DarkAero Aircraft

GRG55 said:
I don't think enough people give this consideration.

This has always been one important factor in my choice of airplanes to own. It's one of the reasons I elected to go with an Aztec as a first twin. I am unconcerned about giving up some cruise speed for those times when the weather is crap and the runway is slippery with ice and snow - which sometimes seems 1/2 the year where I live.
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That's aviation. Trade offs in everything. There aren't that many blisteringly fast airplanes that land that slowly. Those that can get their speed from big engines, and burn lots of gas to do it.
 
The August 2021 issue of Kitplanes magazine has a good article on DarkAero by Eric Stewart.

It's the first of two articles (the second scheduled to appear in the September issue), and Stewart introduces the article by stating he is making an exception to his rule of not writing about new airplanes until after a prototype is flown because he thinks "the way DarkAero is approaching kitting an aircraft is, if not revolutionary, at least significantly different than how things are usually done and as such deserves a look."
 
As much as a like the concept, the UL is too low for my large carcass.
I do like the look and focus on engineering.

Tim
 
tspear said:
As much as a like the concept, the UL is too low for my large carcass.
I do like the look and focus on engineering.

Tim
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:D

Watching the videos the lack of luggage space is an issue. We pack light, but more than a couple of backpacks.

The number of seats is a bigger issue. While the kids are grown I occasionally fly one of them with us, plus Angel Flight mission and planning on doing Young Eagle flights too. Last year I flew the middle daughter and her two medium sized dogs down here for a vacation, and then back home. This summer we're taking our oldest and a friend of hers up to VA. They are doing a bachelorette party, we'll do our thing there that weekend, including touring Monticello.

Too often I need more than two seats.

I think the plane is neat, but just don't know how it would fit my flying. Maybe if I had it as a second plane. I can't see my wife going for two planes though. :(
 
wayne said:
I think the plane is neat, but just don't know how it would fit my flying. Maybe if I had it as a second plane. I can't see my wife going for two planes though. :(
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Yeah, does not fit the mission. Need more UL, I want two engines or a chute.
For a second plane, I would want something fun. e.g. A 182 on floats, or a 185... I dream one day to have a second plane which is a toy and change it every few years. The DarkAero1 looks and feels to much like a small travel plane.

Tim
 
wayne said:
:D

Watching the videos the lack of luggage space is an issue. We pack light, but more than a couple of backpacks.

The number of seats is a bigger issue. While the kids are grown I occasionally fly one of them with us, plus Angel Flight mission and planning on doing Young Eagle flights too. Last year I flew the middle daughter and her two medium sized dogs down here for a vacation, and then back home. This summer we're taking our oldest and a friend of hers up to VA. They are doing a bachelorette party, we'll do our thing there that weekend, including touring Monticello.

Too often I need more than two seats.

I think the plane is neat, but just don't know how it would fit my flying. Maybe if I had it as a second plane. I can't see my wife going for two planes though. :(
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Didn't think angel flight allowed experimental planes?
 
tspear said:
As much as a like the concept, the UL is too low for my large carcass.
I do like the look and focus on engineering.

Tim
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It's 185 hp at 2800 rpm. I dont see them getting a 275mph on 185 hp
 
Racerx said:
Didn't think angel flight allowed experimental planes?
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Most do. I would swear I've seen an RV-10 pull up for a two leg mission I've done, but that was years ago. Maybe it changed, maybe it got enforced, maybe my memory is bad. I don't see the typical notice about experimental on the Angel Flight Soars site that I see on other Angel Flight sites.
 
Did Vans come out with the RV-10 as their first airplane? I think not. Think of this as a rough draft, much like the early RVs were.
 
UngaWunga said:
Did Vans come out with the RV-10 as their first airplane? I think not. Think of this as a rough draft, much like the early RVs were.
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Huge difference in the tech available to do the design. It will be interesting to see how close they come to spec.

Tim
 
What I'm saying is that this their first plane. If they can it to fly reasonably well, it'll be a means to create the next design with improvements. And those might then meet more of the needs of a broader audience of homebuilders. Much like what Vans did with the RV. The single seat RV3 doesn't carry 2 people and luggage, either. Wasn't meant to. Each RV has been a progression as they've learned and improved their manufacturing techniques.
 
UngaWunga said:
What I'm saying is that this their first plane. If they can it to fly reasonably well, it'll be a means to create the next design with improvements. And those might then meet more of the needs of a broader audience of homebuilders. Much like what Vans did with the RV. The single seat RV3 doesn't carry 2 people and luggage, either. Wasn't meant to. Each RV has been a progression as they've learned and improved their manufacturing techniques.
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The first 3 RV's could be built entirely from plans, meaning even the factory tools for making the parts were relatively inexpensive and possibly handmade. A molded prepreg carbon fiber aircraft with retracts requires a ton more factory tooling, all of which is expensive and may get tossed with the next version.

Versioning a molded airplane is an expensive way to run out of money quickly.
 
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