Scotty Winton Opel (Australia) **FLYING WING**
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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.
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so how did he die..
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Good to see this video. The FAI record is still there.
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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 !!
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@austflea Where can I see this video, very interested... Art
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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.
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@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.
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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.
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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.
Scott was a genius...Thanks for putting this clip up...It is about time we saw this on Youtube.
winsor68 3 years ago 5
a brilliant design from a very talented aircraft builder. the Opel should fly again!
pamuva 3 years ago 4