Since ornithopters heave , pitch and bounce when manoeuvring on the ground , it's especially important to test the landing gear design.
This is how I tested the landing gear for my 8 foot wingspan rc test model of Nightingale.
UTIAS used a similar but much larger device for testing the landing gear for their manned orni' . This gave me the idea for my 'quick and dirty, homebuilt version .
The landing gear is attached to the rotating arm and the appropriate weights are installed [ I used 10 pounds since the model weighed about 8 pounds]
A flat plate on the floor under the landing gear wheels is oiled and plastic kitchen wrap placed on top of the oil...and the wheels are then lowered into position just above the kitchen wrap.
The rotating arm is then raised and allowed to drop and the results observed and videotaped.
The floor plate has to be re-oiled and new kitchen wrap placed before each test.
The length of the arm can be varied.
There is a 'bounce' indicator scale behind the rotating arm.
Various designs of landing gear can be tested.
I made the landing gear by laminating carbon, kevlar and fibreglass around a parabola shaped mold [ I'm testing various parabolas]
Patricia
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 Last edited on Sun Jun 1st, 2008 04:42 pm by PatriciaJB
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