Re: Sanding, How Much 4 Attachments?

[Alan Shaw <wingco@iu.net>]

HYTEC45@aol.com wrote:

> Are we losing sight of what this "Amature built" thing is all about??

The original 86' Velocity tooling was fairly modular and integrated for its
time.  Fast build before the phrase was coined.  Builder and market pressures
have always pushed kits further towards making the "molds and jigs" do the
work.

My closed monolithic pressure molding has lead us in to a whole new world.
Once the prep is done five of us build a pair of XL wings in one morning.
This includes winglets, control wells, wing roots, various reinforcements,
rudder conduits, antennas and skins all co-cured.  With canards I've done the
spar at the same time and could do the same on the wings.

Right now I'm computer flight testing a design of Dr.Kroo's from Stanford that
is a very special flying wing with winglets.  This design is of interest to me
because not only is it efficient in the air but down the production line.  I
can build the whole airframe in a compound mold in one day with computer
controlled resin injection/vacuum recycling.  This will be the culmination of
over 15 years of tooling research on my part.

To answer your question.  No, I never saw kits as any thing else but a
stepping stone to turn key. Unfortunately none of my partners had that much
vision so they are all gone now. And does this help you build your
Velocities?  Obviously not but I thought it would be interesting like you
mister "45"

Alan Shaw