See you four and raise you two!

[yasotay]

In the immortal words of Will Smith: "I have got to get me one of these!"
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/aviation_week/on_space_and_technology/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9c&plckPostId=Blog%3aa68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9cPost%3aaac70b1c-32fe-48fe-a740-b2c5b11aef56&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

 

[Machdiamond]

I like people who come up with totally outrageous ideas, but sometimes you have to wonder.
--Luc

 

[Sundog]

So that was Moller's problem, not enough powerplants :::slaps forehead:::

 

[Grey Havoc]

Coincidentally, we've been discussing an old USN related 6-engined V/STOL project study over here.

 

[fightingirish]

Another post:
Ares blog - Survivability Through Redundancy

 

[Stargazer]

Great project! I hope it does get airborne as planned...

 

[robunos]

Son of Curtiss X-19................




cheers,
Robin.

 

[CJGibson]

Probably get Henry Ford's approval.

Chris

 

[ninjamode]

Hmmm, not bad. I gotta get me one of them, too, though I wouldn't be able to afford it in the next 90235019752 years

 

[Nik]

It would work even better as an Electric Flight design...


That's assuming cell storage densities continue to rise, and RareEarths for the motors' magnets are available...

 

[Grey Havoc]

National Defense Magazine article on the Hexplane concept.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Here is it's big brother:

[IMAGE CREDIT: Oliver VTOL/ Wired.com]​

Hexplane: The Six-Engine Airliner-Helicopter Hybrid​

Oliver says the Hexplane also could relieve congestion at major airports thanks to its ability to take off and land without a big runway. The company is also pursuing military versions of the concept.

Of course there are the details of actually building and flying one, not to mention backing up the specs Oliver VTOL claims. The V-22 Osprey had a rather difficult development history, to state it mildly. Oliver believes his design will overcome many of these issues, but it remains to be seen how an aircraft burning three times as much fuel as the Osprey will achieve some of the performance figures announced.

The company says the leviathan “could fly above 30,000 feet at cruise speeds of 425 mph with ranges exceeding 1,500 miles.” Curiously, these performance figures aren’t too far off the original Boeing 737-100. Interesting, too, that the Hexplane rendering features a Boeing-ish paint scheme as well for its 737 fuselage based design. We’re not sure how much fuel the Hexplane would have to carry to achieve those numbers, but it’s likely to be a lot. Hopefully it will be able to carry a few passengers as well.

 

[Triton]

Artist's impression of Oliver VTOL concepts.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/aviation_week/on_space_and_technology/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9c&plckPostId=Blog%3aa68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9cPost%3aaac70b1c-32fe-48fe-a740-b2c5b11aef56&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

 

[Stargazer]

Another pic of the Hexplane:

 

[malipa]

Little bit overpowered? How about just four engines?

 

[Jemiba]

Little bit overpowered? How about just four engines?

The Osprey has two engines, each with about 6,000 hp,
A Quad rotor with the same weight could use four engines with about 3,000 hp.
and a sextuple rotor six engines with about 2,000 hp without being overpowered.
Perhaps the latter one could withstand failure of an engine without cross coupling ?

 

[malipa]

The big amount of engines has another disadvantage, it is way t heavy and less economical, which decreases maximum payload and range with a lot.

 

[Triton]

Artist's impression of Oliver Hexplane

Source:
http://www.aviationweek.com/blogs.aspx?plckblogid=blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckcontroller=blog&plckscript=blogscript&plckelementid=blogdest&plckblogpage=blogviewpost&plckpostid=blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7post:61c995cd-4f65-4993-992b-226c177aef56

 

[Triton]

Uploaded by Graham Warwick on Oct 17, 2011:

Video animation produced for Atlanta, Ga-based Oliver Aircraft showing its Hexplane concept for a six-engined vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Check out the blog at Aviation Week - http://tinyurl.com/636wy9m. The design can lose any one of its engines at any time and still complete its mission, even at maximum weight. Because it uses propellers and not rotors like a helicopter, or proprrotors like a tiltrotor, Oliver says the Hexplane is almost as fast and efficient as a turboprop aircraft. Oliver is working to raise funding to build a demonstrator that would use the fuselage of a Piaggio P.180 Avanti business aircraft.

http://youtu.be/CTF5hGFJ3p4

 

[Triton]

Oliver VTOL Hexplane FVL-Medium concept

Source:
http://olivervtol.homestead.com/AHL-temp.html

 

[Triton]

Artist's impression of Oliver VTOL Hexplane

Source:
http://wordlesstech.com/2011/08/29/vtol%E2%80%99s-hexplane-with-six-engines/

 

[Triton]

Oliver VTOL Hexplane Heavy Lift (HHL) concept also known as "Bulldog."

Source:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/10/prweb8845818.htm
http://olivervtol.homestead.com/Military.html
http://olivervtol.homestead.com/HLR.html

 

[Stargazer]

Artist's impression of Oliver VTOL Hexplane

Source:
http://wordlesstech.com/2011/08/29/vtol%E2%80%99s-hexplane-with-six-engines/

On this would-be Coast Guard variant, fuselage payload seems ridiculous with regards to the number of engines, all of which take up most of the aircraft's volume and weight. Can't really see the advantages of such a project, and if the purpose is coastal patrol and eventual arrest of smugglers/traffickers/drug dealers, you don't want six engines to be roaring on approach! Just sayin'...

 

[Jemiba]

I would regard the shown Coast Guard and small transport variants more as a claim, that the
principle could be scaled down to that size, too. Although I'm not really sure, that attaching the
rear wing to the inevitably slim structure of the fin is a good idea.

 

[Triton]

On this would-be Coast Guard variant, fuselage payload seems ridiculous with regards to the number of engines, all of which take up most of the aircraft's volume and weight. Can't really see the advantages of such a project, and if the purpose is coastal patrol and eventual arrest of smugglers/traffickers/drug dealers, you don't want six engines to be roaring on approach! Just sayin'...

LOL, I never considered the law enforcement mission of the United States Coast Guard. I immediately thought of the at sea search and rescue mission of the United States Coast Guard where the speed and range of a tiltrotor would be an advantage over helicopters.

 

[Stargazer]

LOL, I never considered the law enforcement mission of the United States Coast Guard. I immediately thought of the at sea search and rescue mission of the United States Coast Guard where the speed and range of a tiltrotor would be an advantage over helicopters.

Oh but the law enforcement mission is pretty much a part of the package! They may not be military but they sure are apt to intervene with weapons to arrest smugglers and the likes. That's one aspect that is a bit overlooked because it concerns more ship operations than the aircraft side of things, probably.