Flying the DRAGONFLY - My first experience - Thoughts
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2023
- This was my first ever Flylight Dragonfly flight and wow I can see why they have such a dedicated following.
The Dragonfly was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, the UK Single-Seat De-Regulation (SSDR) guidelines, as well as the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules. It features a strut-braced Aeros Discus hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a single-seat open cockpit, retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.
The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its double surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 10.3 m (33.8 ft) span wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame weight-shift control bar. The powerplant is a single cylinder, air-cooled four-stroke, 22 hp (16 kW) Bailey V4 200 engine, with the single cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke 33 hp (25 kW) Simonini Mini-3 or 33 hp (25 kW) Simonini Mini-2 engines optional.
With the Bailey engine and the Aeros Discus 15T wing the Dragonfly has an empty weight of 80 kg (176 lb) and a full fuel capacity of 20 litres (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 US gal). With its manual, or optionally electrically retractable landing gear the aircraft can be folded up and ground transported in the trunk of a car.
A number of different wings can be fitted to the basic carriage, including Aeros Discus 15T, 14 and 12 as well as the Aeros Combat 12T - Спорт
Wow, I love the retracts and good handling. Thanks for taking us along Giles !
Hi Allan, they are pretty cool but I realised a while back that the only person that sees them being up and looking slick and cool is not not you. The view from the seat is the same in a Peabee or Adam / dragonfly. Glad you enjoyed it.
Sweet!
The true beginning of the Flylight Trikes.
Great coverage of the flight, Giles. I remember these coming out and thinking 'wouldn't that be nice?'. I didnt think for a moment that I'd own an evolved version of it one day. Which reminds me - yes I know I need to get back to DM as soon as possible!
Hi Dan, I think your comment very much mirrors my thoughts. I just couldn't afford one, or had the licence to fly it either. How times have changed.
Steady as she goes, nice flight!
It was wonderful to be able to play amongst the clouds with the engine just purring along.
That is a really clean trike, especially with the gear retracted. Nice flying!
Hi Sam, yes, very slick and nicely put together. I think it kind of reflects the passion for designing and making precision machines, even back in 2007.
What a cracking little low-and-slow plane! Tad low on the old BHP, but looked like it could float around all day on a tea cup of fuel!!!
It really is a motorfloater.i was just so smooth and gentle to operate.
Top video Giles, dead chuffed for Sam he’s got a lovely aircraft 👍
Hi Fred, it's one of the fleet now. I bet you are still grinning.
Yay, can’t get over last night mate it’s been a great week 👏👍
What an excellent video this week Giles. Love the new 360 camera view really cool and great quality, gives a really good new perspective to your video's. I can't see the reason for retracted wheels on such a small light aircraft surely the complexity and weight of the mechanism and motor outweigh any aerodynamic advantages?
Hi Terry and many thanks for your positive feedback. The 360 footage didn't take too long this time and was an easier external view. The retracts don't actually add too much weight as the legs already are designed to pivot forward. There is a corded ( mechanical not electric) version which only adds about 1.3 kgs in weight. They do look cool though.
Love it .Can't wait to get back up!
What are you flying atm Ryan?
@@GolfFoxtrot22 Skycycle with a Kawasaki 440 and Northwing Maverick15m
I'll have a look at that machine.
@@GolfFoxtrot22 It's a nice unit.
Great video as usual Giles! I have the same aircraft with the Discus 15t wing and the manual undercarriage plus the Corsair Black Bull 2 stroke.
How do you like the 2 stroke on the back? The Discus wing is lovely but I didn't like putting the fibreglass tip poles in, it was a bit scary.
The two stroke is OK, but I just wish that there was a lightweight 4 stroke electric start engine of 25-30hp engine easily available for single seat trikes! The fibreglass tip poles are a strange design and require some effort to rig, but at least they shouldn't fall out during flight. I can only imagine how good the Adam wing would be!@@GolfFoxtrot22
@@AuzCoastflyer I agree I wish there was a better 4 stroke option. The customer seems happy with there machine.
This particular trike originally had the Hirth 4 stroke engine in it, which I believe was the engine of choice for the Dragonfly. Unfortunately, it blew up and the Corsair was the natural replacement.@@GolfFoxtrot22
Oh no, I can't believe the engine blew up.
Love your channel. Just waiting for my NHS pension to come through and I will be getting back into flying.
Weight shift 30 years back, then paramotoring for a good few years up to 5 years ago.
Trying to decide now on 3 axis, weight shift or paramotor....
Keeping my eyes to the skies as Im North Devon.
Hi CalmingAnxiety, I hope to be back flying in north Devon and Somerset in the next few months. If I could suggest that you try and get a few trial flights on the different types of machines, that way you'll know where you want to focus. I hope that helps a little.
@@GolfFoxtrot22 sounds like a plan . Though a PeeBee is top of the list at the mo
That Bailey must’ve been bliss, if a little under powered, just purring along. Would love a 4-stroke.
Hi Chris, it was really weird, it did feel under powered but once it was in the cruise, you just kept having to close the throttle, more and more until it was just kind of ticking over.
