BeechTalk - BT - Raptor Aircraft 5 Seat Pressurized 3,600 NM Range Diesel

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Aug 2020, 13:20

Username Protected wrote:

Wow, he really does not understand mechanical systems very well. He is puzzled that the bolt heads dented the plate, not realizing that the bolt heads are carrying the axial loads once they loosen up.

Aren’t the bolts carrying the axial loads while they are tight? I think that when loosened, these bolts are not carrying their share of the axial loads so you have sort of a rotating slanted plate effect causing the denting.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Aug 2020, 14:03

Username Protected wrote:

Why the need to show every last ugly bit on YouTube. If I had money in this project and I saw shoddy work like that I’d be on the phone with him chewing him out. This is not how you inspire confidence and market aircraft. Transparency is great - but this is Saran Wrap transparency to showing a lot of shoddy stuff.

I think the answer is that Peter doesn't see this as shoddy work, rather "lesson learned, fix it and move on".

Watching the last video, I started to wonder about what the instructions would look like for this kit. I don't hear him make comments like "we'll have to change this for the next revision of the design". Do all these tweaks become part of the design, or does he imagine a fresh start for the next prototype after flight testing? Or is he driven just to see this prototype fly, and try to sell the whole thing to someone else?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Aug 2020, 16:50

Username Protected wrote:

Once the bolts loosen, they will back out until they contact the cover plate, then any axial loads towards the bolt will go right through the plate to longest bolt to the shaft. When the load goes the other way the bolt has more room to loosen.

He also doesn't understand why they backed out. Nothing to do with the rotation direction.

Ok, I get your model now. So the bolts loosen because of the fluctuating axial load? Would not a certain pre-tension help? Thanks for your input.

Best,

Tom

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Aug 2020, 18:53

Absolutely, so would loctite or safety wire. I doubt he used a torque wrench on them or even knows the correct torque

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Aug 2020, 20:07

Peter mentioned using Loctite and lock washers. But flex generates heat and heat is the enemy of Loctite. And; we don't know which flavor of Loctite he was using.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Aug 2020, 20:34

Username Protected wrote:

which flavor of Loctite he was using.

Humble pie flavor

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Aug 2020, 20:40

Username Protected wrote:

which flavor of Loctite he was using.

Humble pie flavor

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Aug 2020, 21:00

Username Protected wrote:

Nailed it. Peter seems to completely lack the understanding necessary to recognize the shoddy work he has done, and obviously many of his fans share the same shortcomings.

As for building a kit, this thing is at best a demonstrator and if the project is to ever move forward, he is going to have to design and build another example from the lessons learned that will serve as a prototype for a potential kit. There is no way to get from what he has now straight to a kit that he could provide and that customers could build. The entire aspect of practical buildability seems to have been completely ignored.

Agreed, there's no way that he could create a kit from this prototype. I doubt he's written down or documented every change or modification that he's made. That's one of the main things when I watched the Wasabi video and seeing them making all of these little adjustments.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 17 Aug 2020, 12:22

maybe thats why he videos every stinking thing he does. Figures thats easier than taking notes. Haha.

I would hate to be the guy that has to go thru all of the video to find the things that matter. Seems every video is 90% raw footage and maybe 10% informative. It is like every video he is trying to show how cool the plane looks.

I am finding it harder and harder to watch the videos.

Whats his plan for first flight now?

Mike

Username Protected · **Posted:** 17 Aug 2020, 14:33

I’ve done several first flights of homebuilts. I told the builder we would inspect the plane together and then wait for the right weather day, and fly early in the morning as soon as the sun rose. If I saw any other family, friend, or anyone except the builder with a camera I would get in my car/plane and go home. That is not the time for an audience.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Aug 2020, 20:22

The last few runs he has done have been up to 91/92 knots... and this thing is still on the ground.... :scratch:

Unless he has it trimmed way down, what airspeed is required to get this thing flying?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Aug 2020, 20:39

By my estimate, his airspeed is reading about 15kts higher than actual.

And with a canard, it won't come off the ground until you pull back on the stick... Unless you're going real fast.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Aug 2020, 20:41

Username Protected wrote:

The last few runs he has done have been up to 91/92 knots... and this thing is still on the ground.... :scratch:

Unless he has it trimmed way down, what airspeed is required to get this thing flying?

IIRC the LongEZ required a noticeable pull on the stick to lift the nose into a flying attitude and unlike a Bonanza if you don't deliberately raise the nose it will remain on the ground.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Raptor shares that trait in spades.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Aug 2020, 21:54

Excuse my ignorance on the topic, but how does the Raptor differ from the Velocity XL RG? It seems this Peter guy is trying to reinvent the wheel, when the Velocity is a known answer. I know the Raptor has the Audi diesel, but is that significant enough to go through this lengthy process. And instead of comparing the Raptor to the Cirrus, why not also compare it to the Velocity? And Getting rid of the Wasabi guys seems like a huge and dangerous mistake.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Aug 2020, 22:13

Username Protected wrote:

Excuse my ignorance on the topic, but how does the Raptor differ from the Velocity XL RG? It seems this Peter guy is trying to reinvent the wheel, when the Velocity is a known answer. I know the Raptor has the Audi diesel, but is that significant enough to go through this lengthy process. And instead of comparing the Raptor to the Cirrus, why not also compare it to the Velocity? And Getting rid of the Wasabi guys seems like a huge and dangerous mistake.

The Raptor has 3 times the range, 50% more speed, pressurization, and a much higher useful load.