PlaneTalk

Roger Cain · Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:18 pm Post subject: 1909 Bleriot XI replica

I've cross posted this at WIX also as a number of people don't look at both sites and I thought you might like to see Eric's latest flyer.

For about four months now Eric Presten, based at Sonoma Skypark, CA, has been the proud owner of this full-scale replica kit that he built in just 26 days, the same amount of time that Louis Blériot built his original. The kit was built by Airdrome Aeroplanes in Holden MO., and Presten elected to go with the more authentic wing warping, instead of ailerons that are found on most of the replicas. Power comes from a Rotec R-2800 110 hp radial engine. Plans are to fly it at West Coast air shows this next season.
First test flights prior to taking it to Oshkosh this year, Photo by Presten.

Here is a picture of the Bleriot after arrivng home from Oshkosh by trailer, the wings are neatly and quickly attached to the side of the plane, and elevators removed for transportation. An engine run can easily be run with the wings still attached to the side.

He had Dave Masters build him a new custom-built period propellor, that was installed and test hopped yesterday. I didn't get there early enough, so this is a picture of the plane getting put away for the day.

Here are a couple of pictures from entry at the Rolls Royce Heritage Trophy event at the Reno Air Races this year.

No complicated instrument panel here.

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Eric Presten · Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 2:34 am Post subject:

Does anyone have any questions.
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JDK · Member Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 3962 Location: Melbourne

Mike · Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 5:00 am Post subject:

Robbo · Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 5:59 am Post subject:

Eric, it looks great.
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CloseR · Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 6:45 am Post subject:

Eric,

Congratulations on your latest project. She's a beauty and a real work of art. I look forward to visiting your side of the hill soon for a personal tour. Also, thanks to Roger for posting this update and photos. Good stuff.

I do have twenty questions for you, but I'll only pose one here (I'll save the other nineteen for the next time I bump into you):

Any chance you could do a fly-over of my house sometime? I'm only 2.8 miles SW (as the Bleriot flies) from the Petaluma Airport....:-)

Thanks,

Ron

Eric Presten · Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:13 am Post subject:

Answers to JDKs question:

1) I have never been half that tired in my life. Even when I used to fly part 135 in Alaska where it’s light 24 hours a day. I honestly think it took me 45 days before I was feeling normal again.

2) Well I do have a 12 and another 13 year old boy living in this house.

3) In all seriousness, this is safer then it looks. I am standing behind the “bed stead” structure on the airplane with my hand on the kill switch. With the wings on the sides (and the heavy racks that hold them there, there is a lot of weight on the tail.

4) In my entire three and one half hour experience with the engine, I am very happy with it. The other guys that I have talked with that have more experience with them are very pleased.

5) This is the third Rob Baslee Bleriot that I did the first flight on (you can go see a very short clip of me flying serial number 1 in the movie “Amelia” when it plays in a theater near you) and this one is the worst flyer. The other two have ailerons and the later more standard tail, and they are great flyers. Robs kit examples are set up like that, and you can fly them in J-3 Cub weather. I wanted wing warping and the “flipper” tail (for easy trailering, and against Rob Baslees good advice) and it severely effects the types flying characteristics. On my airplane, you have to fly it in the dead calm only, and the warping is very heavy, and very unresponsive. I can get three times the roll rate from the rudder that I can get from the warping. The flipper tail is also very sensitive to CG range variations as well, but I am setting up the airplane with a variable tail weight so that I can adjust this to the pilots weight (I have let three other very trusted guys fly it now).

Answer to Mikes question:

1) As Mike well knows, I have already bought the materials for the floats, and this will not be the first set of floats that I’ve built.

P.S. I am looking for demo invitations for the airplane, so if you want that 100+ year old thing at your event, give me a ring.

P.P.S. If you are interested in one of Rob’s designs (Fokkers, Nieuports, Sopwiths, deHavillands) check out his http://www.airdromeairplanes.com/ web site. If you really get interested call me for an introduction to Rob, and I might be able to save you a few bucks.
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Andy in Beds · Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:24 pm Post subject:

Very nice indeed.
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C170BDan · Member Joined: 14 Feb 2006 Posts: 107 Location: Texas

Eric Presten · Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 8:24 am Post subject:

Answer to Rons question:

Sorry Ron, I missed your post. You entered it while I was typing up the other answers, and I missed yours until today. I would fly over your place, but I don’t like to fly this airplane over mountains for fear of finding any turbulence. You will have to come out and see the airplane. I’ll let you sit in it if you like (that goes for any other Wixer too).

