Wed, Nov 25, 2009
New Horizontal Tail Improves Flight Handling for Floatplane
Versions
After buying all the rights to the
Drifter series of light aircraft, Lockwood Aircraft has been
evaluating the design ... along with delivering kits.
Drifter, which is widely known as a recreational aircraft, is
often configured as a floatplane. Lockwood Aircraft announced a
design change to the horizontal stabilizer and elevator assemblies
Monday which it says has noticeably improved the flight
characteristics of the design.
"The new horizontal stabilizers and elevators add approximately
two feet to the span of the tail," said Lockwood President Phil
Lockwood. "They are designed to increase pitch stability and
elevator authority on float-equipped Super Drifters." Super
Drifters are powered by the Rotax 912 engine, while other models
use two-stroke Rotax engines. "Our goal is to overcome the
additional nose-down pitch force created by adding floats," he
added.
Phillip Lockwood
"Testing of the new tail is going very well and it is doing
exactly what we wanted," said Lockwood Aircraft manager George
Weber. "We first tested a set of end plates for the horizontal
stabilizers, much like the ones you find on many floatplanes. Our
testing showed this approach offered very little improvement."
Lockwood Aircraft reported the new horizontal stabilizers offer
much more pitch authority when rotating off the water, especially
with heavier pilots up front. This allows the Super Drifter to lift
off the water at the lowest possible speed, dramatically reducing
the take-off distance. They may also allow for an increase an in
the CG envelope. "They really work well," said Lockwood.
"The new horizontal stabilizers will be available as a retrofit
kit for existing float-equipped Super Drifters and standard on new
kits going on floats," indicated Weber. "We expect to complete the
testing and engineering this winter. Providing testing continues to
go as expected the new parts should be available by March,
2010."
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