| Heaven Rubber Bandit | |
|---|---|
| Role | Experimental aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | George Heaven |
| Number built | 1 |
The Rubber Bandit was an experimental aircraft, designed and built in the 1990s by George Heaven, of Van Nuys, California, which was powered by a rubber-band motor.
George Heaven was a pilot and aeronautical engineer who wanted to make the first flight in a rubber powered airplane. [1] Development work included the building and testing of a 1⁄25th scale free flight model, which had a 27 in (69 cm) wingspan. This was followed by building and testing of a 1⁄4 scale rubber powered, radio-controlled model, which had a 17 ft (5.2 m) wingspan. The latter craft was said to be the largest rubber-powered airplane to have taken off and flown under its own power. [2]
The full-sized craft, dubbed the Rubber Bandit, was of conventional configuration. It was a high-wing monoplane, fitted with a tractor propeller. The craft's primary structure was made of carbon-fiber and Kevlar tubing, with the wings and tail surfaces being built from carbon-fiber ribs, and covered in blue Mylar film. [3] The wing was of constant chord, with the outer panels set at a slight dihedral. There were no ailerons, with all control being via the tail surfaces, which were operated by remote control servos. The fuselage consisted of a single tube, within which the rubber-motor was contained. A small nacelle, located under the fuselage and below the wing, accommodated the pilot and a passenger. [4]
The motor was made of 0.25 in (0.64 cm)-wide rubber, folded into 800 strands, and measured 20 ft (6.1 m) long and would be wound up to 800 revolutions. The motor is lubricated with 3 gallons of castor oil. [1] According to an article in Flying the motor, fully wound, would initially generate the equivalent of 11 hp (8.2 kW), at high torque and rpm, before reducing down to 4 hp (3.0 kW) after 20 seconds. [3] The motor would run for an estimated 90 seconds, sufficient for the airplane to take off and make a 0.5 mi (0.80 km) flight.
Initial media coverage indicated the airplane would be completed and flight testing undertaken before the end of 1996. [2] [1] A 1998 Los Angeles Times article reported that the first taxi tests took place in March 1998, with the second being on May 3. [4] A 2011 article published on the Sustainable Skies website reported that testing of the Rubber Bandit had continued through to 2003, with some short hops but no flights being made. [5]
Data from George Heaven [6]
General characteristics
Performance
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