Wild West Aircraft

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Includes: Highlander, Escapade, Summit and SuperSTOL.
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taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

Yes I did have about 6 foot long slats on the outer wing at Oshkosh. I made them so that I could tape them on and I only had them on there for the stol competition.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

I have been working on building my new Highlander, YeeHaw 7 for about a month now and I’m just about where I would have been had I started with the quick build wings from the factory. It is a lot of work making wings especially of a new design from scratch. My airfoil is a Harry Riblet design that I got from my good friend Jim Pekola and beyond that it’s all up to me deciding how I want to shape and size my flaps and ailerons and how I want to hinge them and operate them etc. I probably spent two days just deciding how to shape the trailing edge of the wing to work with the flaps and ailerons.
I’m hoping it will cruise faster because of the shape of the airfoil, but still land at least a slow as my current Highlander because of the way I am building the flaps to work.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
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danerazz
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by danerazz »

Interesting, I have been slowly drawing a new set of wings that would be all-metal and skinned with .020. Split flaps for drag mostly and use current spars but none of the drag hardware, just stress the skin for the torsional and lead-lag load.

I have not decided on an airfoil but I was thinking of basically stock with the leading edge cuff integrated instead of as an add on.

Fries ailerons.

Built in fuel tanks, pushrod ailerons and torque tube flap actuation.

I am also playing with a double-slotted flap idea.

My math says it should at the very least not weigh more than the stock wings, and should come in a little under.

Interesting to see how yours shakes out, and if I EVER build mine...
Dane

Paralysis by analysis
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taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

Well it only took me about 10 years to get around to building the wings I think I want!
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

I’ve got started covering our new Highlander. I’m covering it with yellow Oratex again and so far I have the flaps and ailerons covered. All the horizontal parts of the tail are done as well and I am about half done with the rudder. The wings and fuselage are practically ready to cover as well. I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to flying one of our new planes quite as much as I am looking forward to flying this one!!
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
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BDA
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by BDA »

Hey Steve, cant wait to see it fly!
Did you use an airfoil on the tail?
SuperStol XL Alaskan With Titan 340
N331AK. Shawn Taplin
Wing extensions,Symetrical Airfoil tail ribs (NACA 21)
Mods in progress: Heavier struts, Double slotted flaps
Goal: 15mph no wind
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

Yes I am using the airfoil tail simply because I do get more authority with it when trying to land as slow as I can.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
moving2time
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by moving2time »

Steve, I have a bunch of photos of Jim's modified Highlander both under construction and after it was complete. His wing included fixed slats the entire length. I'm guessing you are not going to use the slats since you mentioned you were looking for a little higher cruise speed. Did you build your wing like Jim's with the built-up spars or did you use the Just tube spar type of construction? To tell you the truth, I have always been interested in scratch building a Highlander wing using a Riblet airfoil. The biggest thing preventing me from doing that is the CG and Lift changes it would make to the air-frame and I have no education to make the proper calculations. Did Jim provide the engineering from his build? Did you build a true airfoil tail or did you use the modified Just tail frame modification? I can imagine you are very hopeful that you will improve both stall performance and cruise speed. The Yamaha with the new gear box should be perfect to power #7. Sounds like fun. Good luck.
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

I got the pattern for the airfoil from Jim. Where the spars are placed in this airfoil should give the same angle of incidence that we have with the stock wing.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

Well I have the new airplane pretty much all done except the front end of it. I’m waiting on the engine, but hopefully it will be here in the next few weeks. I’m going to put a Grand Rapids Sport EX EFIS in this one just like I did in Yeehaw 6. It’s also getting their high-end GPS and their Trig transponder so it will be all current for the ADS-B rules. It’s going to have a really cool Vigilus engine monitor that’s all dialed in for this turbo charged Edge Performance Yamaha engine as well. I’m going to put a new windshield mod on this one from Sheepdog and Barkley. I’m so anxious to fly it it’s a wonder I get any sleep at night!

Just got tickets to ride the smoker to Sun and Fun, will be getting there Tuesday April 2nd and staying the whole week. Hopefully I’ll see a bunch you guys down there. I would really like to have my Highlander down there but I just don’t want to fly clear across the country this time of year.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
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marl59
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by marl59 »

Hey Steve, What radiator will you be using to cool this fire breather?
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

I’m going to start out with the 914 radiator that we get from Just Aircraft. That’s what I have been using and it’s been working very well but we will just have to see with this higher horse power.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
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danerazz
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by danerazz »

Windshield mod you say...?
Dane

Paralysis by analysis
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SheepdogRD
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by SheepdogRD »

danerazz wrote:Windshield mod you say...?
Yes... the Extreme Windshield is a project I started several years ago. With lots of help, advice and encouragement from Barkley at AeroSmith Composites, we finally have it working. I'll post more information soon in my Build Log thread.
Richard Holtz
Highlander N570L -- Ms. Tonka -- in gestation

If just enough is really good, then too much ought to be perfect.
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FlyerChief
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by FlyerChief »

Will your "Extreme Windshield" be available for retrofit into existing Highlanders and SuperSTOLs or just new builds?
Is installation similar to the methods used for the molded "Steve Dentz" version?
Thanks,
Dan
When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. ~Henry Ford
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