THE DREAM
Canada has many lakes in the northern territories that have yet to be explored and are unreachable by land. Something I would like to open up for the common folk by means of flight. This would probably make it possible to reside in the northern territories as a sanctuary and still be in contact with civilization.
As long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the power of flight. As a kid I always wanted to fly and it stuck with me. I've always dreamed of flying and I will, if it is the last thing I do.
My love for planes started when I was 9 years old and confirmed at 10 when my family and I went to PAKISTAN in 68. The flight in an airliner was the thrill of my lifetime. Since then I dream of traveling to remote locations in my own aircraft, this is driving my quest.
In 85 I started to take control in building the dream. My love for planes was within reach by building model planes that I could afford. I first started looking at hand gliders since this the cheapest form of affordable flying crafts and went from there. Of course the hand glider was not the ideal for cross country flying. I like camping and sleeping under the stars, this is one of the main criterion to be able to fly from one lake to another. The ideal form of craft would have to be an amphibious hydroplane type. My first thought was fitting a canoe with wing. Well, I was not too far from that. I started with the "LOCUS" a simple design. At the time my building skill where limited and so were the building materials. A small frame built with 1/16" balsa and tissue paper about 10" in length was built and thrown down a staircase as test flight. This work well, to my surprise my first model design flew, this was the beginning. Since then I have been building and changing the shape of the craft. This craft I have in mind is not a super sport but a docile forgiving craft that will allow any individual with minimal flight training. Now days some of us have our training with flight simulators (video games). This is what I'm talking about. My dream to produce a design that will allow that individual to go camping the same way I vision it. Now the problem is to built it as simple as possible and yet provide a structural roomy dependable protective cage that will be welcoming and be comfortable. This has to be a flying camper and boat.
The Ductlings are the out come of this criterion. A duck is an amphibious creature by nature, and in French, the word duck is "canard" in English "Canard" is a type of aircraft with the control surfaces at the front. Canard planes are stable and not prone to stall. The type of propulsion of choice is ducted fan units, and a unique new concept of using the duct into a vane for controlled trust directing, coined "DUCT-TAIL" now dubbed "DUCT VANE" introduce into a "V" configuration is borrowed on the vector trusting technology to control the direction of thrust. Having said all that, the reason for the Ductling name it encompasses all of the above and more. The design is simple resembling a small bird or a FLY (the bug). A simple "A FRAME" construction is the basis of the design, using "Blended Wing Body" (BWB) technology and the Facet design inspired by the "FACETMOBILE" to build a low aspect ration design airfoil using facets allowing for the amphibious hydroplane concept to come to life.
Hence, The Ductling on the pond.
BetterFly .... ~v~ ... : ) Pierre Lindeman
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