January - December, 2006

2006-12-04

• UPDATE 2006-12-07 We performed test flights of the CTD-T today, for the first time with the new modifications to the rotor head to increase takeoff pitch for improved jump takeoffs. The aircraft performed phenomenally. Videos are available below. We plan to fly more tomorrow and Saturday, and may have some new videos to add after that.

  CTD-T Jump Takeoff video (571 kB) CTD-T Go Around Video (558 kB) CTD-T Zero Roll Landing Video (404 kB)

• The fuselage and tail boom molds are completed, and the engine cowl and cowl flaps have been laid up on those molds. The wingshield mold has also been completed.

  Fuselage Mold Assembled Jay Carter by Fuselage Mold Engine Cowl & Cowl Flaps on Pilot Side Windshield Mold Partially Laid Up Completed Windshield Mold

• We have made templates for the strongback (the main structural member running from the firewall forward) and the firewall, and begun work on the plug and mold.

  Strong Back Plug

• The wing molds have been completed. Landing gear panels and inspection plates have been laid up. We are currently making the tooling for internal components.

  Wing Molds Assembled Layout on Molds

• As time permits, we have been working on the Carter Technology Demonstrator Trainer (CTD-T). This month, we completed a series of endurance tests on the prerotator system, simulating a total of 25 jump takeoffs. After slightly modifying a few components of the prerotator system, we performed another, smaller set of simulated jump takeoff tests on the modified system, resulting in a total of 30 simulated jump takeoffs on the major components of the system.

  CTD-T in Test Pit

2006-11-06

• The fuselage and tail boom molds are nearly completed - the carbon has been laid up for both halves, and the metal frame built to support the mold. All that remains is some surface finishing work and waxing, which should be completed in the next couple days.
• The wing molds have been completed. We have begun layout work on the molds in preparation of the skin layup and making the tooling for internal components.
• The prerotator gearbox casing has been cast. Some machining still needs to be done on the castings.
• Both main gear trailing arms have been completed, including heat treat.
• We have made the templates for the instrument panel and begun work on making the plug.
• As time permits, we have been working on the Carter Technology Demonstrator Trainer (CTD-T). We tested the prerotator and the new automatic rotor pitch controller in the test pit. The prerotator and pitch controller worked great, however there is still some tweaking to do before we resume our endurance jump take-off test. Since our focus is getting the PAV 2+2 flying, changes to the CTD-T will occur on a time available basis.

2006-10-02

• The lower surface of the wing plugs was completed, and the carbon for the mold was laid up. We are currently building the metal frame for the mold.

  Adding Frame to Wing Molds

• The fuselage and tail boom plug was completed, and the carbon mold for one half of the aircraft was laid up. We are currently adding the metal frame to that mold. Once that is done, we'll flip the plug over, and lay up the carbon on the other half.

  PAV 2+2 Fuselage Mold w/o Frame

• We tested the carbon torque tube that will connect the landing gear to the shock absorbing strut, and it handled the full load that it was designed to. We performed a separate test with the landing gear arm bonded to the tube as it will be in the aircraft. After a slight modification to the arm to increase its stiffness, it passed this test, as well. The force on the tire during the test was 9,400 lbs. Since there are two main gear, that's equivalent to 18,800 lbs total on the aircraft.

  Landing Gear Proof Test Setup Landing Gear Proof Test - Load Applied

2006-09-06

• The 45' rotor for the PAV 2+2 has been completed.

  Completed 45' Rotor Root Section of 45' Rotor

• Work has progressed on the fuselage, wing & tail boom plugs and molds.

  PAV 2+2 Fuselage Plug Tilting Mast Plug & Molds Horizontal Stabilizer Plug & Molds Landing Gear Nacelle Plug & Molds Wing Outboard Section Plug & Mold Wing Center Section Molds

• We have received a new carbon torque tube that will connect the landing gear to the shock absorbing strut. Initial testing has shown this tube to be better than the version that was mentioned in last month's update. We will need to modify our testing apparatus to take the tube to the full load that we would like to apply to it.

2006-08-04

• We have prepared a 4 minute and 38 second video that covers several aspects from our flight testing and development, which offers a good overview of our technologies. The link below will take you to a page that lets you choose which format of the video you want to download, depending on your operating system and connection speed.

