves to one design. So far, the top 3 designs we've come up with are:
1)Bi-plane model
2)Outboard Horizontal Stabilizer (OHS) configurated model
3)Conventionally configurated custom model
An analysis of each design's pros and cons is discussed further in detail in the Design Concepts & Sketches section of this website, and also serves as a part to our Design Review (D.R.) Package #1.
Oh yah, almost forgot, whenever we get the opportunity, we should check out The R/C Hangar Hobby Shop and schedule some time to talk to Doug and Donette Hyslip about their experiences in designing and building.
September 30, 2002
A quote from an email I got from one of the Heavy Lift members from last year.
"We got the pizzas from Canadian Pizza Unlimited on 11th ave. and 5th street. They charged us $9 bucks for a large and we sold them for $2 or $2.50 a
slice. The pizza money will get you some material for your plane, that's
about it. Hope this helps.
Matt"
Well, we know where to get our pizzas now. All we have to do is visit the place or look them up on the Yellow Pages and call them up, and see if they can do a deal for us this year too. However, this information was just given to me this morning, and there isn't enough time to consider other places that might sell for a better price and to get the pizzas here by this Wednesday. So Grant and I agreed that it's better to postpone the sales this Wednesday, and target for next Wednesday. This Wednesday, we'll discuss our fundraising tactics in a joint group meeting during our Design Lab period. Meet at the front Mechanical Building's entrance at 2:00pm
September 29, 2002
This year's Heavy Lift rules can be downloaded here. The rules are formatted for Adobe� Acrobat Reader. If you don't have Adobe� Acrobat Reader, click here to download it. Also, Dave has also taken the liberty to talk to Dr. Kentfield about reserving time in his busy schedule for tutorial sessions. Dr. Kentfield is willing, but we have to approach him and arrange a suitable schedule.
September 28, 2002
I've managed to speak to Adam in person (previous Heavy Lift team member and now a graduate student) about our project this year. He's mentioned that most of the materials used for previous Heavy Lift projects should still be in the University's care since they are properties of the University. So we should look and ask around, particularly Dr. Fauvel who would know more about this matter. Hopefully, we can get our engines that way, and save ourselves a couple hundred dollars. Other things Adam mentioned is that we should choose the OS 0.61 FX engine with a E-4010 muffler (which Curtis also suggested earlier in the week). The other engine's performance doesn't quite match up to the FX engine. We should also ask Dr. Fauvel about the Futaba 8-U Super radio transmitter that the previous Heavy Lift team used. And finally, to wrap up today's interview with Adam, he mentioned that we should (if possible) make the airfoil of the wing to a type Selig #1223 (S-1223). According to him, this airfoil configuration would give a suitably high lift coefficient for heavy lift. If he's right (and I'm inclined to believe in his experience), then he just save us several weeks of research for optimizing our wing's lift coefficient.
September 25, 2002
Website is up. Nothing wholey new to report. But lots of past information will need to be put up onto this page. Keep checking back in a while.
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