Canopy EJECT Mechanism on the DARKAERO 1 Aircraft
Вставка
- Опубліковано 20 чер 2024
- DarkAero Aerospace Courses: www.darkaero.com/courses
Let's take a look at some of the small but critical mechanisms we have been working on for the DarkAero 1 prototype. These include the canopy latch, throttle control, and canopy jettison.
Join the DarkAero Community - ua-cam.com/users/darkaeroincjoin
(Exclusive members only content including photos, videos, live Q&A and more!)
We get asked what tools we recommend for working with composites. Here are some of the most common ones we work with:
Air Filtration: amzn.to/38ucg6n
Oscillating Tool: amzn.to/3s7K8hm
Oscillating Tool Blades: amzn.to/35Pkwfy
Rotary Tool: amzn.to/3skTmXr
Composite Basics Book: amzn.to/2MRNxRw
If you'd like to learn more about the DarkAero project or would like to support the project, follow one of these links:
DarkAero 1 Aircraft - www.darkaero.com/aircraft
DarkAero Knowledge Base - www.darkaero.com/knowledge
DarkAero Apparel - www.darkaero.com/shop
If you enjoyed this video and would like to see more of this type of content, follow along as we work to create the fastest, longest range aircraft you can build in your garage!
More information on DarkAero can be found on our website and other social media accounts:
www.darkaero.com
/ darkaeroinc
/ darkaeroinc
/ darkaero-inc
00:00 - Intro
00:28 - Keeping the Canopy From Opening in Flight
04:31 - How We're Throttling the Engine
9:17 - Why Have a Glare Shield?
12:28 - The Canopy Jettison Mechanism
14:41 - Our Next Major Milestone - Наука та технологія
DarkAero Aerospace Composites Course: www.darkaero.com/courses Sign Up!
Great plug for the course!! Our team attended in the January and March sessions and can honestly say the Karl bros saved us years of work. Couldn't recommend the course highly enough! Very well thought out, designed and presented. 👍👍
From a real world ex-Air Force and current 737 pilot, you lads are an absolute inspiration. The depth of thought you have put into every aspect of the design of the aircraft is evident. I look forward to its maiden flight and am very interested in its performance. Keep at it.
Looks great! As an avionics technician with experience on many different corporate/business aircraft, It would be really great to see a dimmable white LED strip mounted inside the glareshield to serve as a nice cockpit/instrument panel flood light. They look very nice on Embraer Legacy 450/500/600/650 and on Gulfstream 450/650, etc.
I would request a secondary “emergency” cable pull to disengage the latches (in case the tube is bent or some other issue)
You've got something really special going on here. Good work, guys.
I'm betting the white glare shield is going to be highly visible reflected in the canopy....
You're building an incredible airframe, beautifully engineered.
Wish I could afford one!
I wish I could like a video like 16 times, this stuff is so awesome.
Was starting to miss you guys there for a minute!!
Thank you for the support and for tuning in! 😃
Beautiful engineering. This whole operation is a class act. That they get to share it as brothers? Priceless.
I really like the idea of using the bottom part of the glare shield as a diffuser.. keep up the great work!
The Darkaero team is quite impressive. Thank you for taking the time and effort to make and publish your videos. The videos are educational and enlightening. I learn from, and I'm inspired by, each video.
Your process from design to realization is impressive. Lots of inspiration with the last steps of this beautiful plane.
As always, love to watch you guys at work… the thought and precision is awesome!
Any kind of bumper or other springamathing to close the canopy against?
Something to make sure it closes "tight," both so it doesn't rattle & to ensure a good seal is made?
Getting closer to first flight. The combined knowledge of you three shows really well in this creation. Looking forward to the maiden flight!
Very impressed by all you have already done.
GREAT JOB GUYS.
Your big fan from 🇩🇿ALGERIA 🇩🇿
Your meticulously precise attention to detail is evident in whatever the camera focuses on!
Likewise, your outstanding craftsmanship throughout!
These are the hallmarks of your project, all of which bode well for the every aspect of the aircraft, from concept to the flight line...
Thank you! :)
Thank you for offering that course! I just signed up and am very excited. I have limited fiberglass experience and want to do more carbon fiber. This course will be very helpful as I work on my Dragonfly MK IIH build. My first challenge is a static load test to verify the wing and canard are good. Looking forward to learning from you all!
Thank you for signing up John! We do discuss wing structures and testing in the course, so it will definitely supplement your Dragonfly project. 🤓
@@DarkAeroInc PUMPED!!! Seriously, can't wait.
