The Kennedy K-W is an American
high-wing,
strut-braced
In aeronautics, bracing comprises additional structural members which stiffen the functional airframe to give it rigidity and strength under load. Bracing may be applied both internally and externally, and may take the form of strut, which act in ...
, single-seat
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 by Harold Kennedy of
Dodge City, Kansas, with assistance from Floyd Watson. The aircraft is notable for being assembled from
certified
Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
powered
aircraft components and also for having had an in-flight break-up.
[Said, Bob: ''1983 Sailplane Directory, ]Soaring Magazine
''SOARING'' is a magazine published monthly as a membership benefit of the Soaring Society of America. It was first published in 1937. The headquarters is in Hobbs, New Mexico. The magazine's article topics include safety issues and accounts of ind ...
'', page 7. Soaring Society of America November 1983. USPS 499–920
Design and development
The K-W glider was assembled from a collection of certified
fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air flying machine, such as an airplane, which is capable of flight using wings that generate lift caused by the aircraft's forward airspeed and the shape of the wings. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinc ...
parts. The aft
fuselage was from an
Aeronca Chief
The Aeronca K series, Aeronca Chief, Aeronca Super Chief, Aeronca Tandem, Aeronca Scout, Aeronca Sea Scout, Aeronca Champion and Aeronca Defender were a family of American high-winged light touring aircraft, designed and built starting in the ...
, with the welded steel tubing structure narrowed from a two seats in
side-by-side seating configuration to a single seat width.
The vertical fin from the Chief was retained. The
tailplane was from a
Taylorcraft, reduced in span to to allow road transportation on a trailer. The single monowheel landing gear, wings and V-
struts were taken from an
Aeronca K
The Aeronca Model K Scout is an American light airplane first marketed in 1937, and was the true successor to the popular C-2/ C-3 line.
Design
Powered by a dual-ignition Aeronca E-113C engine, the Model K Scout brought the Aeronca design up t ...
. The wings were modified to add
spoilers.
Because of its component parts heritage, the aircraft had a steel tube fuselage and wooden wings, all covered in doped
aircraft fabric covering
Aircraft fabric covering is a term used for both the material used and the process of covering aircraft open structures. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures. The de Havilland Mosquito is an example of this technique, as ar ...
.
A second aircraft was constructed along the same lines by Bob Dart of
Mayville, New York and called the Aero-5. This aircraft still existed in May 2011.
Operational history
The K-W prototype was completed and flown in 1957 and accumulated 390 hours, the majority of which had been flown by Kennedy's two teenaged sons.
The K-W was being flown by a 27-year-old
private pilot
A private pilot licence (PPL) or, in the United States, a private pilot certificate, is a type of pilot licence that allows the holder to act as pilot in command of an aircraft privately (not for remuneration). The licence requirements are dete ...
with 56 hours total time and four hours on type, on 10 August 1975 from the
Fowler Airport located near
Fowler, Kansas
Fowler is a city in Meade County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 534.
History
Fowler was laid out and platted in 1886. It was named for George Fowler, the original owner of the town site.
Fowler ...
. The glider was being launched by
aerotow and when the glider attempted to release the tow rope the righthand wing struts separated from the fuselage at the attachment fitting due to an overload failure. The aircraft crashed and the pilot was killed. The US
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incid ...
identified the likely cause factors as that the pilot in command mishandled the flight controls and exceeded the stress limits of the aircraft. The NTSB also cited the pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft type. No further aircraft of the type were constructed.
Variants
;Kennedy K-W
:Original prototype, destroyed in August 1975.
;Dart Aero-5
:Second aircraft built along the same lines. The fuselage was an original design, but the fin and rudder from a Taylorcraft were used, along with Aeronca wings. A later owner was reportedly constructing a new set of longer, all-metal wings for the aircraft in 1983. As of May 2011 this aircraft was still registered with the
Federal Aviation Administration and based in
Milo, Iowa.
Specifications (K-W)
See also
References
{{reflist
1950s United States sailplanes
Homebuilt aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1957