I was REALLY hoping you would do a series like this !! I think you’re the first person to build a practical WIG based on the hover wing. Was always hoping you would share your design experience and build philosophy. The hover wing was certainly an interesting experiment but I absolutely agree that the complexity of its design and maintenance had to be improved upon. I’m excited to follow your series !
You are so welcome! I just love ground effect from flying the hoverwing but wanted something more refined. The MudSkipper has potential for more refinement but mostly I achieved all I wanted on the first build
Thanks for taking the time to make this video for the rest of us who are fascinated buy how this craft came about! When I first sore the mud skipper I assumed it was in America, I was amazed when I found out it was in Australia. I can’t wait to see the video on dealing with the authorities!
Great video mate. When I looked at your videos section on your Channel, I always had a feeling the design process was simply missing. I can imagine that it's an exhilarating machine to fly, and I've seen the majority of your videos of it, so seeing how you managed that was great. So in essence, I (and also hopefully more people) really enjoyed this kind of video, so keep it up and I can't wait for the next one. 👍
Thank you so much for doing this series, please continue. Reading other comments, you have a lot of people very curious about every detail of the construction. I get the impression several of us would like to try to do this.
My favorite example of ground effect lift, is in the Japanese Birdman Rallies. The really successful gliders will skim just a few feet above the water for seemingly impossible distance and time.
G'day, Yay Team ! I came for the Ground Effect Vehicle, subscribed on that account..., and then was totally surprised to find myself looking at a Volmer Jensen VJ-22 Osprey...! In 1990 I bought an almost finished VJ-24..., that had started as the production-engineered footlaunched Hang-Glider version of the VJ-23 ; which resulted when Volmer was affronted by Rogallo Wings' horrible inefficiency, so his '23 "Swing Wing" with a L/D of 9:1 was about twice as good as the best Rog., back in the mid '70s. But the '23 was a nightmare for Homebuilders, Plywood Spar, Foam Ribs, Wings tapered in both Thickness & Plan so no two Ribs in one Wing were the same size or Shape...; whereas the '24 is popriveted Aluminium with a Rectangular Plank for a Wing. The VJ-24e had a 10 Hp McCulloch Chainsaw Motor ("e"ngine), in the Hang Cage, behind the Pilot, with a tiny direct drive Prop...., and the later VJ-24w ("w"heels) had a 15hp Yamaha on a Fuselage Tube Extension, with a Centrifugal Clutch, 2.55:1 Reduction Drive, 60" Propeller & a Blade-Brake - for Soaring, while leaving the Engine idling, with the Propeller stopped to minimise Drag. The Project which I bought had been through all those phases, except it had a 22 Hp JPX Pul 425, direct-driving a 41" x 12" Propeller. I redesigned it, extensively, had a ball Testing it and flew it 6.5 hours before attempting a downwind Takeoff in a Paddock too small and did the , "There I was, 5 feet off the Ground, nothing on the Clock but the Maker's name, upside-down at the time...: and I were flyin' BACKWARDS...!" Manouvre... Before landing inverted in the Potato Patch. And the Fencepost had Barely a scratch... But I have yet to begin rebuilding the Jensen... And I still walk with a Stick... I recently had thoughts of electrifying the Jensen though, with a spare motor out of a Talaria Sting (Motocross Bike), and was getting a bit enthusiastic...; but apparently when the AUF became the RAAA they quietly shitcanned Air Navigation Order 95.10, entirely...(!). So, that's a Bummer. My first Aeroplane was the 3rd pre-production Skycraft Scout, made in 1975, inspected by the DOT in January '76, and they wrote ANO 95.10 around it, and Gazetted it into Law in August 1976. I'm the last person to have flown it, I was it's 3rd owner, it was my first Aeroplane and it took me for my first Solo ; with it's 120cc 8-hp "Pixie-Minor", built up from a Victa VC-120 Lawnmower... It hangs in the National Transportation Museum, in Inverell, these days, I occasionally make the pilgrimage to visit it ; my father sold it on me, while I was out of town, in 1982 - he hated the thing and I was in a spot which required lawyering - and so converting the Scout to Cash was at the time unavoidable. Therefore, it survived. The one time it's current owner tried to fly it, the Propeller Bolts broke during his Engine Runup - hence my "Last to fly the First" status sort of snuck up on me. It's great to encounter someone else who's adapting a Volmer Jensen Design to their own esoteric requirements...! Keep on keeping on, Stay safe, And Happy Summer Solstice Festival ! ;-p Ciao !
