OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

[Arctic Cat]

Re: OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

I think it's cool. It may never be a viable product, but it's one of those what if concepts that breakthroughs come from. Hats off to Burt for doing it. There are hundreds of things that are totally impractical, ridiculous, expensive etc that people spend money on (a p-51 falls into that category for most of the population), so why not a hybrid electric carplane?

[First time Juke]

Re: OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

I think it's cool. It may never be a viable product, but it's one of those what if concepts that breakthroughs come from. Hats off to Burt for doing it. There are hundreds of things that are totally impractical, ridiculous, expensive etc that people spend money on (a p-51 falls into that category for most of the population), so why not a hybrid electric carplane?

Well I don't agree 100%. Name few "what if concept" that became a breakthroug ?

Gustave Whitehead flew before Wright Bros with this kinda hybrid ( two engines one running wheels ) and it never became a breakthrough.

P-51D is a well flying aeroplane thus is not ridiculous. Concorde was ridiculous because it had to change new engines after few flights.

I see this Burt BiPod as a limited roadable aerial vehicle...and thus if you live close to airport you could possibly on a good road steer it to home as well. Thus it needs no extra hangar
...a carport could do.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

Well I don't agree 100%. Name few "what if concept" that became a breakthroug...

The fiberglass-over-foam-core building process. It started with surfboards, then in Burt Rutan's mind the idea of using it for kit-built aircraft, and eventually became the simplest method for people to create whole fleets of new GA experimentals and production aircraft... I call that a breakthrough.


The all-composite aircraft, beginning with home-builts, and now Boeing is making full-size airliners from the stuff... I call that a breakthrough too.


The hybrid automobile, so successful at increasing fuel mileage that many buses and commercial vehicles are hybrids. Another significant advancement. If the battery/weight issue can be solved then I see aircraft going that way someday.

[First time Juke]

Re: OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

The fiberglass-over-foam-core building process. It started with surfboards, then in Burt Rutan's mind the idea of using it for kit-built aircraft, and eventually became the simplest method for people to create whole fleets of new GA experimentals and production aircraft... I call that a breakthrough.


The all-composite aircraft, beginning with home-builts, and now Boeing is making full-size airliners from the stuff... I call that a breakthrough too.


The hybrid automobile, so successful at increasing fuel mileage that many buses and commercial vehicles are hybrids. Another significant advancement. If the battery/weight issue can be solved then I see aircraft going that way someday.

I see...in your opinion class over foam is a what if ?

Hybrid as such can be ok...but highly debated..why not go 100% into electric and loose the combustion engine ? That would save even more gas ?

[AirDOGGe]

Re: OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

I see...in your opinion class over foam is a what if ?

Hybrid as such can be ok...but highly debated..why not go 100% into electric and loose the combustion engine ? That would save even more gas ?

I believe that any new idea that hasn't been tried yet qualifies as a "what if...?"


And the electrics still have limitations with weight and range, specifically, battery tech issues. I rarely see any electric car around here in California, but I see countless numbers of those "highly debated" hybrids every day. Hybrids are quite successful, and their owners love them.

A hybrid can switch to gas when the batteries run out, or run both electric motor and petrol-powered engine when extra power is needed, say when passing a large truck.

And what happens to a short-range, all-electric car if your "tank" runs empty before you get back home? You can't just hike to the nearest gas station to fill a can with electrons. You're stuck, until you can tow it home or find some way to charge it (which can take hours).

Even if you notice beforehand that you are running low on "fuel" while far from home, where are you going to re-fill it? Recharge stations are still few and far-between. and again, filling up can take one to several hours.


Because of all this, I see electric cars as a second, run-to-the-local-store car, but not as primary transportation. At least not yet.


.


They're trying to make electric cars practical, but there's still a ways to go. Power-source storage simply has to be improved first.

.

[First time Juke]

Re: OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

Jolly good AirDOGGe !

I just took a trip to play golf 70 km from home with a bicycle....140 km in 6 hours and 9 hole of golf in one hour.

I did not burn a drop of fossile fuel.

Golf with just a i7 is not that much fun, but cycling did good.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

Jolly good AirDOGGe !

I just took a trip to play golf 70 km from home with a bicycle....

Impressive! it must have been hell trying to hit that little white ball swinging a Nishiki roadie...

(Sorry, but I couldn't pass on such a set-up....))

...140 km in 6 hours and 9 hole of golf in one hour.

All joking aside, I AM impressed. Keep up the two-wheeling, my friend.

"Burn calories, not gas!"

.

[First time Juke]

Re: OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

Right AirDOGGe !

Yesterday I did cycle 60 km in exactly 2 hours and averaged 30 km/h. I have a relative who was in lead in the last hill in finnish champs...he became 3rd in 60 km at 1 hr 55 min...in 70+ years series !!!

So I can cycle like 70 years old..but not like the best of them ! I was alone...nobody to trail after. This cycle I use for speed is a Nakamura. I have a TREK mountain bike for the winters.

I think bicycle is a wonderful invention.

Maybe Burt will do a hybrid with a cycling option and an electric engine like in new bicycles they have.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: OT: Burt Rutan's BiPod

Now THERE'S something I think would be interesting to try.

A lot of people have tried making flying cars, but not so many flying MOTORCYCLES!

So, mod the Bipod or make a new version that can separate into two enclosed motorcycles, each with suitable controls like handlebars, twist-grip throttle, etc.

It shouldn't take much of an engine to get half of a Bipod rolling.