This blog was created to share my ideas on the evolving Mosi Motorglider design and development project. The project is beginning with a series of modifications to John Monnett's innovative Moni motorglider design from the early 1980's. The ingenious all-metal Moni design was produced and sold as a kit back then. New kits have long since become unavailable when INAV went out of business, but the need for a self-launching, high-performance touring motorglider for homebuilders lives on. My eventual goal is to create a completely new design from scratch, but it makes financial and technical sense to me to start with Moni modifications .
Monnett expressed his wish that any extensively modified version of the Moni should not be called a Moni, so the modifications are actually a conversion of Monnett's Moni into Moser's Mosi. An appropriate moniker, wouldn't you say? The Mosi prototype began its life as Moni kit S/N 053, purchased in the early 80's by the late Earl Witt of Pennsylvania. It was finished by a group of volunteers at Maryland EAA Chapter #36, sold to Seabron Smith from Georgia, who sold it to me in 2007. I love the clever design of the Moni as it is, but I was also compelled to redesign it with my own ideas and improvements -- engineers are cursed that way! Here's a list of the major modifications that are now underway:
1. Replace the aluminum V-tail with a composite Y-tail (lighter, less stall-prone, enhanced rudder response).
2. Replace the KFM 107 2-stroke with a 4-stroke engine, perhaps the military surplus 4A032 (world's smallest flat-4) or an industrial V-twin.
3. Increase wing span from 27.5 ft to 33 ft (10 meters) with composite raked wingtips.
4. Convert from monowheel main gear to a taildragger.
I'll be posting progress updates as often as possible. Happy landings to all in 2009!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hi Dan, I have Moni s/n 86 imported to Australia from Maine USA. I have a grass strip, and really need to do some of the mods you are talking about.
ReplyDeleteI havn't flown it yet (waiting for my hanger and airstrip to be finished) but I think the KFM might have to go - wouldn't fancy an engine out over non landable country, and more power would be good. And the undercarriage should be converted to tri or tail dragger. If you have any plans or specs for a set of mains could you let me know. Looking forward to following your project - cheers Warren Hall - daquinohall@gmail.com - or 3dwozz.blogspot.com
Hello Mr. Moser,
ReplyDeleteI just came across your Mosi motorglider blog. Have you looked into the possibility of fitting the aircraft with an electric motor? A company in New Jersey called Electra Flyer www.electraflyer.com is currently testing a Moni that uses an electric motor powered by a Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) battery.
I wish you the best of luck with your project. There is definitely a need for simple, inexpensive motorgliders.
Sincerely Yours,
James Jason Wentworth blackshire@acsalaska.net
Warren,
ReplyDeleteBest of luck on flying your Moni! There are some taildragger plans available on the MoniMotorglider Yahoo group site.. check it out. I may do my own custom gear legs out of composite.
______________________________________
James,
I really like the idea of electric flight and have talked it over very thoroughly with Randall Fishman at ElectraFlyer. He wants a LOT of money for his setup, though I don't think he's taking an unreasonable mark-up. Current LiPoly battery life and reliability are HUGE unknowns too. Life cycle costs still look very high. And what can you do about an in-flight battery fire or explosion? It's a real possibility. And the limited flight duration (1 hr. max.) precludes long cross-country electric powered flights. All in all, gasoline engines are still the best for my needs in the present day. However, electric flight technology will get better every year, I have no doubt.
dan this is mike in texas.
ReplyDeletewith me wanting a two place and an ultra light do you think its possible with the 4a032 and wing mod to make this into a 103 legal or is this wrongful thinking. thanks
Hi, Mike. The Moni is too fast and too heavy to be a 103-legal ultralight as is. By adding a lot of wing area, you might slow it down enough, but it's hard to imagine that a much larger wing would be light enough to meet the 256 lb. weight limit. The 4A032 engine is small, but may be suitable for a lighter weight, larger span ultralight.. something like an ATOS wing on a trike. My latest thinking is that the 4A032 is too small for my Moni-derived aircraft, so I'm switching to the 2A042 engine with 42 cubic inches.. 31% more displacement & power, with better lubrication and cooling characteristics.
ReplyDelete