Awesome! You guys have made such great progress on this beauty.
Hopefully you can fly it to Oshkosh this year.
I'm hoping to go for the first time.
I really enjoy these videos. Looks like you guys are creating one hell of a machine.
Getting really excited for the future of your project. 🇨🇦
Awesome work guys, I look forward to seeing your aircraft in the sky
Brilliant work, can’t wait for first flight.
Can`t wait to see first flight.
Excited for how close you are getting !
I'm predicting origami foldable carbon fiber composite construction will be a self-contained unique engineering discipline. You guys are stellar introducing it. Extreme inspiration by spending time with your DarkAero channel. Thank you for sharing, guys!
Fantastic episode!
Thank you for watching! This was a fun one to put together!
I'm so excited for you guy's
Can’t wait for the next video!
Awesome job, thanks for the video’s!
Nice work! Keep the updates coming
Thanks Jerrod!
Great video
can't wait to see it fly
Again your an amazing crew, the mechanism for the canopy is clean with as few parts as necessary to do the job. The four pin attachment points offer a rigid attachment to the hinged panel and makes for very simple release of the canopy. Perhaps a cleverly design of the latch handle would be to to release the latch mechanism if the canopy is lifted from the front in an emergency. Thanks for taking us along
Are you able to "crack the door" open in case of forced landing? That way the door is not latched shut with the airframe deformed.
Interesting, I also refresh my knowledge of GD&T standards in flight.
Darn smart cookies you guys are, well done, you have accomplished so much
You all have done an amazing job! I am glad to see the thought about the emergency canopy release... Just awesome! How does that emergency release interface or interact with the rear latches? Do they just come free when the front is untethered?
You guys are doing a great job figuring out all the little details on this project, it's very inspiring! If you'll allow a quick tangent on latches, one of the latch systems I was a fan of was from an old Cadillac I had, 1994 year or so. It was for the trunk, and it was a normal close, actuated hold down system. Not sure if I've got my terminology correct. But essentially you'd slam the trunk as normal, but then a small motor would pull the trunk fully closed say 5mm or so to create a nice tight seal. The clever bit was that since it was a slam shut trunk it still all used the same latch hardware as a normal trunk, and didn't need power to release, the motor was attached to the stationary hook on the frame. It was very clever in its implementation, at least I thought so.
Nice use of Click-Bond fasteners!
Great job!
You guys are so awesome! Love your videos. Put a vernier throttle in mine please.... How about making a STOL? You sure have the talent to make it happen!
That pocket guide rocks!
Very handy indeed! :)
Excellent!
13:08 when that canopy detaches completely at 270mph, the pilot will become incapacitated within about 0.2 seconds.
Unless there is a mechanism that holds the rear until the front flips up and over the pilots head. Or there is a ramp on the top of the instrument panel to launch it overhead. Or there is a way to guarantee the low pressure over the canopy will lift it at >30 degree departure angle to clear the pilots head. Which defies physics.
It should probably have a catch at the upper-rear which is not released by the jettison handle, in order to cause the canopy to lift leading edge first, flat plate vertical overhead, and off into the breeze.
But you mentioned needing to design a solution to the problem, so ill hang tight for that.
It would seem to me, the design philosophy of this AC is not simplicity centric. And there are a plethora of new, untried concepts coming together into one aviation project. I wish you all lots of luck, at some point in complexity, luck becomes as important as the best engineering.
I also have reservations about forward-tilting canopies in general.
How do you escape if the plane flips over in water? or if it flips over and starts on fire? Plenty of real-world examples of vans RVs and other planes doing exactly that (rarely with the fire though, thankfully, but still possible). Unless you eject the canopy before Every emergency landing. I prefer sliding canopies or other doors than can be opened in-flight.
I agree with Justin, the canopy probably needs to be able to rotate up around a point at the rear, enough to clear the pilots' heads. A gas cylinder or spring under the fairing might forcibly raise the front lip to catch the slipstream and help flip the canopy. Some high-speed aircraft had problems ejecting canopies, the ME-163 canopy, a somewhat similar design, could not release, even after pulling the eject handle, at high speed. Consider a handheld punch to break the acrylic in the event of a flip over accident. Great work and video production- look forward to progress on the design.
You'll die the moment you release it. It's a common problem in sailplanes and easily solved with a Röger hook. Please implement a similar device on the DarkAero!
Super cool !!!
