[Alph]

Hi Nockers,
Your USAir model appears to be 2 different models on one hand it has the body of the Dash 8 and the tilt rotors ??? making a longer version of the 609 I haven't seen. Very Cool! How did you come by that model? I'll post a photo of my 609 I'm building next Monday...Alph

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by Alph

Hi Nockers,
Your USAir model appears to be 2 different models on one hand it has the body of the Dash 8 and the tilt rotors ??? making a longer version of the 609 I haven't seen. Very Cool! How did you come by that model? I'll post a photo of my 609 I'm building next Monday...Alph

It's not a 609. It's an '80s-era proposal for where Tiltrotors might go next. It's a neat piece, but is something that would be very unlikely to come to reality. I'll be very surprised if even the 609 becomes a commercial success.

[flyXwire]

I almost swiped an XV-15 Tiltrotor desktop model when I was working for NASA at the time. Pretty cool looking bird that's for sure.

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by flyXwire

I almost swiped an XV-15 Tiltrotor desktop model when I was working for NASA at the time. Pretty cool looking bird that's for sure.

I got to see a demo once - pretty neat. Amazingly quiet. Were you at Ames?

[Alph]

I'd have to say anytime a guy finds a model not really off the shelf is a Plus for his collection. It's hard to tell where this technology will go. I'm still of the opinion that it's best used for civilian applications rather than troop carrier. "Just my humble opinion" Alph

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by Hoverbug

I got to see a demo once - pretty neat. Amazingly quiet. Were you at Ames?

Yup. Even got a chance to see it mounted and being evaluated inside the largest wind tunnel facility on the West Coast.

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by flyXwire

Yup. Even got a chance to see it mounted and being evaluated inside the largest wind tunnel facility on the West Coast.

I understand that the 40 x 80 testing on the XV-15 was largely a waste of time since it didn't add much to the understanding of low-speed control.

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by Alph

I'd have to say anytime a guy finds a model not really off the shelf is a Plus for his collection. It's hard to tell where this technology will go. I'm still of the opinion that it's best used for civilian applications rather than troop carrier. "Just my humble opinion" Alph

I suspect the civil market is just way too limited for something where the seat-mile cost is going to be at least 3 times a conventional aircraft. If helicopter airlines weren't able to make a go of it without massive subsidies, how could a tiltrotor do it? I can see a few top-level business interests picking up the 609 for specialized offshore operations, but given the field length capabilities of most regional jets, a commuter VTOL would never sell enough to cover the massive R&D and certification costs.

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by Hoverbug

I understand that the 40 x 80 testing on the XV-15 was largely a waste of time since it didn't add much to the understanding of low-speed control.

Sure, but if you understand how an engineer's mind works they try to explore every scenario or avenue so as not to overlook anything obvious or something that might bite them in the arse.

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by Alph

I'd have to say anytime a guy finds a model not really off the shelf is a Plus for his collection. It's hard to tell where this technology will go. I'm still of the opinion that it's best used for civilian applications rather than troop carrier. "Just my humble opinion" Alph

I would want one of this on my desktop for sure!

Bell/Agusta 609 (BA 609)