Thanks for the comment and sounds like you love aviation. Good eye, this craft was inspired by the hull shape and the material thicknesses of the volmer but that's about all that was based off the volmer.
@@Ground-Effect Cool, Perhaps the bit about Volmer Jensen which I like the most, is that he started selling Plans for his VJ-11 in 1948, and it was a Foot-launched, Aerodynamically-controlled Biplane Hang-Glider....; and I've often wondered what the first 10 of his Designs were like, which led up to the VJ-11...(!). Keep on keepin' on... Stay safe. ;-p Ciao !
yes!! Excellent video, thanks so much for doing this I really hope you get enough views to explain more. One little tip though a £15 microphone will make it easier to hear you. The narration is very quiet listing on a phone, fine on a laptop with headphones though. Thanks again fascinating stuff 👍
@@Ground-Effect I don't know why but when uploaded to YT the fault reveals itself. I found the same thing and bought a microphone after some complaints.
@@Ground-Effect So now I’m wondering about roll stability whilst in ground effect and guess that the lower wing has less drag and more lift being closer to the ground which to a degree counters the secondary rolling effect and levels the wing? Im wondering if that means short hops over objects as some WIGE’s can do is more risky without aileron’s, what do you think?
You are on to much new tech. I like that you did not give up and continue on. I am very curious about the future of this tech and how the common man can glide over large areas of the shallowest water. Keep it up and enjoy.
Thanks for giving us extra details. Hope you keep doing the videos. Please try recording your voice with a phone or something closer to you. Otherwise a microphone plugged in or wirelessly linked to the camera could be used. If the room is echoing too much put some soft things like blankets or towels around to help stop the sound bouncing back off the walls and floor. Even just laying them on the floor if it's not carpeted will help. Also if you feel uncomfortable on camera , feel free to show a slideshow and narrate it. No problem leaving a picture up for an entire topic if it's what you're explaining or just a few photos on repeat. That way you don't need to find heaps of pictures for each video. Thanks again for taking the time to do the video.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel but you add to there design just like Dunlop did by adding tyres . I got a question , in a yaw turn does the inside wing lose that much lift it just dropped like in the other video ? And would a longer thinner fixed wing be able to still maintain lift more effectively?
Hello - Thank you very much PLEASE make more - I have been planning a WIG for years and i am getting closer to building something - I found a COOT that would be my start - and i also found an Adventure Air Adventurer that was never completed i have not bought yet but might now that I have see your inspiration - the Adventurer is heave compares to you hull - But if i buy it and weight it without the wings ( they are big wings) maybe it will get down to the point i can use less than 150 HP -
thank you, thank you, thank you, please can you refrain from adding music, it distract and make it hard to hear your voice , all the best to you. Allan
you rock buddy, you are a total inspiration, mine is about 80 percent done, same colour too, except i have aluminum wings (a little bit heavy at 60 lbs each) are you selling plans? I'm intrigued how you are steering without ailerons??
Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. Have you got any photos of yours? Aluminium will be my next choice of material. No I'm not sadly. I am using rudder for roll. The secondary effect of yaw is roll!
Excellent video! Good to see the process and decision making behind the MudSkipper! And keen to know if you are perhaps are thinking of selling plans for DIY builders!? I am sure that with UH out of the picture, there is a demand that is screaming to be filled!
Thanks! At this stage I don't think so. The design is created on Fusion 360 and to create a set of plans and instructions that someone could understand would take hours and hours to create
@@onewingspanabove thanks for the offer. That would be an awesome skill to have to be able to draw up plans etc. Have you considered your own ground effect build given your huge interest in them? Would be great to see someone with your skills design one.