  Carter Highlight Video

• Continued work on our new PAV 2+2. The layup and final bonding procedure for the rotor have been completed; surface finishing, painting, and balancing still remain. Work has progressed on the fuselage, wing & tail boom plugs and molds. We have transferred that tooling to the Carter shop so the work is now being done here. We tested the carbon torque tube that will connect the landing gear to the shock absorbing strut. An initial test found a problem with deformation of the tube, so internal shear webs were added. In the next series of testing, the tube did not handle the desired torque. We are currently discussing this with the manufacturer to determine the best solution, and will test again once they provide us with a new tube.

  PAV 2+2 Wing Center Section Plug PAV 2+2 45' Rotor

• Completed some flight testing of the CarterGyro Demonstrator/Trainer with the new two-pitch, 26' diameter rotor. The tests were very promising. The pilot was able to perform a near zero roll takeoff on a 105º day after only a few hours to familiarize himself with the new rotor system. Once he has had a chance to practice more and develop the proper procedure, jump takeoffs will be routine. We did discover one aspect of the rotor head design that we are going to change to make it more fail safe. Testing will begin again once the change has been made.

  CGD/T Extremely Short Takeoff Video

2006-07-05

• Continued work on our new PAV 2+2. The tooling for the rotor has been completed, and almost all of the parts for one blade have been made. We expect to perform the final bonding procedure for the first blade this week. Work has progressed on the fuselage, wing & tail boom plugs. We have also begun construction of landing gear parts.

  PAV 2+2 Artist's Rendering by Mat Recardo PAV 2+2 Artist's Rendering by Mat Recardo Landing Gear Trailing Arm

• Completed proof tests of the new rotor for the CarterGyro Demonstrator/Trainer, taking the rotor to a max rpm of 654. Modifications to the aircraft for the installation of the new rotor have nearly been completed. We should begin testing the rotor installed on the aircraft this week or next.

  CGD/T Rotor in Test Pit

2006-06-05

• Continued work on our new PAV 2+2. For the rotor, we've laid up the skins and worked on the tooling for internal components. Some of that tooling has been completed, and parts have been made off of it. Work has progressed on the fuselage, wing & tail boom plugs.
• Continued work on the new rotor for the Carter Technology Demonstrator Trainer. We completed the modifications to the test stand, and have begun testing the rotor. So far in testing, we've achieved a rotor rpm of 450. We plan to take the rotor to 700 rpm in these tests.

2006-05-05

• We apologize for the several day delay in posting this update. Our webmaster is also one of our engineers, and was tied up with a very important engineering project.
• Continued work on our new PAV 2+2. We've completed modifying our 45' rotor plug to accomodate some design changes for this new aircraft, and we've completed modifying the mold per those changes. We have just begun laying up the rotor. Work has progressed on the fuselage, wing & tail boom plugs.
• Continued work on the new rotor for the Carter Technology Demonstrator Trainer, and making modifications to the test stand to test the rotor.

2006-04-06

• We just completed a two-day flight excursion termed Carter FutureFlight-I. To publicly demonstrate some of our technologies, the Carter Technology Demonstrator Trainer (CTD-T) performed a series of flight demonstrations from Atlanta, GA to Tampa, FL over April 3rd and 4th, taking off and landing from locations usually reserved for ground transportation, including hotels, restaurants and other attractions along the route. The aircraft was then taken to Lakeland, FL, for the EAA Sun 'n Fun Fly-In. Carter Future Flight team members will give a forum at the Fly-In on Sunday, April 9th. For more details, including additional photos from the trip, visit the Carter Future Flight-I Main Page.
• Continued work on our new PAV 2+2. The design was officially unveiled this past weekend at Georgia Tech. We have put up a new page on this site with more details on the aircraft, 2+2 Personal Air Vehicle. The company contracted to build the fuselage and wing molds has completed the rough shaping of the fuselage/tail boom/vertical stabilizer mold, and has nearly completed the surface finish of the upper surface of the wing plug. We've begun modifying our 45' rotor plug to accomodate some design changes for this new aircraft.

  Fuselage Plug Roughly Shaped

• Completed construction & tested 3 propellers designed for the 66 HP Rotax 582 engine, using the same design as mentioned in previous updates. These propellers will be loaned to various parties for use in flight test evaluations on different aircraft.
• The latest issue of Contact! magazine is devoted almost entirely to Carter Aviation Technologies. The magazine focuses on experimental aircraft and powerplant information for designers and builders. This issue offers a very good explanation of where Carter is now, and what we've been working on since breaking the mu-1 barrier. One article is available online. If you don't subscribe to the magazine but would like to read the rest of the issue, you can order it from their site.

