If you are into flying wings like me, this PowerPoint slideset might interest you. It compares the basics of conventional airliner and flying wing airliner.Much bigger planes in other words, than my interest area. However, some of the pros and cons findings for each configuration also apply for the small version. Not all though as the starting point does not have engine nacelles and engines sticking out of the wing. http://www.engbrasil.eng.br/index_arquivos/ap23.pdfI haven't done yet comparison for the wetted area of a flying wing compared to a sailplane like structure.Logic tells that the flying wing in this size category might have more wetted area. But I am not sure. I need to design both and then measure the wetted area of both and compare.I am not a big fan of wing twist and the amount of wing twist on PUL-10 causes me shivers (wing tip twisted 10 degrees). That can't be good for cruise, simply can not. Ten degrees is insane amount of twist - on cruise the tips are on negative angle of attack and cause a lots of negative lift. The wing tips act as rather poor tails this way - it is very short coupled and if you have tail deflected that much on that close, the wing center section will need to lift also the negative lift of the tips which will make the plane to perform poorer. I am quite sure that a flying wing should be made stable without that much twist.I have a related idea for a flying wing:- one problem with flying wing is that flaps can not be used- what if you had small trim tails that look like the ones in SpaceShipOne. When flaps would be down, the trim tail, would cause opposing pitching moment to negate the pitching moment of the flap- The elevator control otherwise would be like on a flying wing, with elevons.- I haven't tried this out yet but it can be tested with RC model.

I was most impressed with the collection of Fisher R 80 Tiger Moths posted by Blue Bus. To complete the set here is a photo of Jon Farmer's ZK-CCC taken at Matamata. I don't have a record of who took this photo. (I did see and photograph it in its hangar at Matamata in September 2007, but this is a better photo).

Croatian airports record growth in September

Last week Zagreb surpassed the two million passengers mark, an impressive 48 days ahead of last year. The passenger was travelling from Zagreb to Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight. In September, Zagreb saw 240.805 passengers, an increase of 12.6% compared to last year.

Elsewhere in Croatia, Dubrovnik and Split both recorded a passenger increase compared to September 2010. The two have handled a total of 2.307.811 passengers this year and during November managed to surpass the end of year result from last year. Pula also recorded a passenger increase with the airport seeing almost 8% more passengers this year compared to last. With 886 passengers at Mali Lošinj this September, the airport grew 82.3%.

On the other hand, Zadar is continuing to record a passenger slump. Numbers fell by 3.5%, although so far this year the airport has seen growth of some 3%. Osijek handled 2.475 passengers, which is down on last September. Osijek Airport won’t see any scheduled flights until the end of the year, meaning its figures will significantly decline from now until March 2012.

Below you can review the performance of Croatia’s airports in September 2011. OveSeptember 2010. The statistics have been provided by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics.

Airport	Passengers SEP 2011	Passengers SEP 2010	Change (%)
Zagreb	240.805	213.876	▲ 12.6
Dubrovnik	203.360	187.630	▲ 8.4
Pula	55.763	52.770	▲ 5.7
Split	182.459	171.066	▲ 6.7
Zadar	36.928	38.266	▼ 3.5
Osijek	2.475	2.821	▼ 12.8
Rijeka	13.557	9.870	▲ 37.4
Mali Lošinj	886	486	▲ 82.3

In my earlier post on Corby Starlets of New Zealand (2) I posted a photo of ZK-TNT at the 2010 Black Sands flyin and I commented that it was "part way through getting the Wilkinson treatment".And in a double take at North Shore airfield this afternoon ( 2 hangars, 2 yellow Starlets), the full extent of the Wilkinson treatment was revealed! A winter's worth of work by David Wilkinson and his father Don has resulted in Starlets ZK-TOY and ZK-TNT becoming like two peas in a pod! They will make a great sight at the 2011 Black Sands flyin in 2 weeks time.

Rangiora today (30-10-2011) Four Fisher R80 Tiger Moths in a "finger four" formation over the field.

 

Above and below is ZK-JAL2 (c/n 22) the James Loughnan example. First registered on 26-02-2009. The wings of this one were constructed while James was working in Australia.

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Above and below we have ZK-LAS (c/n 18) the Ivan Campbell machine. This was registered on 29-11-2005.

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The Peter Parkinson built ZK-LIF (c/n TM43) was first registered on 01-02-2007. This I believe is Rotax 912 S powered.

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ZK-NOX (c/n 17) is the Russell Warnock aircraft. Listed on 31-03-2006.

ZK-JAL, ZK-LAS and ZK-NOX are powered by Suzuki G13B twin cam engines and drive through a Raven redrive unit. They also have Simplex digital engine management systems

Almost an "I remember when" view of all four on the ground. Spoiled by a Cherokee wing tip.
The number on their respective engine cowlings is the same as their c/n's, and the pseudo military serial numbers on the fuselage side are : NZ - for obvious reasons : R80 is the model number - 80% scale of the DH82, and the c/n is then repeated again.
There is a fifth example, ZK-CCC2, with Jon Farmer away up north, but it is currently being rebuilt with a larger engine following an accident.

 Two Robinson R44's captured on film at Heli Maintenance in Christchurch on Friday 28-10-2011.
Above is Raven 11 ZK-IGR (c/n 12262) listed with Helicopters South Canterbury since new from Skysales back in 2008. It carries the following script on the lower fuselage side.

Below is the Raven 11 ZK-ITZ (c/n 10827) of Helicontrax Ltd still wearing the "Jo Seager" scripts.
Notice also how the "Helicontrax" address is inside the lower front screen so that it appears in your photos taken from the front seat.

I have a feeling in my bones that this airframe is about to head off to the "Islands" to replace a recently bent example. Ben Walker has already another R44 on hand, having acquired ZK-HYF at the end of June.

Winter changes

The 2011/2012 winter season begins tomorrow.

As has been previously reported, B&H Airlines will suspend flights to Amsterdam this winter. Compared to the 2010/2011 winter season the airline has terminated a total of six destinations. Since flights to Copenhagen will now operate via Banja Luka and all four weekly frequencies from Sarajevo to Zurich will also make a stop in Banja Luka, the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina will see six weekly flights operated by B&H, which is an increase of one compared to last winter. The frequency for the airline’s Zurich service has decreased by one flight since last winter and will be served four times per week. Flights to Istanbul remain unchanged.

Croatia Airlines won’t be making too many changes to its winter line up of destinations and frequencies compared to last year. Flights from Zagreb to Istanbul, which were launched over the summer, will remain throughout the winter period while Priština will also see an extra weekly flight. Facing competition from easyJet, Croatia Airlines will decrease its Paris flights from daily last year to five per week. On the other hand, it will continue to operate to the French capital from Dubrovnik two times per week, which is a new addition. As has been the case in the past few years, the airline won’t operate flights from Rijeka and Osijek during the winter.

Montenegro Airlines will see frequency cuts across the board over the winter period. However, it should be noted that last winter the airline practically operated its 2010 summer season timetable. Flights from Podgorica to Belgrade, Frankfurt, Moscow, Rome and Zurich will all be decreased while flights to London suspended. However, the airline will continue to operate flights from Tivat to Moscow which were launched during the 2011 summer season.

By clicking on the links below, you can view the 2011/2012 winter season changes in more detail.

B&H Airlines • Croatia Airlines • Montenegro Airlines