Hello James I know you're playing with editing and trying to get a nice little channel going but oh my God I cannot hear a word of what you're saying you have got to be closer if you watch a lot of podcasts and you have to speak into the microphone you might need an isolated microphone pinned on your collar man I wanted to hear you it is totally trashed out man you've got to just voice over everything and see if you could otherwise I would just do it again there is no sound basically unless you stick your ear right next to a speaker but still interested in hearing what you have to say so if you could please redo the voice cheers mate you're coming up and you can make it work...
A few people have said this so I'll take it on board. The odd thing is that I tested it on my phone and computer prior to posting and it worked perfectly for me. Love technology sometimes 🤣
I was REALLY hoping you would do a series like this !! I think you’re the first person to build a practical WIG based on the hover wing. Was always hoping you would share your design experience and build philosophy. The hover wing was certainly an interesting experiment but I absolutely agree that the complexity of its design and maintenance had to be improved upon. I’m excited to follow your series !
You are so welcome! I just love ground effect from flying the hoverwing but wanted something more refined. The MudSkipper has potential for more refinement but mostly I achieved all I wanted on the first build
Building one now
Thanks for taking the time to make this video for the rest of us who are fascinated buy how this craft came about! When I first sore the mud skipper I assumed it was in America, I was amazed when I found out it was in Australia. I can’t wait to see the video on dealing with the authorities!
I agree, alot of these types of things are usually in America. This was build in Perth Western Australia
Great video mate. When I looked at your videos section on your Channel, I always had a feeling the design process was simply missing. I can imagine that it's an exhilarating machine to fly, and I've seen the majority of your videos of it, so seeing how you managed that was great. So in essence, I (and also hopefully more people) really enjoyed this kind of video, so keep it up and I can't wait for the next one. 👍
Thanks I appreciate it.
This is going to be a great series 🎉❤
Thank you so much for doing this series, please continue. Reading other comments, you have a lot of people very curious about every detail of the construction. I get the impression several of us would like to try to do this.
My pleasure. It's definitely a fun personal craft!
Mate, you are awesome! Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
Thanks for the kind words
you rock buddy!! im about 80 percent done mine...same colour too! lol
Thanks for the video! Excellent and looking forward to more of them!
Glad you enjoyed
Great video, really looking forward to the next! :)
Thanks mate
Excellent video. Please continue with your series. I am very impressed by your efforts.
Thanks, will do!
brilliant, thanks for the info and background
Glad it was helpful!
Great stuff. Keep em coming!
Thanks
Thank you for posting this. Can't wait for this series.
Pleasure mate. I'll start the next video soonish
My favorite example of ground effect lift, is in the Japanese Birdman Rallies. The really successful gliders will skim just a few feet above the water for seemingly impossible distance and time.
Thanks for the video. Please keep going. My sentiments exactly on the practicalities of flying a low cost craft without the need for a license.
My pleasure! The MudSkipper costs about $75aud per hour to operate
Your design is absolutely beautiful. Amazing work!
Thanks mate! I appreciate it
G'day,
Yay Team !
I came for the Ground Effect Vehicle, subscribed on that account..., and then was totally surprised to find myself looking at a Volmer Jensen VJ-22 Osprey...!
In 1990 I bought an almost finished VJ-24..., that had started as the production-engineered footlaunched Hang-Glider version of the VJ-23 ; which resulted when Volmer was affronted by Rogallo Wings' horrible inefficiency, so his '23 "Swing Wing" with a L/D of 9:1 was about twice as good as the best Rog., back in the mid '70s.
But the '23 was a nightmare for Homebuilders, Plywood Spar, Foam Ribs, Wings tapered in both Thickness & Plan so no two Ribs in one Wing were the same size or Shape...; whereas the '24 is popriveted Aluminium with a Rectangular Plank for a Wing.
The VJ-24e had a 10 Hp McCulloch Chainsaw Motor ("e"ngine), in the Hang Cage, behind the Pilot, with a tiny direct drive Prop...., and the later
VJ-24w ("w"heels) had a 15hp Yamaha on a Fuselage Tube Extension, with a Centrifugal Clutch, 2.55:1 Reduction Drive, 60" Propeller & a Blade-Brake - for Soaring, while leaving the Engine idling, with the Propeller stopped to minimise Drag.
