From Nose to Tip
Generally the airplane was developed with the help of Phillip
Steinback, the designer of the Sbach and the German national champion of full scale aerobatics.
The airplane was designed
using the latest CAD software and structural analysis done using Solidworks.
The plywood used , birch, which is known
for its high strenght and lightness. All the Balsa is hand selected and individually weighed before it is dedicated to different
parts of the airplane.
1. Actual scale carbon fiber spinner. This unique spinner is custom built and
is scale.
2. The two piece cowl is made out of fiberglass and reinforced with carbon fiber.
3. The
two piece cowl closes together with a carbon fiber hatch mechanism. So there are no ugly screws on the side.
4.
Carbon fiber engine plate with standoffs. This is to ease engine thrust adjustment without stressing on the engine crankcase.
5. The firewall and the whole firebox up to the wing tube is carbon fiber reinforced.
6. The fuel
dot is custom made FORGUES RESEARCH design.
7. Fuel tubing is genuine Tygon.
8. Landing gear plate
is carbon reinforced.
9. Landing gear is carbon fiber.
10. The custom built wheels have carbon fiber hubs.
11.
The CF rudder plate and the CF wing insert are there to make the fuselage much more rigid.
12. The canopy is made out
of PETG plastic.
13. The canopy is flush with the top hatch .
14. Scale cockpit.
15. CF canopy former (it
just looks good)
16. Rudder servo arm is 6.5 inches CF.
17. Dubor heavy duty ball links.
18. Dubro pull/pull
cable.
19. CF control arms pre-installed.
20. The rudder has a scale hinge line, greatly improving rudder movement,
and is removable.
21. CF hinges on rudder.
22. Original Robart hinges all around.
23. Push rods are CF with
titanium alloy end caps.
24. The tail wheel assembly is CF.
25. The entire tail sectin is CF reinforced.
26.
Only original Oracover used.
27. 3M vinyl decals.
Additional design features that need to be pointed out.
The cowl shape is exact scale, thanks to the
fact that Philip Steinback sent us the 3D drawing of the actual cowl being used on the full size Sbach.
The
sides of the airplane are curved and not square like a shoe box.
In dimensins, the airplane is extremely
stretched, the wing span and fuselage have a difference of just 2 inches. But if you look at the airplane, it looks scale.
This illusion was carefully created. So you get the amazing performance and the scale looks.
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A word from the RCXmachines (Pakistan) CEO.
We started this company a little over a year ago. At that time, I had 4 of the best custom building guys with me but
not much else. We had one CNC machine laser cutter and a hope and a prayer.
Now we have 25 skilled
builders, all trained in one year. Procedures and methods and quality control systems have to be so refined that guys with
just one year building experience can produce a product that is what it should be.
We also now
have CNC routers, Vacuum forming machines that can take out canopies as big as 60 inches long and 20 inches deep.
HPLV
painting booths, with 6 dedicated painters. All trained again to give us the paint quality that we need.
We
have also got a CNC cutting plotter for the covering and stickers.
Then I have thought my 4 best
guys how to use Autocad, make small modifications etc. Frees up some of my time.
I have thought
myself and thought my chief builder how to use Solidworks cad program, so we now do structural analysis using this software
instead of guess work and elaborate air testing.
We also now have a fully functioning machine shop
with two 8 foot lathe machines. Shapers etc. which are manned by 5 machinest.
We are currently
integrating a Manufacturing Resource Planning system to organize and quicken the production floor.
Plus
for the CNC machines, we have our own maintenance crew, which is headed by yours truly since in Pakistan we don't have any
CNC specialists for laser cutters etc. and even this we had to develop ourselves.
Currently we
are working on designing low cost wind tunnel and up next is a 16 foot Autoclave.
Just trying to
put innovation back into this hobby, instead of just copying construction techniques that have been around for the last 20
years.
Since I am born in a country taht is struggling these days, I know we have to work twice
as hard to make things work, its not impossible, just bloody hard.....
Doc Usmen Habib
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