WhyWood?

FisherFlyingProductsgivespilotsthe opportunitytoreturntothegoldendaysof aviationwithitsfleetof classicstyledlightairplanes. Thiswasdonenotjustforthe sakeofnostalgia,butbecause oftheprovenaerodynamic stabilityanddesirableflight characteristicsofthistypeof aircraft. Byapplyingtheproven structuraldesignconceptsof thepastwithnewtechnology FisherFlyingProductshas createdaperfect combinationofoldandnew. Forexample,woodhasbeen usedasaprimarystructuralmaterialinaircraft constructionsincethebeginningofheavier thanairflight.Mostlightaircraftpriortothe 1930swerebuiltofwoodandthelargest aircraftevertofly,theSpruceGoosewas constructedalmostentirelyofwood.Yet,wood haditproblems:itwasdifficulttopreserve internalmembersthatwerenoteasily accessibleforlongperiodsoftimeandtheold stylewoodadhesivescouldbecomebrittleand fractureatthebondsafteraperiodoftime. Thenewplasticsealantsandpreservativessuch aspolyurethanevarnishandthehighstrength nonbrittleepoxieshavenowresolvedthese problems. Woodis anideal material forlight airframes becauseit can absorb the bending loadsassociatedwithflightwithoutdeveloping fatigue,anditdoesnotcorrode.Composite

constructionseemstobethepopularmethod oflightaircraftstructuraldesigntoday. Howeveritisimportanttorememberthat woodisanaturalcompositeandissignificantly lessexpensivethanexoticsynthetics.The followingquotefromtheFAAAviationNews articleentitledWoodandWings discussestherelativestrengthofwoodin anaircraftstructure: Onaweighttostrengthratio,wood comparesveryfavourablywithsteel, duraluminum,andmagnesium,themetals mostcommonlyusedinaircraft construction...Byitself,apieceofwoodis nomatchformetal,butwhenassembled intoastructurestringers,longerons, formers,ribs,sparstoformaunit,the differenceinstrengthdiminishesandwood isalmostidenticaltometalinstrength. Woodisadesirableaircraftmaterial becauseoftheeasewithwhichitcanbe worked...simplecarpenterhandtools,plus homemadejigsandfixtures,areallthatare neededtoturnoutafullycertifiableaircraft. Fieldrepairspresentnoseriousproblems.

GeodeticStructure
Fisherhascombinedthenaturalpropertiesof woodwithgeodeticstructuraldesign.The principleofgeodeticconstructionistouser interconnectedstripstoformadiamondmesh patternthatdistributesthestresseswithinthe structureitself.Oneoftheclearest explanationsofgeodeticstructurewasmadeby Lt.RodHuggelman,anaeronauticalengineer,in anarticleentitledGeodeticAircraftStructure containedintheExperimentalAircraft Associationspublication,BuildingtheCustom AircraftwithWoodVolume2. It(monocoupestructure)hasprobablythe higheststrengthtoweightratioandiswidely usedtodayinaircraftandmissiles...Oftenitis possibletocompromiseultimatestrengthand rigidityinmonocoupestructuresbyperforating theshellwithholes.Theflexibilitythus providedwillenablethestructuretobetter handleshockandimpactloads...Thegeodeticor

basketweavestructureissimplyanextension ofperforatedmonocoupestructure.However, itismuchlessexpensive,simplyconstructed andunrestrictedbycompoundedcurves. Geodeticconstructioniswellproveninaircraft applications.Anumberoffactorybuiltand experimentalaircrafthaveusedthisstructural methodtoprovideahighstrengthtoweight ratioprimarystructure.Themostfamousof thegeodeticairplaneswastheindestructible BritishWellingtonbomber. Fisheraircraftaredesignedsothat,wherever practical,thegeodeticstripsfitintoprecut slotstherebyassuringagreateramountofglue surfaceareatocreategoodjoints.Althoughthe structuremaylookcomplex,itfollowsasimple patternwhichiseasilyduplicatedbythe builder. Usingasophisticatedcomputerprogramwhich wasdevelopedtoanalyzetheloadcarrying capabilitiesofgeodeticstructures,Fisherhas designedeachofitsaircraftaroundFAAPart23 utilitycategoryloadstandards.Thefinal prototypesarethenstaticloadtestedandflight testedtoascertainthatthetheoreticalvalues holdtrueinreality. enoughgoodaboutthestrengthanddurability ofthisplane. AllofFishersairframestructuresarecovered withheatshrinkableaircraftqualityDacron fabric,whichisthensealedandpaintedto providealonglasting,durablefinish.

AvailableasPlansorKits
Fisheraircraftareavailableinconstructionkits orplans.Byprovidingplansaswellascomplete andpartialkits,youcandeterminehowmuch moneyyouwanttosavebybuildingthe assembliesyourself.Regardlessofhowyou orderyourFisheraircraft,theproductssupplied areoftopquality:Sitkaspruceandclear northernpine(bothFAAapprovedbuilding materials);birchaircraftgradeplywood;AN nutsandbolts;6061T6aluminumstruts, fittingsandhardware. Fullsizeddetailedplans,assemblyinstructions, andanFFPhatareprovidedwitheachkit.

ProvenSafety
Pilotprotectionandsafetyareotherprimary considerationinthedesignofaFisheraircraft. Asolidreinforcedplywoodboxstructurefor crashprotectionsurroundsthepilotinallofour aircraft.Inadditionthelandinggearisdesigned tocollapseprogressivelyinanextremelyhard landingtoabsorbsomeoftheshockthatwould otherwisebetransmittedtothefuselageand pilot.Thefollowingunsolicitedletterfrom HaroldRistofLyndonStation,Wisconsin testifiestothecrashworthinessofhisstandard FP202Koala: WellFolks,thatisthebestdesignedlittleplane intheworldtoday!HowdoIknow?WellIput ittothetestaccidentallybyputtingitintothe groundat40milesperhourwithlittledamage donetoitormyself.Thisplanebrokeupinthe rightplacesattherighttime.Icannotsay

ContactUs
FormoreinformationaboutFisherFlying Productspleasefeelfreetocontactusat:

FisherFlyingProducts
71MarycroftAve,Unit#24 Woodbridge,ON L4L5Y6 Canada Phone:9058567050 Email:ffp@fisherflying.com