General Information

Read the "Custom Planes" Article

What is Wingco?

What  happened to the Dynamic Wing Co.?

Airframe Questions

Lightning protection?

What is 2 psi pressurization?

What is full pressurization?

Will it put out up to 14.5 PSI (atmospheric pressure)?

What about de-icing?

Build time?

All Plane Parachutes?

Crashworthiness?

Must I purchase the entire kit at once?

Other size versions?

What is included in the airframe kit?

How much experience do I need to fly the Atlantica?

What is the weight limit for pilot or co-pilot?

When?

Black paint?

Fixed Gear?

Engine Questions

Which engine(s) is used in the 2400 lb. gross weight calculation/limitation?  

Does the gross weight change with different engines?

Why the LOM?

More on the LOM from an Oshkosh observer.

Horizontally opposed or radial engines?

What about Rotary (i.e. Mazda based) engines?

Will a Lycoming or Continental fit?

V-6 or small V-8?

Dyna Cam?

Turbo Prop?

A Jet?

Ducted Fans?

Engine Out:?

Reflector Questions
Where can I find out more technical details about the Atlantica (engine types, capacity, range, etc.)?

Can you configure the Atlantica for six?

What makes this airplane so special?

If the Atlantica wing is going into negative lift, have you thought about adding small canards in the front that would reduce / eliminate the need to go into negative lift?

How much?

Speed?

What kind of tools will I need?

How would the Atlantica perform in acrobatics?

Wings / More FAQs

Do you make wings for Velocity Aircraft?

How many are flying?

How are the wings tested?

Do you use solid core or hollow composite wings? What is the difference?

Do Wingco wings meet the 51% rule?

How much assembly is required…really?

How can you do all this for less money?

What is Wingco?
Lead by Alan Shaw, The Wing Company had its nascent beginnings as the Dynamic Wing Company. Originally the purpose was to build wings for the Velocity family of aircraft using the advances that Alan had developed during his long experience with composite materials construction. Being the co-developer of the first velocity and making the original tooling for the aircraft gave him special insight into the needs of high performance wings and how advanced techniques would contribute to this.

Starting from scratch has allowed Alan to incorporate all of the elements that he found lacking in the kit aircraft market. This is not a composite version of the same old thing, neither is it an exotic exercise with limited practicality. The Atlantica series represents the best available technology from a builders perspective. Made specifically for speed, safety, efficiency, responsiveness, ease of handling, ease of construction and comfort.

Reflector Questions

What makes this airplane so special?
Basically, the Atlantica offers solutions to many of the headaches associated with building kit aircraft. The first design priority was simplicity. Utilizing composite materials makes this possible. The next was to shape the aircraft in such a way that handling, safety and range could be accommodated for the average kit builder as well as the emerging group of pilots yet to discover the benefits of personal aviation.

If the Atlantica wing is going into negative lift, have you thought about adding small canards in the front that would reduce / eliminate the need to go into negative lift?
Years ago I believed this but study and flight test proved it wrong. The canard is a high lift airfoil that throws a big wake onto the main wing. It would just about eliminate any balance problems one might have, as it would act like a 3 winged plane, which is to say, not good.. Three winged airplanes have a lot of intersection and wing to wing drag but worst of all is what they do when stalled. They are predictably unpredictable....they always tumble but not the same way and are hard to recover. The Atlantica wing angle is 82 degrees which is the same as Dr. Regallo's original "hang gliders" developed for the Mercury program. This angle is the most stable and produces the best compromise in aspect ratio. The Atlantica resists stalling, but anything loaded aft CG and/or pointed straight up with no airspeed will do a nasty. The winglets straighten it out fast soon as the nose falls through. These winglets are also very different than standard "EZ" types reducing drag more than they produce it. Drag reduction, good handling and safety have all been accomplished.

How much?
Ultra Fast Build kits $50K for Cabin, $20K for Wings constructed of high integration molded carbon/glass/kevlar. Supercharged LOM 235 hp is $16K factory OH or $26K new. CS prop about $10K. Instruments and radios get better and less expensive all the time so the amount will vary for a finished aircraft from $140k (US) to $250k (US). A significant savings will be realized by the low build time, and modular construction. Each aircraft can be purchased with the most basic configuration, and progressively added to over the years. Remember to factor your time in with the overall price.