Wicked cool details on the latching and emergency release of the canopy. Have you considered a semi-permanent strap around the emergency release, something that could be broken with a pull-tab or lever? Perhaps some type of tie strap that holds the double-crossed hinge/bracket in the locked position until broken. This would enable the pilot to break the seal if things seem dicey and only then releasing the canopy if and when it is actually necessary.
Love the videos and update, can't wait for your first flight, cheers!
Nice detail work like that you use Onshape. I have worked with Onshape since 2014. I t is future cad.
Excellent engineering and construction. Thanks for sharing your journey with "us". Will the canopy release also open the latches on the rear canopy latch? (the aluminum bar mechanism). Or will they just tear away as the front of the canopy gets picked up from the slip stream
Thank you for following along John! We are planning for a two-stage operation to jettison the canopy since the canopy latch and the jettison mechanism are not coupled together.
@@DarkAeroInc In an emergency you need a single handle to completely release the canopy. An unfamiliar passenger needs to be able to escape. Suggest a Bowden cable between the pin retraction mechanism and the canopy latches.
wish i was jet setting around the world reading my handy dandy gd&t pocket guide. jealoussss
Very nice Work in progress. Project advenced carbon.
Hopefully you will be able to add a second button on the passenger side to open the canopy as well. Always nice to have that double access, vs walking around
I'm so impressed with you three and I really wish your project all the success in the world! I'm a mechanism designer myself and I really like that scissor mechanism! Such an elegant solution to the problem!
I would personally really like to have a hole or a slot in the seatback so that I can stick my finger in there and access a feature on the aluminum bar directly in case the handle or cable mechanism fails.
Thank you Marius! What sorts of mechanisms do you design and what tools do you use to design them? We do a combination of sketches, CAD, and mock ups to come up with the correct motion. Just curious to learn if you know of any other tricks of the trade.
Thank you for your reply! I design biomedical devices and surgical tools. Not as exciting as airplanes, but just as safety critical and the effort and scrutiny to change an already approved design is just as painful... so get it right the first time :) We rely heavily on sketches and CAD as well (Solidworks, still more proficient in that than Onshape). I find that just working in an unconstrained sketch in 2D is already a great first stab at a new motion. After that we will properly model and mate an assembly, and then rapid prototype (in-house CNC mill, laser cutter, 3D printer) it as fast as possible, usually from easy to machine materials like aluminum and acetal. It's not uncommon to machine upwards of 3 different concepts for a given mechanism before committing to one. I also really like having a few drawers full of LEGO Technic for some really crude but super rapid mockups. In our case the analytical work (strength, fatigue, tolerance stackup etc) usually only gets done after the first physical prototype, at the same time that we are refining the second or last version. Oh, and finally, lots of peer review: brainstorming sessions during the initial stages and then design reviews after the first prototype.
If I had been in the design review for your scissor mechanism I would have said pay close attention to your mechanical advantage. I really like that right at the beginning of the motion your mechanism has the greatest mechanical advantage. (You can increase it further by making the links skinnier and collapsing the scissor more). This is great for overcoming initial stiction and static friction. By the point where the angles in the scissor are 90deg, it looks like you have a mechanical (dis)advantage of about 2:1 from the knob to each deadbolt, meaning the deadbolt is moving twice as fast as the knob. In the last portion of the knob's travel the mechanical disadvantage continues to climb rapidly. If there's a shear load or binding on one or more deadbolts, this might make the knob very difficult to pull. I might consider making sure that all 4 deadbolts are completely disengaged by that 90deg point of the mechanism's travel.
Keep up the amazing work! You guys are rocking it.
cool project
Nice work.
You may have requests for an intermediate close position on the canopy for ventilation on the ground.
Did you guys investigate throttle by wire?
Amazing
You guys are doing AMAZING work!
Alas, you may have a problem... water intrusion.
I dont see a significant space for a proper door seal to keep the water out if you get caught in the rain.
Maybe that is a feature that gets designed into the molds on the subsequent production unit.
Secondly, finding a seal profile and dealing with turning corners is always a challenge, this is NOT a trivial task.
There was a guy at Santa Paula airport near Ventura CA that made pressurized silicone door seal systems, if he was still around he might have stuff that could help.
And finally make provisions that will allow you to drain the water out of the seat base and cockpit floor, it will get wet.
Last plane I built, before we put in ANY electrical in, we took it outside and had the fire service empty a fire trucks water tank on the plane to make sure we were dry.
FYI, took 3 tries.
As for passive drain valves consider something like a "duck bill" valve.
Once you get a bit of positive pressure in the cabin (as opposed to outside at 10,000ft) any water (spilled coffee, cokes redbull etc) and it will help evacuate the cabin.
