N941WR
Legacy Member
This exercise is kind of like what Ford with the Edsel. (Please forgive me Van's for making that comparison.) Thus calling it the -13 might be the correct number.
If Van's was to ask us, the builders, to help design his next plane what would you ask for? Maybe someone with better graphic skills than I can draw up what we come up with. (Van's isn't asking so please don't call or write them about this.)
My desire would be for a high wing bush plane.
Thus I was thinking they could take the -9 wing and hang a fuselage under it. Keep the -9 tail cone and empennage as this wouldn't be an acro bird. Of course the fuselage section would have to be deep to accommodate the center section and still give you head room.
The center section would be different because you don't need as much dihedral since it is a high wing, which may allow for a completely different center section design.
It would be a tail dragger so Van's could continue to use their engine mounts.
The baggage compartment would continue back one more bay so there would need to be a change in floor. Or just design in a package shelf above the elevator bell crank like some builders are doing.
I'm thinking there would be a lot commonality of parts, so production costs wouldn't be that high. The trick would be in cutting the longeron so you would have a regular door.
Oh, and since this is a two place airplane, I would like to see a useful load around 750 lbs. Oh, I already have that in my -9.
The family of Van's bush planes could even include a four place version based on the -10 wing and tail group.
If Van's was to ask us, the builders, to help design his next plane what would you ask for? Maybe someone with better graphic skills than I can draw up what we come up with. (Van's isn't asking so please don't call or write them about this.)
My desire would be for a high wing bush plane.
Thus I was thinking they could take the -9 wing and hang a fuselage under it. Keep the -9 tail cone and empennage as this wouldn't be an acro bird. Of course the fuselage section would have to be deep to accommodate the center section and still give you head room.
The center section would be different because you don't need as much dihedral since it is a high wing, which may allow for a completely different center section design.
It would be a tail dragger so Van's could continue to use their engine mounts.
The baggage compartment would continue back one more bay so there would need to be a change in floor. Or just design in a package shelf above the elevator bell crank like some builders are doing.
I'm thinking there would be a lot commonality of parts, so production costs wouldn't be that high. The trick would be in cutting the longeron so you would have a regular door.
Oh, and since this is a two place airplane, I would like to see a useful load around 750 lbs. Oh, I already have that in my -9.
The family of Van's bush planes could even include a four place version based on the -10 wing and tail group.