The basic model has fixed gear, but also has the necessary reinforcement for retracts when the time comes. Similar accommodations have been made for engine upgrades and cabin pressurization. The Atlantica will not have to undergo expensive retrofitting and the proud owner will not have to sell the aircraft in order to get better performance.

Speed?
This blended wing and body (BWB) has 2/3 the external surface area of aircraft with similar internal volume. There is no wing to wing drag, minimum intersection, tip, or control drag. The geometry also allows it to be very lightweight, decreasing parasitic drag. Since speed increases to the cube as drag decreases the Atlantica is extremely fast. The numbers from the computer SIM compared to other known aircraft in the computer are extraordinary. Speed is dependent upon power plant, these are covered in the Technical pages. At 17500 ft. the cruise speed is 245 TAS which is greater than the never exceed indicated air speed. (Vne 220kts) This is true of all high performance aircraft.

What kind of tools will I need?
NOT MANY! Air tools really help expedite your project though. We use 3" angle grinders, airbody saws, die grinders and an 8" "National-Detroit" Dual Action sander. The Atlantica should not require any fiber-glassing other than customized details because it is designed to bond with epoxy adhesive which is stronger and far simpler to use. The four piece fuselage will make the process even simpler by incorporating a number of structures into the molded part.

How would the Atlantica perform in acrobatics?

The Atlantica has the structure and control for aerobatics but not the aerodynamics. Aerobatic aircraft are designed very high in drag such that they can be pointed straight down without going through Vne. The Atlantica’s coefficient of drag is too low, the plane is too slick and too fast. Please do not attempt aerobatics in ANY plane that was designed for the mission of fast efficient cross-country flight.

Engine Questions

Which engine(s) is used in the 2400 lb. gross weight calculation/limitation?   The LOM 235 hp (340 lb.).  V-8's weigh more and have to carry less.  Rotory Valve engines or turbines consume more fuel and again may result in less payload.  The LOM 160 hp (250 lbs.) should gross at 2200 lbs for safe take off distance but can carry less fuel so it will have plenty of payload. Less is more.

Does the gross weight change with different engines?
We don't intend to build special airframes for higher gross.  The 2400 lbs is already quite high for this small plane.  It pushes the minimal flight speed up to 58 knots.  Fortunately most of the time we will be flying at 1800 to 2000 lbs which provides exceptional climb and handling.   To go higher  in gross it would be best to start from scratch and build a bigger airframe.

Why the LOM?
It is the most advanced, reliable, affordable, certified aircraft engine available today. Stock, it is lighter than a 360 Lycoming with more power at altitude than a 540. LOM Praha has assured we can rev it up and crank up the boost because it has small pistons and overhead cam. It is by far the best "in-hand" power plant.

More on the LOM from an Oshkosh observer.
Regarding the LOM engines, at Oshkosh I looked at them very carefully and spoke to the guys from the Chech Republic. Three engines were on display, and one was cut away so you could see inside the crankcase and inside the accessories. The engines seem to be almost too good to be true. They are like the old Ranger engine in basic configuration only, because they have an overhead camshaft, altitude compensating fuel injection (like some models of the Continental IO-550) and the supercharger on the back, which looks like one half of a turbocharger. The TBO is 2,000 hours, and the engine is certified in the Chech Republic, Germany, and Russia! Eight bolts hold on the cover over the camshaft (on the four cylinder engine) which can be removed to do cylinder work, although the Chech guys could not understand all the cylinder work I have to do do keep my Continental IO-470-J airworthy in a Beech Debonair. The cylinders have separate, removable heads. The Chech guys thought the supercharger would have the capacity to pressurize a cabin up to 2 PSI if the cabin were relatively tight. The Chech guys said that a pusher is OK bearing wise. I think the cooling shrouding would have to be reverse engineered for airflow from the back, not the front. The cooling shroud has a baffle inside that tapers from wide open at the front to close to the rear most cylinder. The engine comes with a gear driven 600 watt 12 or 24 volt "dynamo" (generator) but I saw in other emails that an alternator could be installed. The starter is on the back of the supercharger angled straight down with a right angle drive so the supercharger must be "on" when you start the engine. The supercharger is driven with a planetary gear and there is a band around the outside of the planetary gear arrangement with which is how you turn the supercharger on and off. By the way, 235 horsepower should be more than enough for the Atlantica. My Debonair has 225 horsepower and has a gross weight of 3,000 lbs, and I sometimes fly at 13,500 feet!

