Heaven Rubber Bandit
Role Experimental aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer George Heaven
Number built 1

The Rubber Bandit was an experimental aircraft, designed and built in the 1990s by George Heaven, of Van Nuys, California, which was powered by a rubber-band motor.

Development

George Heaven was a pilot and aeronautical engineer who wanted to make the first flight in a rubber powered airplane.[1] Development work included the building and testing of a 1⁄25th scale free flight model, which had a 27 in (69 cm) wingspan. This was followed by building and testing of a 1⁄4 scale rubber powered, radio-controlled model, which had a 17 ft (5.2 m) wingspan. The latter craft was said to be the largest rubber-powered airplane to have taken off and flown under its own power.[2]

The full-sized craft, dubbed the Rubber Bandit, was of conventional configuration. It was a high-wing monoplane, fitted with a tractor propeller. The craft's primary structure was made of carbon-fiber and Kevlar tubing, with the wings and tail surfaces being built from carbon-fiber ribs, and covered in blue Mylar film.[3] The wing was of constant chord, with the outer panels set at a slight dihedral. There were no ailerons, with all control being via the tail surfaces, which were operated by remote control servos. The fuselage consisted of a single tube, within which the rubber-motor was contained. A small nacelle, located under the fuselage and below the wing, accommodated the pilot and a passenger.[4]

Rubber motor

The motor was made of 0.25 in (0.64 cm)-wide rubber, folded into 800 strands, and measured 24 ft (7.3 m) long and would be wound up to 800 revolutions.[1] According to an article in Flying the motor, fully wound, would initially generate the equivalent of 18 hp (13 kW), at high torque and rpm, before reducing down to 4 hp (3.0 kW) after 20 seconds.[3] The motor would run for an estimated 90 seconds, sufficient for the airplane to take off and make a 0.5 mi (0.80 km) flight.

Testing

Initial media coverage indicated the airplane would be completed and flight testing undertaken before the end of 1996.[2][1] A 1998 Los Angeles Times article reported that the first taxi tests took place in March 1998, with the second being on May 3.[4] A 2011 article published on the Sustainable Skies website reported that testing of the Rubber Bandit had continued through to 2003, with some short hops but no flights being made.[5]

Specifications

Data from Rubber Bandit[6]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 33 ft (10 m)
  • Wingspan: 71 ft (22 m)
  • Wing area: 310 sq ft (29 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 16.26
  • Airfoil: NACA laminar flow, 15% thickness
  • Empty weight: 250 lb (113 kg) including 100 lb rubber motor
  • Gross weight: 520 lb (236 kg) with 170 lb pilot
  • Powerplant: 1 × rubber motor , 18 hp (13 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed, 18 ft 2 in (5.54 m) diameter fixed pitch

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 55 mph (89 km/h, 48 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 32 mph (51 km/h, 28 kn)
  • Stall speed: 20 mph (32 km/h, 17 kn)
  • Wing loading: 1.68 lb/sq ft (8.2 kg/m2)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Barry, Dave (2000). "Rubber-Band Man". Dave Barry is not taking this sitting down!. New York, NY: Crown Publishers. pp. 11–13. ISBN 0609600672. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Carter, Peter (March 1999). "The Rubber Bandit Project" (PDF). New Clarion SAM 1066 Newsletter. No. 32019. Rugby, UK: Society of Antique Modellers. p. 15. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Garrison, Peter (February 1996). "Rubber power stretches a new design". Flying. Vol. 123, no. 2. New York, NY: Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, Inc. pp. 98–99. ISSN 0015-4806. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Willman, Martha L. (May 11, 1998). "Experimental Aircraft Expected to Stretch the Limits of Aviation". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  5. ↑ Sigler, Dean (August 9, 2011). "A Chance to Unwind". Sustainable Skies. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Aircraft Technical Data". www.rubberbandit.org. Rubber Bandit. Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
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