Ok this old fart will shut up and watch, looking forward to the first flight!
I am so excited to see this work of art fly,, you guys are amazing. Though I have to ask, is there a risk of the wiring behind the instrument panel getting kinked or severed with extended use?
Lots of wires also run from a car into a door, which is open and closed about a hundred times more than an airplane canopy ever will be.
Super interesting videos, really great to see everything coming together. Can i ask you the type of rivet that you are using at the end of this video ? Thanks and please continue
Thanks Florian! We were using cleco fasteners at the end of the video to keep the canopy faring held in place while it was bonded.
Looking good guys! For the canopy latching mechanism, do you have any room for adjustment up and down on the latches? That might be a nice thing to add for the production version so that if there is some variance in the builder's kits or their assembly, they would still be able to get the intended latched position.
Misalignment is something we were concerned about as we assembled the hardware, but there is a solution. The "hook" for the latch mechanism is bolted to the phenolic "horn" which allows shims to be added to adjust the relative position between the interfacing components. We match bonded everything in place as a mated assembly to eliminate slop, but adjustments are still possible if we need to tune the fit for some reason.
Hi , All your videos are amazing. I myself an aviation enthusiast with composites background. What softwares do you guys use to design composite layups? I use ANSYS Prepost and it's always difficult when i want to draft it for manufacturing. Thanks :)
This is awesome. Two questions pop into my head and I can't resist asking: (1) will you be able to taxi on the ground with the canopy partly lifted, and the panel slightly inclined, so that you don't roast on a hot day? (2) have you given any thought to padding the glare shield for flailing heads in the event of a crash?
wow neat an ejector seat
will you have to open the canopy from the rear before pulling the jettison handle?
Awesome
Is it going to be awkward with the tilting panel for hot days when you’d want to keep the canopy open during preflight and taxi?
I have a question,,, the UL engine chosen for the plane now is available with a turbo version,,,,, would that fit in the plane????
That carbon fiber cover really ties the whole cockpit together 🙂
Are you concerned about the throttle mount being kicked during entry or exit with the canopy open and instrument panel lifted ?
I am a high schooler designing a Solar car and I was curious what type of acrylic I should use that I could bend to shape and not hot form. I watched your last video on the windscreen and it seemed to be what you were describing is that what you guys did if so how do I do this and what material can I use
I was kind of surprised to see a mechanical throttle cable. Do you have plans for a FADEC at some point?
A few things to make inspections easier on your latching mechanism is replace nuts with safety wire nuts on your turn buckles (0:05)
Are you thinking of Safety Wire Thru Nut, to an Anchor clip?
I am very curious why phenolic material was chosen. Avoiding galvanic corrosion?
Never used that material in a structural component.
The release mechanism is quite nice. Very simple solution to a fairly complex challenge.
Why does the instrument panel raise with the canopy? What benefit does that impart?
I' m loved aircraft.
Great video. I’ve been considering building a plane. I’m left uninspired by most of the current offerings, but the DarkAero had got my interest. I’m a 21,000 hour ATP with a major airline. Retirement is not too far off and I’d like to fly for fun and to visit friends/family. I’ve built several boats and worked in a shop repairing wooden and fiberglass sailplanes back in my college days. Also done a lot of mechanical work on boats, cars and motorcycles.
I’ve got a question. What sort of climate control needs to be maintained when working with the adhesives you are using?
Where did you buy those latches?
1) How about some stock carbonfiber pipe for the throttle?
I imagine it's cheaper, faster and lighter while also keeping interferance down if it reaches up to the firewall.
2) Did you consider a compliant mechanism for the canopy relase?
It can have 2 states were it locks slightly in.
3) Maybe have something that lets the flow of air help with the cockpit removal after release? Otherwise hidden inside.
4) What can someone do in case there is a fire inside/panic... are you able to forecefully open by standing up for example?
When is flight testing scheduled to begin?
I'm assuming there won't be any air conditioning. Alot of the old pipers I remember flying had a little window on the side with an air scoop that you could swing out that would REALLY help on hot days in Florida where I flew. Any thoughts on adding something like this?
We have two small submerged inlets (NACA style) on both sides of the fuselage which are connected to eyeball vents on either side of the instrument panel. We’ve done some ground testing with these and they allow for quite a bit of airflow into the cabin.
I was just thinking about your throttle housing. My concern is that, when exiting the aircraft, I’m always looking for something to leverage my weight when getting out of the seat. I would be concerned someone might place a good amount of weight on the end of that cantilevered housing and have the housing break off at the mounting location.