Horizontally opposed or radial engines?
They don't fit aerodynamics or CG unless drive shaft, rear mount and bearing are installed.

What about Rotary (i.e. Mazda based) engines?
The biggest disadvantage of any piston engine is lack of reliability and vibration due to reciprocating parts (and very high parts count). The engine is literally trying to tear itself apart while in operation. First thing to fail will usually be exhaust valves. Leaning must always be done with this critical part in mind. The Rotary engine concept is very important. However, three very smart people I know have tried installing these with many, many problems.

Will a Lycoming or Continental fit?
No, they make the aircraft aft CG, they stick out causing turbulence in front of the prop and are not as smooth running as we would prefer.

V-6 or small V-8?
I prefer the small block Chevy V-8's and big V-6's with the offset gear box like The E-racer. The Chevy has better bearings and you can get better aftermarket parts for it than the Ford. This is real important for an engine that is going to be run high output all the time. Both are interesting options but need gearbox, drive shaft, rear bearing and radiator and are less practical in the long run.

Dyna Cam?
It fits.

Turbo Prop?
The Allison is ideal but expensive.  There is also the new ATP.

A Jet?
YES, but small fan jets aren't here yet. An adapted GE T-58 is exciting with performance figures similar to the Lear 23 but ¼ the fuel consumption. It is only practical at FL 40+ where Mach-tuck and stall are too close in airspeed for non professional pilots, and FAA permission is difficult. The Williams E22J jet should be available soon for certified aircraft, and upgrades will be fairly simple for this airplane due to its modular design.

Ducted Fans?
Advantages to the homebuilder are nonexistent. The ducted fan, much like a fixed pitch prop, can only be optimized for a very narrow set of parameters. i.e. if you design for static thrust, you get a lot of it, but poor dynamic performance, and vice versa. Ultimately, the drag of the large duct, is it's downfall, and variable shaped duct inlets seem doable, but complex. Bottom line? ... less than 300hp. ... a good, efficient 2 bladed prop is pretty hard to beat. Don't trust the oft quoted 40% improved efficiency figure. It is based on turbine fuel specifics, which are horrible to begin with.

Engine Out:
The Atlanticas engine out landing speed is well under 60 knots even with a load. With just two people and two hours of fuel it will get down to 45 knots in ground effect with the flaps. The "glide" speeds of 110 to 130 knots is in reference to "best penetration" for getting a distance to an airport perhaps into the wind. Gliding slow produces high sink rates and poor range in any aircraft. The big advantage to our personal BWB is that it is aerodynamically clean resulting in glide range unheard of in conventional aircraft yet it lands at similar speeds. The chute and impact absorbing structure assures far more survivability than conventional aircraft as well. The geometry and structure of this aircraft is very different than what the pilot community is used to. Pilots are conservative for good reason, but on the other hand, have accepted characteristics and statistics that we at Wingco are appalled with.

Airframe Questions

Lightning protection?
Don't fly in lightning. Prudence is always best. The Atlantica will have the same lighting protection as the B-2 and 117 B ..... nickel coated carbon mesh on the outer skin grounded to the engine. This reduces the damage by almost 90% according to tests run by NASA. http://www.ez.org/cp53-p10.htm Long EZ experience with lightning http://www.lightningtech.com/f_sets/faq.html Lightning Technologies

What is 2 psi pressurization?
About one seventh of one atmosphere, which just enough to keep us from having to use oxygen at 17,500'. The atmospheric pressure changes with altitude. This is most noticeable when one atmosphere of 14.7 psi doubles every time we go another 33' deeper under water. Extreme high altitude flight and pressurization have dangerous elements. Wingco is seeking a compromise that provides good capability with safety and affordability. Carter Copter tested their machine at 25 psi full of water. Lears are the extreme and go to 8 psi most of the time.

What is full pressurization?
Ultimate will probably be around 6 to 8psi but multiple cycles above 4 will eventually take there toll on the Atlanticas structure.

