[JoeF]

Note on bungee:
Archaeopteryx: Gummiseilstart (Bungee launch)
Bungee-setting person did not wear eye and head protection.

Archaeopteryx is otherwise footlaunchable.

================
Furthering Safe-Splat
Consider "aerial-placed arrestors"

[JoeF]

A robust study of Safe-Splat probably would include a careful study of the lessons in canopy gliding landing challenges and devices, including devices incorporated in harnesses.
"Got your back covered!" ... but what about the front and neck, etc?

A peek of the contemporary might be from
http://www.skywalk.info/en/products/cul ... t-harness/


Insights are welcome from such arena.

[JoeF]

Alexander Smith
in a filing in 1926

detail:


Another view:

[Bob Kuczewski]

Another view:

That last picture is suggestive of an active anti-splat device actuated by the wheels. It looks like there's a chain or belt drive coming from that wheel, and I'm wondering if that could be coupled to some control surface that reacts to prevent (or at least minimize) the "splat".

But maybe it's for something else. What do you think?

[JoeF]

Nice observation.
PDF attached. Studying.

ground is the sprocket 118 which is driven by a chain 119 leading to a sprocket 120 carried on a shaft 121 supported in a bearing 122 the shaft being driven from an engine not shown In this manner the front end of the machine is supported Between the members 11 there is a suitable floor or deck lla and through this deck extends a shaft 110 carrying on its lower end a fork 108 wherein the steermg wheel 109 is mounted At the top of the shaft 110 is a sprocket 111 around which extends a chain 112 for operating the shaft 110 and thus controlling the direction in which the aeroplane is steered when on the ground

[JoeF]

Jose Weiss was pioneering ...
Here, consider the Safe-Splat mitigation on Olive:
Year: 1909 circa
Info source page: http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft29732.htm

Consider modernizing with Teflon. Or perhaps mini rollers on face of flat frontal skid. Shock-absorption?

For archive backup, we quote the source page:

WEISS glider 'Olive' (Jose Weiss, Houghton House, Amberley, Sussex)

Jose Weiss, a Frenchman living in England, was an artist and engineer who experimented with models from 1902 to 1907, basing his work on the shape of bird's wings. In the course of his experimental work, Weiss arrived at a swept wing shape, with curved leading edge, and thick section inboard, tapering outwards to a thin flexible section, which he patented under cover of patent No.17150/1908. In 1908-1909 he made a full size glider, named 'Olive' after one of his five daughters, which was tested on the Sussex Downs at Amberley in 1909, being flown by Gordon England, Graham Wood, Gerald Leake and others.
The glider was a small tailless single-seater, with lift struts and a central skid and retractable wheels. The wing incidence changed from positive inboard, to negative outboard. The wing was made in halves for ease of transport, the spars projecting into steel tubes in the nacelle, to which they were bolted. Control was by 'righting planes', namely small flaps on each inboard trailing edge, serving as elevators and ailerons. The machine was crudely made largely of bamboo, referred to as Tonkin Cane.
Weiss formed the Weiss Aeroplane and Launcher Syndicate on 10 June 1908, to exploit his patent. Handley Page, with whom he had collaborated on earlier research, took a financial interest in the syndicate. The two men had become acquainted through the Aeronautical Society and Handley Page went on to build several of his early machines with Weiss type wings.

Data
Span 26ft
Area 108 sq. ft


WEISS man-powered monoplane

After his first full size glider, the 'Olive', Weiss made a pedal powered monoplane, possibly using the wing of the glider, to which it showed some similarity. However, it was mounted on four wheels and was propelled by a tractor propeller at the nose; this was driven by a long drive shaft terminating in a bevel gearbox driven by chain from the pedals.
The wheels were not driven and the machine was to be started from the top of a ramp, fifteen feet high with a forty-five feet base, at a location on Bury Hill, Sussex. It is doubtful if sustained flight was achieved. The machine may then have been powered and identified as 'Elsie', which was itself subsequently converted back to the glider 'Olive'.

Dad: José Weiss ,,, also famous for painting: http://www.louisekosman.com/artists/artist_240.php
His son: J. Bernard Weiss (author on gliding; see book recently linked in US Hawks)
==================================
And some pause to study those far-front set of wheels on the Elsie ? (not sure; 1910) for possible Safe-Splat mitigation:

and Sylvia:


and Joker:

[JoeF]

Interesting image on a Wenham effort (he had many explorations)
http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft29098.htm

OTHER Wenham:

[JoeF]

More on Weiss, couple of new photos of Olive
http://www.myriverarun.com/jose_weiss.html

And a Safe-Splat filled Weiss:

[JoeF]

Rebound has its severe costs; damping rebound may be part of the game when rebound is chosen to be part of a system.
Rebound is sometimes the source of injury.

The ball is a rebounding cushion for landing; some damping occurs in the skin of the ball.

[JoeF]

This is a partial return to the topic of pedal-free suspension running, perhaps part of wing running future and some niche aspects of hang gliding:

New pedal-free bicycle relies on running momentum