MakerPlane Aims to Create the First Open Source Aircraft

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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May 9, 2000
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Do you want to fly? Do you want your own airplane, but you are a bit short on cash? Are you good with following directions and work well with your hands? John Nicol, founder of MakerPlane wants to put you in the pilot’s seat as cheaply and easily as possibly by turning to open source design plans and modular digital manufacturing processes. Pilot’s license not included. :D
 
not any thing really new there are a lot of kit airplanes that the plans are free
tons more if you count models AMA has 1000's of plans for models for cost of shipping and printing
i think the EAA has bunch of full scale plans as well
 
Having built two airplanes myself I can honestly say this is pure jibberish. It is quite obvious they have never done anything other than play on their computer. They have no clue about what the challenges are in building an airplane, or what the design compromises are in an airplane. If you really want a "Light-sport" airplane, they don't get any better performing, or easier to build than the Van's RV-12.
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I love reading some of the comments on that page.
 
i think most people would be better off getting in line for an Icon A5 (sold out till 2015 btw) then trying to build there own
1. they would end up with a plane that flys
2. they would have sooner
 
This one come out of a 3D printer too? One time use? :D

Nonetheless, stuff like this is definitely interesting.
 
What, what? Open source design process? That's not going to make the process quicker nor cheaper and certainly not safer :p Unless by "open source" they mean employing a bunch of qualified engineers who would normally earn $100k+ and just not paying them :D

Designing a plane is hard, but that's not what prohibits people from building their own plane.
 
Problem is, it might not come with open source FAA approval and an open source pilots licence (or runway). :p
 
Looks like I'm buying a 3D printer. Printable guns? Printable planes?

I got wood just thinking about it.
 
getting an airworthiness cert is pretty easy if you do it under the experimental category
 
Brianstalone said:
This!

I have been on since you needed a .ac.uk address over here in the UK so likely not long after you, also fast approaching 30 and everything you have said is correct.

For me facebook is over, I keep my account up but rarely bother logging in which is a real shame as the premise was great back in the day.
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This is a spam bot everyone. The text its using (in an attempt to sound more human like) is from the Facebook thread. The original text is by young_one:

http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1039098652&postcount=17
 
I just thought it was someone posting in the wrong thread. thx for heads up.
 
Talk about the last thing in the world to cut corners on.....

My Brother in law built a Van RV-10, he's a very detail oriented person, (Anal) he's also a licensed A&P mechanic and if anyone could build it right it would be him. one of his friends on the other hand, built the same plane which caught on fire in mid flight and crashed all because of an incorrect torque value on a fuel line...

most people are better off just buying a good used Cessna, and save the experimental aircraft building for those with the skills and perseverance to do it right.
 
motomonkey said:
Talk about the last thing in the world to cut corners on.....

My Brother in law built a Van RV-10, he's a very detail oriented person, (Anal) he's also a licensed A&P mechanic and if anyone could build it right it would be him. one of his friends on the other hand, built the same plane which caught on fire in mid flight and crashed all because of an incorrect torque value on a fuel line...

most people are better off just buying a good used Cessna, and save the experimental aircraft building for those with the skills and perseverance to do it right.
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nice cool thing being your own A&P you can get registered as production aircraft iirc vs most homebuilts that have to be classed as experimentals
 
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