2006-03-06

• We've continued design work and work on the tooling for the 4-place aircraft mentioned in January's update. More information will be available when the design is publicly unveiled next month at the EAA Sun 'n Fun Fly-In.
• To publicly demonstrate some of our technologies, the Carter Technology Demonstrator Trainer (CTD-T) will be flown cross country during a two-day flight excursion termed Carter FutureFlight-I. The flight is planned from Atlanta, GA to Tampa, FL over April 3rd and 4th, 2006, and then onward to Lakeland, FL, for the EAA Sun 'n Fun Fly-In. Check back over the next couple weeks for a press release on this event, and a webpage that we will put up with even more information, including an itinerary and sponsor information.
• Worked on the construction of 3 propellers designed for the 66 HP Rotax 582 engine, using the same design as mentioned in previous updates. These propellers will be loaned to various parties for use in flight test evaluations on different aircraft.
• As a clarification, since we have received some questions on this, the new montly updates will occur on the first Monday of every month, not on the 1st of the month.

2006-02-06

• Continued flight testing of the modified Monarch autogyro. Due to the extensive modifications to the aircraft that Carter has performed, we have decided to give the aircraft a new designation, the Carter Technology Demonstrator Trainer (CTD-T). During these latest tests, in which the aircraft still had the original fixed pitch rotor, we spent some time refining the short takeoff procedure. The pilot was able to takeoff in about 20 feet. Once the variable pitch Carter rotor with two-setting pitch control is added, the aircraft will be able to perform zero roll jump takeoffs. With these latest flight tests, we've also completed the FAA required 40 hour flight test program, so we are now legal to fly this aircraft anywhere, not just at our local airfield. We've added a new page to the website featuring the CTD-T. Don't miss the link to the Images & Video from Flight Testing, Week of 2006-01-15.
• Continued construction of the 26' rotor to be used on the CTD-T. We've completed the final bonding operation of the rotor, as well as painting the rotor. We performed a droop test, verifying that the droop stops built into the blade skins function properly.

  Ultralight Rotor   Ultralight Rotor Droop Test

• We've continued design work on the 4-place aircraft mentioned in last month's update. We've hired a company to build the molds for the fuselage and wing. By hiring a company to work on the more conventional composite parts of the aircraft, it will accelerate the development of the aircraft, while allowing Carter to concentrate on the development of the rotor and propeller.
• We've added a new entry to our FAQ page, "How does an autogyro perform a jump takeoff?" Included in the new entry is a link to a very good video of a Pitcairn PA-36 "Whirlwing" performing a jump takeoff, demonstrating that even back in the 1930's, autogyros were capable of performing dramatic jump takeoffs.

  Pitcairn PA-36 Jump Takeoff Video (986 kB)

2006-01-02

• We are making a change to this update section. Instead of posting updates weekly, we are now only going to post updates once a month. This is due to the slow nature of construction, so that from week to week visitors won't see the same entry being repeated, such as, "continued construction of such and such part." We may return to a weekly format once it is appropriate.
• For the past several months, Carter has been designing a new aircraft, which is nearing the final stages of preliminary design. This aircraft incorporates many of the lessons learned from flying the original CarterCopter Technology Demonstrator. The basic airframe is being designed to be very versatile. The fuselage will have enough space to accomodate 4 passengers, but depending on rotor diameter, wing span, and engine selection, the weight and performance capabilities will vary widely. More information will be released as the design progresses.
• Tested the pitch change mechanism for the propeller designed for the 66 HP Rotax 582 engine installed on the prop. The system worked well, smoothly increasing the prop pitch from the pre-rotate pitch to the flight pitch at the desired threshold rpm.
• Continued construction of the 26' rotor to be used on the modified Monarch autogyro. Completed the main layup of the second blade.

  Ultralight Rotor

• We test flew the modified Monarch autogyro. The major modifications to the aircraft in the configuration in which it was tested included the Carter propeller operating at a fixed pitch, the Carter designed mechanical pre-rotator, the Carter smart strut on a Carter designed main gear, and a slightly modified commercially available nose gear with more stroke and a larger tire than the original nose gear. The original rotor was still on the aircraft. The aircraft performed very well in the tests. The pilot commented that the thrust from the Carter propeller was like "a kick in the pants" compared to the original prop. He was able to fly straight and level at around 20 mph. Several small refinements are being made to the aircraft as a result of these tests.