Will it put out up to 14.5 PSI (atmospheric pressure)?
Even space craft don't need such full pressurization. These use spheres or cylinders as we do under water. The Atlantica is kind of flat which does not lend itself to pressurization. Fortunately it is built for high impact loads (crashing) which provides some pressurization capability. There is always some existing pressure at altitude, the aircraft's system merely augments this to a comfortable level.

What about de-icing?
We are choosing to go with piezoelectric de-ice mechanisms for their reliability, simplicity and favorable aerodynamics compared to other systems.

Build time?
200 hrs. airframe construction plus 500 to 800 to equip and paint. The wing, winglet, and fuel tank are molded in one piece with the control reinforcement. The windows and the door are co-molded with the top. The firewall and center spar are the same piece. The FG faired oleo struts bolt into pre-molded reinforced recesses on the bottom. Wiring and plumbing harnesses for standard engine and instrument packages will reduce equip time in the future.

All Plane Parachutes?
Standard equipment. Tethers from the nose and firewall.
We prefer the Czech built ballistic chutes because of low cost and low altitude deployment capability. The chute is protected in its own container from lightning strikes.  It may be deployed as low as 300' and at speeds of 200 knots. The decent rate is 16 to 17 feet / sec.

Crashworthiness?
The wings, cowling and roll bars are made of carbon and the cabin is primarily glass/kevlar for their ductile and tenacious properties. Over all, the integrated foam and composite sandwich structure distribute energy evenly throughout the fuselage and can absorb a great deal of kinetic force. We also utilize thick seat cushions. Aluminum built aircraft cannot compare. In addition to superior stress handling, the entire fuselage and wings float!

Must I purchase the entire kit at once?
Builders won't have to buy the wings right away like other kits because they are not needed in the early construction. The fuselage section is 16' X 7' and can be constructed in a one car garage. You can install everything before you have to purchase the wings, which quickly bolt on, so you should order them a few weeks before you are ready to fly.

Other size versions?
The BWB scales very well but we prefer to stay focused on the simplest and most useful Atlantica model for now. 

What is included in the airframe kit?
An "airframe" kit is everything except the engine, radios, instruments, plumbing, wiring, interior and paint. It includes windows, door, entry step, control systems, engine mount, wheels, brakes, tires, nose gear, and seats.

How much experience do I need to fly the Atlantica?
This aircraft was designed for the low or high time pilot. Our research shows that it will have the stall proofing of a canard but slower landings similar to a conventional.

What is the weight limit for pilot or co-pilot?
Front seat loading - 450 lbs is the max suggested weight and still have a safe CG.
It is not as racy on landing as a canard because the elevons are way back and it has flaps. It will carry much more weight in the nose than even a Velocity which is much better than a Cozy. The elevator on a Cozy is too small for two large people in the front.

When?
Prototype from molds to fly in 2003. Kits in 2004.

Black paint?
NO. Our uniquely efficient closed molding system uses room temp resins with solid core wings. This keeps the cost down by going from raw material more directly to finished product without the middlemen and tooling costs of high temp prepregs. The result is light strong parts that are simple to assemble but they cannot be painted dark colors.

Fixed Gear?
The practical reasons are obvious, and at cruise altitude the additional drag is not significant. The long-range goal for this plane is as a production aircraft, which requires Fixed Gear.

Wings

Do you make wings for Velocity Aircraft?
No, we are no longer offering wings for the Velocity. The primary motivation is to focus our efforts on the continuing development of our next generation Personal Aircraft, the Atlantic.

How many are flying?
Most of the fleet of Velocity's flying today has Wingco wings (more than 180). Nobody has built even a tenth as many Velocity/EZ type wings as we have. Hand made solid core wings are one-off, one of a kind, with each set having slightly unique rigging and contouring to match your aircraft.

How are the wings tested?
Kit manufacturers typically only static test with sand bags. This limits the accuracy and spectrum of the test. Certified aircraft require dynamic testing with a hydraulic "wiffle tree". This allows rapid multiple load deflection tests and cycle testing. The system also allows neutral loading so torsional and attachment problems can be revealed.
Years ago, Wingco had Ted Yon, a senior FAA designated engineer, design our wiffle tree and perform the span loading calculations for our wing tests. We were able to discover failure modes in attachments and torsion in wings that had been laid-up by hand. Wingco's molded wings include the necessary modifications to assure safe operation under even the most extreme conditions.