Answer to Dans questions:

Robs kits are very complete. All welding is done for you, and you get everything but the engine and prop including covering materials through silver. The best part is you get Robs customer service. He will answer any question and is very patient with customers of any skill level. I figure it took myself, Rob, my wife Deb (who did all the fabric work as usual) and my 11 and 12 year old sons a total of about 700 man hours to build the airplane. The kit version would be faster due to the complexities of wing warping and the early “flipper” type tail that I put on my airplane. Yes, bolt on pre-welded engine mount.
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AntH · Member Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 290 Location: Notts

Nice work Eric, congratulations to you and your little team on a great build.

I'd like to add a couple of questions if I may...

Firstly, is the kit designed with the Rotec in mind or was it your personal choice? What other engine might also be used?

Second, how are the control forces? Everything I've read about 'flipper' tail Bleriots says that the stick forces fore and aft are rather heavy. What's your experience?

Thirdly, have you thought about taking a few plugs out and flying it on three cylinders to simulate an Anzani?? Ok, that's a joke, please don't try it! Smile

Pondskater · Member Joined: 16 Jun 2008 Posts: 97 Location: Moving

Eric, looks really very good.

How does the Rotec engine compare to the originals, the Gnome 50hp or 70hp. Obviously more power but is it similar in weight or is the design altered to accommodate it?

I look forward to seeing your float conversion finished - are they original Bleriot designs for the floats?

AllanK

JDK · Member Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 3962 Location: Melbourne

Little bit of trivia; my question as to it being a Presten Penguin was related to the 'little wings' when it was all folded up. The Bleriot Penguin being a clipped wing ground trainer, as described here:

Mike · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:29 am Post subject:

CloseR · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 2:16 am Post subject:

10-4 on the turbulence factor, Eric -

I'll call you next week.

Thanks very much,

Ron

Eric Presten · Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:01 pm Post subject:

AntH answers:

Yes this kit is set up for the Rotec. You could probably convert it to something else, but get Robs input on it. He also offers a 3/4 scale kit that is set up for the Torque-master Volkswagen conversion. This is the set up I flew in the movie “Amelia”.

I can’t imagine why the fore and aft forces would be heavy (mine are very light) but the wing warping is very heavy.

I would only have to disabled one cylinder to be like the six-cylinder two row Anzani that this airplane is set up to replicate.

Pondscater answers:

I do think that I have more power then the 25 and 35 HP Anzanies, but I think that I have less then the rotary powered versions. The horse power ratings for these new engines are not comparable to the ratings for pioneer era engines. I think that it is more about cubic inch displacement for a good comparison, and this engine is only 172 cubes. I am basing my guesses on the performance of the five more standard Bleriots that I have seen fly.

I am going to scale my floats off of the original pictures, but as I want my floats to last forever (and I have built a set of aluminum amphibious floats previously), I am going to make them out of aluminum and paint them up as wood.
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Pondskater · Member Joined: 16 Jun 2008 Posts: 97 Location: Moving

Many thanks for your views with the engine, very useful. I'm working with a group who have access to plans for a very early float design - but it is a single central pontoon, needing stabilisers under the wings.

kpratt · Member Joined: 30 Nov 2009 Posts: 1 Location: kansas city

Eric
Very cool. I know you talked about this last time we saw each other, but it's alot better than I had imagined.
Great Work!

Eric Presten · Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:43 pm Post subject:

Pondskater,

Let me know when you need a test pilot for that single-float seaplane. I have really been enjoying the 1918 Macchi M-5 flying boat fighter replica I have been flying in Holland, Michigan.

kpratt,

Thanks for the nice comments.

Eric P.
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Roger Cain · Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 5:22 am Post subject:

Eric continues to put time on the Bleriot, and yesterday we took it up for an air to air session. My photoplane was Tom Palmer and his Piper J-3 Cub, and the wind cooperated with us making for a nice early morning flight, thanks guys.

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