The Project which I bought had been through all those phases, except it had a 22 Hp JPX Pul 425, direct-driving a 41" x 12" Propeller.
I redesigned it, extensively, had a ball Testing it and flew it 6.5 hours before attempting a downwind Takeoff in a Paddock too small and did the ,
"There I was, 5 feet off the Ground, nothing on the Clock but the Maker's name, upside-down at the time...: and I were flyin'
BACKWARDS...!"
Manouvre...
Before landing inverted in the Potato Patch.
And the Fencepost had
Barely a scratch...
But I have yet to begin rebuilding the
Jensen...
And I still walk with a Stick...
I recently had thoughts of electrifying the Jensen though, with a spare motor out of a Talaria Sting (Motocross Bike), and was getting a bit enthusiastic...; but apparently when the AUF became the RAAA they quietly shitcanned Air Navigation Order 95.10, entirely...(!).
So, that's a Bummer.
My first Aeroplane was the 3rd pre-production Skycraft Scout, made in 1975, inspected by the DOT in January '76, and they wrote ANO 95.10 around it, and Gazetted it into Law in August 1976.
I'm the last person to have flown it, I was it's 3rd owner, it was my first Aeroplane and it took me for my first Solo ; with it's 120cc 8-hp "Pixie-Minor", built up from a Victa VC-120 Lawnmower...
It hangs in the National Transportation Museum, in Inverell, these days, I occasionally make the pilgrimage to visit it ; my father sold it on me, while I was out of town, in 1982 - he hated the thing and I was in a spot which required lawyering - and so converting the Scout to Cash was at the time unavoidable.
Therefore, it survived.
The one time it's current owner tried to fly it, the Propeller Bolts broke during his Engine Runup - hence my "Last to fly the First" status sort of snuck up on me.
It's great to encounter someone else who's adapting a Volmer Jensen Design to their own esoteric requirements...!
Keep on keeping on,
Stay safe,
And Happy Summer Solstice Festival !
;-p
Ciao !
Thanks for the comment and sounds like you love aviation. Good eye, this craft was inspired by the hull shape and the material thicknesses of the volmer but that's about all that was based off the volmer.
@@Ground-Effect
Cool,
Perhaps the bit about Volmer Jensen which I like the most, is that he started selling Plans for his VJ-11 in 1948, and it was a Foot-launched, Aerodynamically-controlled Biplane Hang-Glider....; and I've often wondered what the first 10 of his Designs were like, which led up to the VJ-11...(!).
Keep on keepin' on...
Stay safe.
;-p
Ciao !
Wow ambitious
yes!! Excellent video, thanks so much for doing this I really hope you get enough views to explain more. One little tip though a £15 microphone will make it easier to hear you. The narration is very quiet listing on a phone, fine on a laptop with headphones though. Thanks again fascinating stuff 👍
Thanks for the tip! Yeah a few people have said this. It's odd because I tested it prior to posting.
@@Ground-Effect I don't know why but when uploaded to YT the fault reveals itself. I found the same thing and bought a microphone after some complaints.
I can’t believe I’d watched and commented on your hand movement on a previous video and yet hadn’t thought it was the rudder you were controlling 😂😂
Yeah it's a bit of a different concept having a rudder but no pedals! Feels exactly like having airlerons
@@Ground-Effect So now I’m wondering about roll stability whilst in ground effect and guess that the lower wing has less drag and more lift being closer to the ground which to a degree counters the secondary rolling effect and levels the wing? Im wondering if that means short hops over objects as some WIGE’s can do is more risky without aileron’s, what do you think?
Really cool!! Please do more
You are on to much new tech. I like that you did not give up and continue on. I am very curious about the future of this tech and how the common man can glide over large areas of the shallowest water. Keep it up and enjoy.
Thanks very much. It has been a great journey so far! there is a lot of potential.
Thanks for giving us extra details. Hope you keep doing the videos.
