Now This is a Plane!(or was)
The Oracle Turbo Raven, a turboprop with a thrust to weight ratio greater than 1:1. It could climb vertically, STOP, then resume a vertical climb. It holds the absolute time-to-climb record, going from brake release to 3000meters in 1min,9sec. Its takeoff roll was 200ft at performance weight. One stunt it performed was to take off from a standing start and return to the same spot in less than 60sec, making two loops. Unfortunately the engine flamed out at the bottom of a loop and the plane 'pancaked' onto the runway. The pilot and designer, Wayne Handley, was badly injured but the plane was totalled.
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I watched em once at Sun N Fun AWESOME. 0 -
Saw him too.
When the noise stops you need good options.0 -
What performance!
Yeah, when the motor conks out it is better to be at 2,000 feet, than to be at 20 feet.0 -
Actually, he admitted turning off the autoigniter. ... sometimes you get exactly what you ask for - in this case he did! Should have never happened. Handley is now three inches shorter![:0]
... incidentally, lately, I've been flying in some of those turboprops in AK - AWESOME power![:D]0 -
I met Wayne years ago when he was demo-ing the Prowler. Great guy. Watched him at McMinnville fly-in last year. He flew his last performance in the piston Raven and then donated it to the Evergreen Museum. It now lives with the "Spruce Goose". 0 -
Cool plane.[:D] 0 -
Maybe you guys would know- has there ever been another prop driven plane with better than 1:1 thrust/weight? I know about the Lockheed and Convair tailsitters from the 60's, as well as the Osprey. I'm talking about normally configured aircraft. 0 -
I wish I had a 1:1 thrust ratio.[}:)][:D] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by ripley16
I wish I had a 1:1 thrust ratio.[}:)][:D]
Why not 1:2, or even 1:3?
Ben0
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