Before deciding how to build an airplane, it is necessary to answer another main question. Depending on the correct answer, you can immediately say how successful the entire project will be. The main question is, what is the purpose of the whole project? What kind of aircraft and why you need to build.
Model selection
Firstly, it’s worth noting right away that building a plane, as other masters do, is not entirely realistic. The thing is that each person has an individual handwriting of piloting, because of which it is impossible to rely on other people's experience when choosing a model. Secondly, many novice designers are eager to create after they see in the sky simply quite beautiful and elegant models. To rely solely on the appearance of an airplane is extremely bad. The main criterion for choosing a model should be the purpose of its construction and future use, and not the aesthetic component.
Choosing the right model is also important because it can only be used for the purposes for which it is intended. Let's say building a plane as a means of air tourism is one thing. But after its completion and operation, you can find that a person is much closer to a regular flight to a picnic somewhere in the mountains, for example, and this will require a completely different model. All this suggests that before moving on to any practical part, it is necessary to fully consider and clearly determine for what purposes the aircraft will be used.
Naturally, before moving on to construction, a few more preparatory work is necessary. It is necessary to conduct a complete analysis of the design of the future aircraft. If someone has already implemented such a design, then you should contact this master and take an interest in the success of the aircraft. It is also important to remember that if a model is selected in which parts and assemblies will be of an obsolete type, then it is much more difficult and expensive to purchase them and arrange delivery if necessary. Details for models that are in demand at this time will be more affordable.
Time spent
How to build a plane? Turning to the practical part of this issue, it is very important to note that this process is very long. A huge amount of time and effort will be required, and therefore it is necessary to be sure that these two components are in abundance before proceeding with the purchase of parts and other things.
Experts recommend breaking up such a time-consuming task, like building an airplane, into a large number of small tasks. In this case, constant progress in manufacturing will be visible. Work on each task will require much more time, and each successful completion of work will mean the approach of the main goal. If you do not break this volumetric task into small parts, then at some point it may seem that stagnation has occurred, progress has stopped. Because of this, many people also give up the idea of assembling an airplane with their own hands.
If the process was correctly divided into parts, then a week will have to devote from 15 to 20 hours to complete the tasks. With such a waste of time, it will be possible to build an aircraft in an acceptable period. If you spend less time per week, then the process can drag on for a huge period of time.
Work place
Naturally, for such work it is necessary to have a suitable place. However, it is worth noting that size in this case is not critical.
A light single-engine aircraft, for example, can be built in a basement, trailer, sea container, etc. A great place would be a double garage. In many cases, even a single garage is enough, but this is provided that a separate place is assumed where it will be possible to store the finished components of the aircraft, such as wings and other details. When considering how to build an airplane yourself, many people think that only a city hangar is a suitable place, for example. In fact, this is far from the case. Firstly, few people live close enough to such a building. Secondly, airplane hangars are places where there is often not enough light. In summer, such buildings are much hotter than even on the street, and in winter, on the contrary, it is colder than on the street.
Another important comment of specialists and simply those who have already dealt with the question of how to make a flying airplane is the arrangement of the workplace. It is recommended to invest in the purchase of all the necessary things that will make the work more convenient and comfortable. You can take care of a simple climate control system, get a job that will be suitable for growth, lay rubber carpets on the floor, etc. An important role is played by high-quality full coverage of the entire workplace. All this will have to spend a certain amount of material resources, but when working on such a serious project they will pay back with interest. In other words, we can say that everything necessary should always be at hand, then construction will be much easier.
Cash costs
How much does it cost to build an airplane? Naturally, after setting a goal, deciding on an airplane model, after selecting a place and distributing time, the next question lies precisely in the financial part of the project.
It will not be possible to give an unambiguous answer to the question about the cost of an aircraft, since all models are different, which means materials, quality, and quantity are very different. We can only say that on average it spends between $ 50,000 and $ 65,000 (about 3-4 million rubles). However, the real amount can be either significantly higher or significantly lower. Building a plane is a fairly simple phrase that requires a serious approach not only to the practical part, but also to the financial one. The easiest way will be to consider this action as a loan repayment. In other words, it is necessary to estimate the total cost of the project in advance, break it into pieces, after which it will be possible to spend the planned amount of money every month to purchase the necessary parts, tools, etc.
