Scotty Winton Opel (Australia) **FLYING WING**

[josephdupont]

Scott Winton, Ultralight Sapphire, Benambra, Vic

Investigation Number:199502098Investigation status:Completed

Summary

Summary

The pilot was conducting a private pleasure/practice flight in an unregistered 95.10 Sapphire ultralight aircraft. The aircraft was seen entering a spin to the right from straight and level flight at a low height. It impacted the ground in a steep nose down attitude.

[josephdupont]

so how did he die..

[topspeed10]

Good to see this video. The FAI record is still there.

[MrVALMAD]

it's a work in progress and can't wait for it's completion and will be great to see it airborn and there is nothing wrong with flapperons once you understand how they work pure genius if you ask me !!

[pgpete]

it's a brilliant and flawed design. its lack of pitch stability allowed the pilot to over stress the aircraft in a high G turn and it broke up in flight.

[mryellow123]

Story time... I was 9yo. Each week we'd make several small foam throw models from the materials used in production of the Sapphire. These would then be scaled up and every week or 2 there would be a new glider or powered model design glassed up and all.

The Opal started from a throw model that was outstanding. It was this shape with a small rectangle of perspex taped on balancing it's CoG. It had a lot of lift, would do 2-3 loops out of the hand, however would glide straight if thrown softly.

[mryellow123]

pt2: I'm not sure if Scott was there at the time, these 'toys' were more of a pass-time for Dean between jobs. I can remember Scott being shown like it was a surprise xmas present, a lot of talk of glide ratios, demos of it's performance.

[mryellow123]

pt3: A week later Scott shows up with a scale model that includes "flapperons" 1 servo controls the ailerons while another moves a hinged plate the first is attached to. I think the Opal had similar controls with those rudder mentioned in this tape not being primary.

Next time I saw it was in Ballina NSW full-scale and ready to go. When it came to the actual altitude attempt the final climb took a lot of effort with switching between feeding the engine and himself oxygen.

[mryellow123]

pt4: Scott was amazing. A true genius. One day we made a paper air-plane that would only fly under specific conditions. He was the type of guy who would then take it and spend 6 hours with a ruler and calculator muttering "it shouldn't fly".

Feel lucky just having seen him working on that piece of paper.

[simflying]

@mryellow123 thanks for response. In meantime I was get too in contact with Dean and get info from him, so can imagine more. It seems that Opal could reborn now - for memory of Scott. Am interresting about flying wings so am really concerned by Opal - its agility, performance, huge fueltanks etc. I was thinked about building something close, maybe partially close to Marske wings. But its future, cause am working on rigid wing and next would be Marske kin of sailplane.

[simflying]

Hello Friends, am sorry disturbing, but wasn´t it a OPAL ? Please, could anybody give info about crash - what happend ? Regards, Jiri

[austflea]

For the follow up, I have added part 2 to this video. Hope you enjoy.

[mechfx]

@austflea Where can I see this video, very interested... Art

[alialokidi]

KSA - Very good your project

[hellspawndarkangel]

very interesting, if i must say thought,,

if icould, i would widen that wheel track because landing that plane in a cross wind will be very tricky, the spitfire had problems in cross winds because of very samll wheel tracks,

does any1 noe if this will go into production??

[kas0469]

One off for record purposes - Scot died in a crash in this plane soon after he set the fai world records mentioned in the video

[shellymonkeyfish]

i wish there was footage of Scott talking. i would so love that.

[pamuva]

a brilliant design from a very talented aircraft builder. the Opel should fly again!

[simflying]

@pamuva Hello Friends, am sorry disturbing, but wasn´t it a OPAL ? Please, could anybody give info about crash - what happend ? Regards, Jiri

[winsor68]

Scott was a genius...Thanks for putting this clip up...It is about time we saw this on Youtube.