The Hermanspann Chinook is an American
mid-wing
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
, two-seat,
experimental
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...
research
glider
Glider may refer to:
Aircraft and transport Aircraft
* Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight
** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of glidin ...
that was designed and constructed by
Fred Hermanspann and
Art Penz.
Design and development
The Chinook and its improved variant, the Chinook S, have been used to study the effect of rain on
airfoil
An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is the cross-sectional shape of an object whose motion through a gas is capable of generating significant lift, such as a wing, a sail, or the blades of propeller, rotor, or turbine.
...
s and also
stall dynamics.
The aircraft is predominantly made from
aluminium
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...
with the
cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft or spacecraft, from which a Pilot in command, pilot controls the aircraft.
The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel, and the ...
area made from
fiberglass
Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...
. Its span high
aspect ratio wing employs a Wortmann FX67-K-170/17 airfoil. Glidepath control is via hydraulically operated
trailing edge
The trailing edge of an aerodynamic surface such as a wing is its rear edge, where the airflow separated by the leading edge meets.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 521. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. ...
flaps that deflect 80°. The
landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
consists of hydraulically retractable nose gear and main gear. The
vertical stabilizer
A vertical stabilizer or tail fin is the static part of the vertical tail of an aircraft. The term is commonly applied to the assembly of both this fixed surface and one or more movable rudders hinged to it. Their role is to provide control, sta ...
is highly swept.
The improved Chinook S features an improved wing tip design, system and structure refinements and a BRS-1200
ballistic parachute
A ballistic parachute, ballistic reserve parachute, or emergency ballistic reserve parachute, is a parachute ejected from its casing by a small explosion, much like that used in an ejection seat. The advantage of the ballistic parachute over a co ...
.
Only one Chinook was constructed and it was registered with the US
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
in the ''
Experimental - Amateur-built'' category.
Operational history
In March 2015 the Chinook was still registered with the FAA to Hermanspann.
After the conclusion of a number of research projects including about rain effects, performance measurements and stall dynamics, the sailplane was being employed extensively through 2015 for cross-country flying, having made a total of five crossings of the Cacscade mountains and having set four Washington state soaring records.
Variants
;Chinook
:Original configuration, first flown in 1993.
;Chinook S
:Improved configuration, first flown in 1996.
Specifications (Chinook S)
See also
References
{{reflist
1990s United States sailplanes
Homebuilt aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1993
Mid-wing aircraft
Glider aircraft