Another important factor is the understanding that it is not necessary to install on the plane what is not needed for the flight. The simplest example is lights for flying at night. If such walks are not planned, then there is no point in buying lighting. That is, correctly set goals will help to save a significant amount of money. You can save on the installation of instruments, if not needed for the flight. The construction of aircraft requires the installation of a propeller. There are models of constant step and constant speed. The first model costs about three times less than the second, but at the same time it does not lose much to the constant-speed rotor in flight economy.
The acquisition of knowledge
DIY construction is a laborious and lengthy task, but it is not at all as difficult as it seems at first glance. Many novice masters who would like to try their strength think that they do not know how to paint, rivet and cook. In fact, to learn all these skills is quite simple, it will take only a little time.
It is important to consider the problem in this vein. A DIY home-built airplane is a mechanical device with a minimal set of electrics, as well as a complete lack of complex hydraulic parts. All this can be studied and assembled independently.
For example, what engine is on an airplane? The most standard engine for an aircraft consists of the same structural parts as a motorcycle or boat. These are the most simple and standard models that are perfect for the construction of the first home-made aircraft. The following is the practical part of the assembly. Riveting is a fairly simple process that can be learned in just one day. As for working with the welding machine, everything is also simple here, you just have to spend more time training so that the welds have good performance and are fairly even. As for any work with wood, it is used in everyday life quite often, and therefore the technique of processing it, as well as the tools for performing all the necessary operations are not difficult to master and purchase.
Common Samples
One of the most common aircraft drawings is a single lightweight strut monoplane with a high wing and a propeller. This model of a homemade aircraft first began to appear in 1920. Since then, the scheme, design, etc., have not changed much. The finished sample is today considered one of the most tested, reliable and structurally tested. It is because of all these advantages, as well as because of the simplicity of the drawings of the aircraft, it is almost an ideal option for DIY construction, especially by a novice master. Over the long period of operation and assembly of such aircraft, they have acquired characteristic features. They are distinguished by such design features as a wooden two-spar wing, a fuselage of an aircraft with a steel welded type, sheathing from the canvas, a pyramidal-type landing gear, a closed-type cockpit with a car door.
Further, it is worth noting that there is a small variation of this type of aircraft, which was used in the 1920-1930s. A type of aircraft was called a "parasol." This model was a high wing, which had a wing mounted on struts and struts above the fuselage of the aircraft. This kind of high-wing plan is also found in the current amateur aircraft industry. However, when compared with the standard standard model, the "parasol" is used much less frequently, since from a structural point of view it is much more difficult to make such a device, and in its aerodynamic characteristics it is inferior to a standard aircraft. In addition, in terms of operation, they are also worse, and access to the cab of such an aggregate is quite difficult, which leads to the difficult use of the emergency method of leaving the cab.
Details of simple aircraft
It is worth considering some design features of these models.
The usual high-wing with the name "Leningrad" has the following indicators.
The engine for such a light single-seat aircraft has a capacity of 50 hp, and the model is called Tsunadpp. The wing area of the finished model should be equal to 9.43 m 2 . Take-off weight should not exceed 380 kg. This is very important, especially when choosing a pilot seat. An empty machine typically weighs approximately 260 kg. The maximum speed that an aircraft can develop is 150 km / h, and the rate of climb near the ground is 2.6 m / s. The maximum flight duration is 8 hours.
For comparison, consider parasols. In this case, an analysis of the model with the name "Kid" will be presented.
The engine is installed model LK-2, whose power is 30 hp, which already makes it less powerful than the standard model. The wing area also decreases to 7.8 m 2 . The take-off weight of this aircraft is only 220 kg, which includes the pilot's seat and the pilot himself, the weight of the power plant, the fuselage and other structural elements. Despite the fact that the take-off mass is significantly less than that of the Leningrader, the maximum speed is only 130 km / h.
