Boom tail microlight/LSA

I was thinking which could be a suitable configuration if target would be to the microlight category (Finnish ultralight will be aligned with European microlight), or to EASA LSA category. The US-LSA category is stupid since it has some severe limitations which removes the reason to try to optimize anything - the speed limitation and also the stall speed limitation as clean -> with these limitations, it does not worth optimizing the aerodynamic performance or flap configuration, for US-LSA, the best solution probably would to design a plane, which is as lightweight as possible and which would not have any kind of flaps and which would achieve the stall speed only with the wing area (because that is what the limitation implies anyhow), so the utilized Clmax becomes close to 1.0, which is poor.

The main criteria in this more sane European category is the weight and the second main criteria is the stall speed. These are the most important features, other features are secondary. The performance can not be optimal, but it can be optimized to the constraints given by the weight and stall speed limitations. It would be also necessary to cut the part count to minimum, an inexpensive plane will be for sure more popular than the more expensive one, in the category where the buyers are not the richest people out there (who would anyhow order a Cirrus-Jet), but normal hobbyists who are not swimming in money.

So consider this:
- Plane structure would be based on carbon fiber rods (pultrusion rods).
- The fuselage would not be a structural member of the plane, but rather a baggage pod located below the spars. The twin booms would be a pultrusion rod each. The engine would be mounted to the wing spar rather than to the fuselage. These rods could have aerodynamic fairings on top of them (which also allow space for control cables etc.).
- high aspect ratio wing, which enables good climb rate with low power
- HKS700E engine in pusher configuration
- Fixed pitch pusher propeller behind the pod (but thrust line to the wing spar).
- inverted V-tail in the ends of the two booms, and the tail would connect the
two booms with the help of a pultrusion rod which functions as spar.
- Main landing gear connected to wing spar
- Nose gear located under the pod.
- Wing structure would be solid blue styrofoam, and in wing root there would be a large fairing which contains fuel (on both sides). The wing skin could be either carbon fiber or fiberglass (fiberglass to reduce cost obviously)

Think how many parts this requires compared to how many parts and layup schedules is usually needed. The pod type cockpit could be almost a complete monococue. There would be need for only instrument panel and some structure where one can assemble the pedals. Also the instrument panel, as we know it, does not need to be like it is, a panel. There are other ways arranging instruments in the plane than having a straight panel where everything is put with tiny screws. None of the modern cars use that old-fashioned way anymore. With modern avionics, you don't need a big panel with lots of switches, knobs, circular gauges etc. You can have just two screens which display and control everything.

The only strength needed in the fuselage is for crashworthiness, it does not need to carry any loads, and it does not need to be shaped unoptimally to avoid flutter tendency for example, all structural members are straight lines and separate from the fuselage.

The idea comes from some NASA PAV concepts, but as modified. It also has some influences from the Sunseeker.

The concept could have idea of being as lightweight as possible (the lower power engine also supports this mission) and still being as highly performing as possible (that can be achieved with the light weight and aerodynamics, not so much trust is needed).

So the performance target setting for conceptual design could be:
- beat 100 hp Dynaero MCR-ULC in empty weight with large margin
- be on par with 100 hp Dynaero MCR-ULC in speed (with only 60% of the power available)
- and the rest comes from the category limitations
- be a lot cheaper than most other same category plane on the market
- climb rate 800 fpm (remember that because of the low climb speed, the climb gradient is high despite of the not so high number compared to high performance aircraft)

Compromise:
- beat 100 hp Dynaero MCR-ULC in empty weight
- cruise speed compromised to between 80 hp WT9 Dynamic and 80 hp MCR.
- climb rate 600 fpm

Failure:
- heavier than MCR-ULC
- slower than 100 kts in cruise
- climb rate less than 500 fpm

Anyone interested in a such thing or having ideas (for or against) for a such thing?

Here is an illustration about the idea (15 minutes of Rhino magic):