I am really enjoying watching you guys create something that so many of us can only dream about doing. Good job.
Thank you for watching! We had a similar discussion and concern for that very scenario playing out. Inevitably someone will want to lean on it to support themselves. To help handle those loads we are planning to add some additional reinforcing carbon fiber “tapes” on the top and sides which should help beef it up.
Quick question - it may have been addressed elsewhere already, so apologies for being redundant in such an event 😔 - but on a hot, sunny day many pilots will want to keep their canopy ajar to facilitate good cooling while taxying at slow speed, as airflow tends to be too low to keep the cockpit cool otherwise, especially with a clear acrylic canopy of this given design in bright sunshine.
Thus if the canopy is opened somewhat and that also results in the movement of the instrument panel and presumably the engine’s gauges, does that then pose a problem for the pilot taxying the aircraft 🤔
I’m guessing the instrument panel’s gauges would have to remain active for taxying with the canopy slightly ajar to be possible and there would have to be a limit on how far the canopy could be opened to facilitate cockpit cooling during taxying operations ; the latter so that the sight angle for the engine instruments would not make it impossible for the pilot to read the instruments (Temps, rpm, oil pressure for example).
Cheers.
Ps - nice work, really impressed by how far you’ve come along 👍
Dam thease guys thought about everything
Curious question. Why is the throttle in such an awkward position? Seems hard to keep a hand on it and modulate at will. Specially considering it is shuch a high speed aircraft.
There are limits on where we can place the throttle since the control is cable actuated rather than fly-by-wire. The location under the instrument panel allows for a workable routing of the throttle cable up to the engine. Placing it in the center allows the airplane to be flown from either seat. This ends up being the standard location for the throttle in many light aircraft.
Hello, do not be tired. Do you know what a helicopter wing is made of? Please help me, thank you

Is the latch a commercially available item ?
How do you replace or service the latches?
Great question! All of the canopy latch hardware is held in place with standard AN hardware or Click Bond fasteners so it can be disassembled for service.
Canopy vibration and resonance at certain speeds has been an issue on other similar exp aircraft.
Will your canopy have a vent window?
If you equip the dark aero with an ejection canopy are you not including a ballistic chute?
Indeed, wouldn’t that be a great safety feature to build-in from the start?
Composites course with you all? I'm in.
Why not put the gear switch in the middle ?
It would be nice if you could hide the white "end grain" on the end of the carbon panels on the throttle control mount by making the top "cap" cover the four sides, rather than having the sides protrude past the top.
Wonder how many cases of masking tape they've gone through
I can't stand forward-tilting canopies. how do you escape if the plane flips over in water? or if it flips over and starts on fire? Plenty of real-world examples of vans RVs and other planes doing exactly that (rarely with the fire though, thankfully, but still possible). Unless you eject the canopy before Every emergency landing. I prefer sliding canopies or other doors than can be opened in-flight.
I do like the release mechanism though.
How do y’all manage to fund your build work?
Thanks for checking out the video! We self funded the endeavor to start and now support the build through our courses, consulting, sponsorships, and merchandise.
Why is it a problem that the throttle moves when opening the canopy? The cable shielding isn't flexible in the direction of the cable, so it wouldn't pull the butterfly when opening
Is there something that I'm missing?
Of course, it's a nice solution, but I'm worried that the throttle sticking out would be a pain of you accidentally banged your knee on it
When you open the canopy it will be ripped off by wind pressure comming from the rear of the aircraft if there is a strong wind. You have built a sail which could roll the aircraft. Try a model in the wind tunnel.
How do you fix a problem with those canopy latches since they're encapsulated in that boded piece of CF?
Both the latch and the hook are bolted in so they are serviceable. It might have been deceptive in the video and gave the appearance that the hardware is encapsulated, but everything can be disassembled.
@@DarkAeroInc ahhh, thanks for clarifying. I was deceived 😉
Are you concerned that canopy opening and closing will eventually cause wire breakages to the panel?
The drivers side car door has in some cases dozens of wires that flex every time the door opens and shuts. As long as the wire grade is correct, the strain relief is correct, and you aren't opening the canopy 60 times a day 7 days a week - this would be the least of my worries.
@@bradley3549 Thank you.
This is the ideal plane for me. I want something that can fly fast, high, and efficient. I don't need it to be big. I want a continental person mover. Only thing better would be if it could do basic aerobatics.
OK so I just discovered your dark arrow videos about two months ago and now all I really want to do is just see the plane fly already when are we gonna see it fly