Making aircraft models
Among the main advantages of such models, it is very clear that it is not difficult to operate an airplane, as experienced pilots do, as the control itself is quite simple. This is especially noticeable in cases where the specific load on the wing does not exceed 30-40 kg / m 2 . In addition, high-planes are distinguished by the fact that they have excellent take-off and landing characteristics, they are stable. In addition, the cabin is designed in such a way that it creates an optimal overview of what is happening below. In other words, a more optimal model for self-construction is simply not found.
One of the most successful models should be considered in more detail - the high-plan, which was designed by V. Frolov.
The wing for such an aircraft was made of materials such as pine and plywood, the fuselage for the aircraft was made of steel pipes, which were connected by welding. All structural elements of the aircraft were made completely covered with canvas using classical technology in the aircraft industry. The wheels for the chassis were selected quite large. This was done in order to be able to take off from unpaved and unprepared sites without any problems. As a power unit, that is, an engine, a 32-horsepower engine based on the MT-8 was used. It was equipped with elements such as a gearbox and a large diameter propeller. The take-off weight of the aircraft with this design and engine was 270 kg, flight centering 30% SAH. With all these indicators, the specific wing load was 28 kg / m 2 . It has already been said that it is much easier to fly an aircraft as experienced pilots if the load does not exceed 30-40 kg / m 2 . The maximum speed of the aircraft was 130 km / h, and its landing speed was 50 km / h.
Model aircraft PMK-3
In the Moscow region city of Zhukovsk, a PMK-3 aircraft was created, which now can also be assembled independently. The aircraft differed from the usual ones in that it had a peculiar structure of the nose of the fuselage, as well as a fairly low landing gear. This aircraft model was designed according to the strut wing plan with a closed cockpit. On the left side of the fuselage, an entrance was provided for the pilot. In order to achieve the necessary alignment, it was necessary to mix the left wing a little back. It is very important to remember when assembling such a model with your own hands. The general design of the aircraft is solid wood, covered with canvas. Type of wing - single-span, with pine shelves.
The base of the fuselage for this model was three spars. Because of this design, the finished fuselage had a triangular cross section. As the main power unit, a 30-hp engine was selected. The type of engine is an outboard motor of the Whirlwind type, which has liquid cooling. With the correct design of the aircraft, the radiator will protrude slightly from the starboard side of the fuselage.
It is worth saying a little bit about the fact that it is possible to build aircraft with a propeller type, but it is very important to remember that this will lose the thrust of the device, as well as the lifting force of the wing. Because of these two features, it is important to consider the advisability of installing such a screw in each individual case, based on the goal that the master pursues when creating the aircraft. However, it would be fair to say that there were inventors who, with the self-construction of an aircraft with such a screw, creatively approaching the solution of this problem, were able to eliminate such shortcomings and operate the aircraft without them.
"KIT-set"
How to make an airplane easy? This issue has recently become increasingly relevant. In general, it is worth noting that the increase in the number of people who want to build an aircraft with their own hands is ensured by the distribution of "KIT kits". This is a kit that includes all the necessary parts for assembling the aircraft of the selected model. In this case, you still have to put your hands on the assembly, however, such a set helps to skip the stage of selecting elements, fitting to the size, etc. With such kits, the assembly of the aircraft turns into a kind of assembly of the designer.
Another advantage of the "KIT-kit" is that it will be cheaper than collecting all the elements from scratch. Today there are three ways to get your own unit for flying. The first is the purchase of an finished product, the second is the "KIT-kit", and the third is the assembly from scratch. In this case, the acquisition of a kit is an average option for the price. If we talk about complexity, it is much easier to assemble an airplane from ready-made and fitted parts than from scratch yourself.
To summarize, we can say the following. Firstly, building an airplane with your own hands at the moment is quite a real activity, but it requires a lot of time and money. If there are no welding and riveting skills, then they will also have to be mastered to successfully complete the work.In order to successfully assemble the aircraft, it is necessary to have drawings and an assembly diagram in which each stage will be presented. If you don’t want to do all this, then you can buy a “KIT-kit”, which will simplify the task and reduce it to the assembly of a kind of designer.