Please try recording your voice with a phone or something closer to you. Otherwise a microphone plugged in or wirelessly linked to the camera could be used.
If the room is echoing too much put some soft things like blankets or towels around to help stop the sound bouncing back off the walls and floor. Even just laying them on the floor if it's not carpeted will help.
Also if you feel uncomfortable on camera , feel free to show a slideshow and narrate it. No problem leaving a picture up for an entire topic if it's what you're explaining or just a few photos on repeat. That way you don't need to find heaps of pictures for each video.
Thanks again for taking the time to do the video.
Thanks for the advice and tips. It's a whole new world creating videos and getting it correct 🤣
dont worry james u got the wig thing right.. ull get the video thing right in no time @@Ground-Effect
@@TROUROCKS haha thanks mate. A bit more practice for me needed!
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel but you add to there design just like Dunlop did by adding tyres . I got a question , in a yaw turn does the inside wing lose that much lift it just dropped like in the other video ? And would a longer thinner fixed wing be able to still maintain lift more effectively?
The wing I have is very stable. It does not drop as you described. Which video were you referring to
@@Ground-Effect keep up the good work mate , try and try again brings results as you already know 👍👍
Hello - Thank you very much PLEASE make more - I have been planning a WIG for years and i am getting closer to building something - I found a COOT that would be my start - and i also found an Adventure Air Adventurer that was never completed i have not bought yet but might now that I have see your inspiration - the Adventurer is heave compares to you hull - But if i buy it and weight it without the wings ( they are big wings) maybe it will get down to the point i can use less than 150 HP -
Thanks mate. I will make more
...because your cool.
thank you, thank you, thank you, please can you refrain from adding music, it distract and make it hard to hear your voice , all the best to you. Allan
you rock buddy, you are a total inspiration, mine is about 80 percent done, same colour too, except i have aluminum wings (a little bit heavy at 60 lbs each) are you selling plans? I'm intrigued how you are steering without ailerons??
Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. Have you got any photos of yours? Aluminium will be my next choice of material. No I'm not sadly. I am using rudder for roll. The secondary effect of yaw is roll!
Hi! I’m really curious if how you compute for the ground effect value itself for the aircraft?
I don't quite understand what you are asking sorry
im going . stitch and glue then frames and stringers and bulkheads later . get the good shape first ..
I made the skeleton first then put skins on but there are several ways to do it!
would love to have the plans to build ours in America
Excellent video! Good to see the process and decision making behind the MudSkipper! And keen to know if you are perhaps are thinking of selling plans for DIY builders!? I am sure that with UH out of the picture, there is a demand that is screaming to be filled!
Thanks! At this stage I don't think so. The design is created on Fusion 360 and to create a set of plans and instructions that someone could understand would take hours and hours to create
@@Ground-Effect I reckon hours well spent! Let me know if I can help. As an aeronautical engineer I have some experience with manufacturing plans...
@@onewingspanabove thanks for the offer. That would be an awesome skill to have to be able to draw up plans etc. Have you considered your own ground effect build given your huge interest in them? Would be great to see someone with your skills design one.
@@Ground-Effect Yes. I have actually been involved in the design of a 2 seater in the past. But then life got in the way! 😁
Its not 'the Russian Ekranoplan' in the same way not every hovercraft built is a British hovercraft just because they were first to come up with it.
I agree with you! When I say 'wing in ground effect craft' some people say 'Don't you mean an ekranoplan' 🙄🙄
Hello James I know you're playing with editing and trying to get a nice little channel going but oh my God I cannot hear a word of what you're saying you have got to be closer if you watch a lot of podcasts and you have to speak into the microphone you might need an isolated microphone pinned on your collar man I wanted to hear you it is totally trashed out man you've got to just voice over everything and see if you could otherwise I would just do it again there is no sound basically unless you stick your ear right next to a speaker but still interested in hearing what you have to say so if you could please redo the voice cheers mate you're coming up and you can make it work...
A few people have said this so I'll take it on board. The odd thing is that I tested it on my phone and computer prior to posting and it worked perfectly for me. Love technology sometimes 🤣