Compared to the other SUB70’s I’ve seen this seems to have a similar bar position to mine where it’s out near the front strut. You’ll have to have a go with mine at some point and see what you think.
I hope you are enjoying your creation.
Excellent 👍
Cheers Patrick, all good I hope?
@@GolfFoxtrot22
Everything except the not flying part. Putting things away for this year. Maybe next year.
Cheers
Looks like freedom
Flying for me is both a physical and mental freedom. Do you fly atm?
Grear video series. Got me addicted. One question. When you go an unscheduled landing, do you ever ger trouble from the land owner?
In all honesty, it's all down the the land owner. I know of some pilots being offered drinks and food and lifts to transport. Others have even been threatened which makes no sense, but they aren't all fliers. I hope that helps. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
Hi Giles, nice to see that Ben's past development is still flying. Now you also have to fly Ben's Doodle Bug. The Doodle was my secound motorised harness after mosquito. Will you do that for us? 😉 Best Regards from Dresden
Hi Serria Papa, I hope you are well keep well and good to see you back in the comments section. Unfortunately I've never been qualified to fly hang gliders so can't actually fly a doodlebug. Those that have flown it, such as yourself all seem to speak so highly of it, I feel it will be the one aircraft that I will never fly.
I love these test flights. Who makes the wing, and what is the size? How does it fly compared to your machine? Thanks for posting.
Hi Stone, the wing is a 15 meter Aeros Discus wing. It's very floaty compared to the Adam but then there is a significant amount of time between when the Discus was designed and the Adam.
Hi Giles, According to Aeros company, Discus wing remains totally current: www.aeros.com.ua/manuals/ANT_new.pdf, February 2023, pages 5, 6 and 7. We see that among a panel of 6 of their wings, the Discus is one of the most efficient, just after the mythical Combat. It even scores better than the Adam in stall speed, fuel consumption, climb rate and MTOW. Good flights to all of you!@@GolfFoxtrot22
Very cool retractable gear - how does it work? Also when was the DragonFly first produced, year?
Hi Doug, retractable gear is cool, it's a worm gear mechanism with end stop switches. It was released in 2007, it's the same machine that Ben was talking about in last week's video if that helps. 👍.
What are the advantages of this over the Peabee, and vice versa? I'm wondering about cruise speed in nil wind, and fuel burn.
Hi Mark, this is where is all began in 2007 and technology has move on significantly. The Dragonfly just floats around effortlessly with the Bailey just purring away behind you. I did get a little bit frustrated as it was a bit slower. It's a bit like going back to an EN A wing after your Hadron 3.
@@GolfFoxtrot22 Oh I see, thanks
Nice. Why aren’t there more small 4 stroke engines on the back of flexwing aircraft?
I'm not sure why but I do like the sound of the Bailey engines, they just purr.
I always wonder that, Paul. I accept that the 2 stroke has obvious advantages and I'm happy to have a Moster, but I'm very much a 4 stroke fan at heart. Just far more civilised.
Looks like fun! Is the Bailey a 4 stroke?
Yes
Hi Tom, as Patrick has said, yes it's a 4 stroke. I have flown the V5S version on a paramotor, this is the V4 version.
Luvly Jubbly 😉
Cheers Brian. Have you been flying much recently?
@@GolfFoxtrot22 ... just two evenings last week .. last local. Up in Wensleydale at mo ... maybe PM today. Just been trying to pin down RAF Leeming to a 'safe schedule' ... as last three days we've had random fast jets swooping low, plus a Chinook 🙃
Those pesky jets and choppers getting in your way again ;)
Is the Dragonfly still available for purchase? I couldn't find anything on the manufactures website.
Hi Rico, unfortunately not. The design has been superseded by other designs. It was just where Ben started making his Single Seat machines, I hope that helps.
@@GolfFoxtrot22 Bummer! I like the hard shell and the auto retract landing gear. :)
It does look cool though.
Nice to see the father of the peabee
Hi Lee, another good night shift then😜. Yes it was great to finally get my hands on one.
Are these not made any more Giles? I couldn't see them on Flylight's website. If they don't make them, how come you got to fly it - this looks like a pre-delivery new machine video similar to the one you filmed for Angela's PeeBee....?
Hi Pete, you are correct, they are not made anymore but were well ahead of anything else when they were made. I've wanted to fly one for a long time. A customer had recently purchased this (built in 2009) and I needed to check fly it. I just wanted to share the flight.
Electric UC on that seems Excessive. I prefer the two string version.
Hi Simon, I do agree but it was nice to just flick the gear switch and it travel up and down. This is an only machine and as Ben mentioned in my previous video, it was about making it a little over the top in the first place.
Lovely video Giles, nice to see you flying a classic. Surprised Ben didn't put the electric gear on the Adam, but guessing this was due to weight saving. Hope to see you fly more classics in the future. P.S please tell Mark I am getting withdrawal due to lack of wing nuts 😂
Hi Kelvin, thank you and yes it was nice to fly this Classic. On the Adam it was all about the weight saving so rope was a lot lighter than the electric system. I'll pass on the message 😊.