[Semper Fidelis]

Regarding Joe's list...

The TPHG 4.6 is a Class F / VC-7

Let's just say it is a F7

Semper Fidelis

Next and also flying you will have F14, F15, F16, F35, F117...

[JoeF]

Estimating Semper Fidelis' TPHG 4.6 classes:

Classed by tote length: TLC5: 4 - 5 ft <==> 1.219 - 1.524 m

Classed by pack volume: PVC7: 0.085 - 0.113 m³ <==> 3.0 - 4.0 ft³

Classed by weight: WCF: 25 - 30 kg <==> 55 - 66 lb

====================================================

[dhmartens]

It is terrible I told a lie to a womn in 1986 and she put out. And I told another lie in 1997 to 2002 while converting computer systems from 1999 tech to 2000tech for year 2000 upgrades from an obscene amount of money posing as Gordan Lightfoot at Enico Pizza joints.

[JoeF]

Image regarding 17 tubes in a concentric nesting:

OneNestof17tubes.JPG (34.02 KiB) Viewed 777 times

=================================================

Image regarding 25 tubes in a concentric nesting:

OneNestof25tubes.JPG (49.32 KiB) Viewed 776 times

[JoeF]

https://www.hangglifter.com

HanggLifter's Pack length: 140 cm <==> approx: 55 inches

[JoeF]

TPHG development note regarding hoops:

Shaping hoops for possible camber forming ...

HoopShaping001.jpg (12.32 KiB) Viewed 725 times

Packed hoops?
Options:
Concentric hoops in one nest or two nests.
Almost-closed not-yet-hoops may be approximately concentrically stowed and then at assembly the closure may be cinched per needs.
Straight slats or whiskers. At assembly: form the straights into hoops
or hoops with tangent residual projection.
Making or cinching the closure of a hoop may be done via various means: tie, Velcro, pin, push end into extant wrap, and more ...

Many variations for experiments

HoopVariations.jpg (16.2 KiB) Viewed 725 times

Hoops may be anchored in various ways for SS or DS wings. Hoops may be installed in the sail above or below the sail. Hoops may be tiny or larger. Shape sail. Turbulators? Hoops in a control system?
Placement of hoops to shape airfoil may be in LE area or TE area or mid-sail area for various effects.
Hoops may be shaped via string, ribbon, heat, full webbing, partial or full encasements. , ...
Hoops may be lateral tiny or wide or very wide.
Hoops may be made of many different materials. Low mass?
Stiffness may be chosen.
Methods of staying hoop shape are many.
Pilot-in-flight adjustment of hoop shapes is possible, if wanted.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

  Fillers  

He became a biplane hang glider, though the "hang" is extremely short (he is integrated in the upper wing while adding a rigid foil for the lower deck.
Between Florian from Switzerland and Peter Salzmann from Switzerland, one might say Switzerland is on fire with compacts......
Filler: Change in wingsuiting: https://interestingengineering.com/culture/red-bull-world-longest-wingsuit-flight
Rigid foil added to the system. re: "Austrian wingsuit pilot Peter Salzmann"
"World’s longest BASE flight record set at 7.77 miles using advanced wingsuit foil"
And video of record: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBs9Iw-ixkv/
And:


And Peter added power to wingsuit:
https://petersalzmann.at/en/

Maybe Peter and Florian can meet; maybe they have already.


Amd a filler from jetsuit world:

[JoeF]

ChatGPT was asked to have a go on the "hoops" for TPHGs. The shown response has errors, but overall might tickle the topic for some good in time.

Exploring the Use of Hoops in Hang Glider Design: Concerns, Opportunities, and Concepts

Incorporating hoops into a hang glider, especially for a compact model like a TPHG, opens up a variety of structural, aerodynamic, and practical possibilities. Here’s a broad exploration organized around different design and functional aspects.

---

1. Structural Integration and Variability in Hoop Shapes
**Shapes and Form**: Hoops may be circular, oval, or custom-shaped to align with specific aerodynamic or structural needs. Flat whiskers, slats, or flattened arcs could serve as structural elements forming partial or full hoops. For example:
Cross Lines: These can stabilize hoop shapes and maintain airfoil curves.
Attached Fill Fabric or Encasing: Attaching fabric directly to hoops or encasing hoops in lightweight fabric could enhance structural integrity while doubling as sail support.
**Closing Mechanisms**: Use clips, ties, rivets, pins, or even hook-and-loop fasteners to join hoop segments. These choices could enable easy assembly/disassembly and allow various packing configurations.
**Material Considerations**: Choosing materials like carbon fiber for lightweight stiffness, aluminum for durability, or even flexible composites could offer varying levels of flexibility and resilience.

2. Material Options and Weight Management
**Material Exploration**: Lightweight metals, composite slats, or carbon-fiber hoops offer distinct advantages:
Carbon Fiber: Provides high stiffness-to-weight ratio, essential for maintaining hoop shape under aerodynamic loads.
Flexible Composites or Metals: Materials like fiberglass or thin-walled aluminum could allow slight flexibility for dynamic responses to airflow while minimizing weight.
**Lightening Holes**: Introducing perforations in slats can reduce mass, enhancing lateral flexibility while preserving the hoop's depth.

3. Aerodynamic Functions
**Lift and Stability**: Well-shaped hoops can help maintain specific airfoil shapes, especially in designs like a reflexing tail or wingtip tabs, which impact lift.
**Curvature and Control**: Shape-contoured hoops could support a cambered or reflexed profile, improving glide angle or adding stability.
**Tabulation Effects**: Tabs or mini-slat configurations on hoop edges could create small vortexes, increasing boundary layer control for more stability in turbulent conditions.

4. Applications in Control Mechanisms
**Aerodynamic Control Surfaces**: Hoops, particularly in wingtip or trailing-edge areas, could be adjusted to act as mini-ailerons or reflex adjusters.
**Adjustable Hoops**: With materials like bendable composites, hoops could flex under controlled loads to dynamically adjust shape mid-flight.
**Tensioning Mechanisms**: Integrating adjustable cables or crosslines with hoops could allow pilots to adjust curvature and tension during flight.

5. Packing and Assembly Design
**Nested Concentric Packing**: Hoops could be nested concentrically for compact transport, or flattened and folded to minimize bulk, making them ideal for the TPHG concept.
**Segmented Hoops for Easy Assembly**: Flat or semi-flat hoops could be designed to be assembled into a circular form on-site. This method would allow compact transport in totes or sleeves, ensuring minimal setup time.
**Folding and Latching**: Collapsible or foldable hoops could use hinge mechanisms to flatten for transport, then lock in place during assembly, ensuring a consistent shape without compromising packability.

6. Design Considerations for Hoop Width and Depth
**Lateral Thickness**: Varying the lateral thickness can affect stability and rigidity:
Thin Hoops: Suitable for lightweight, minimal structural elements, especially where flexibility is desirable.
Wide Hoops with Depth: Increased lateral width can stabilize the hoop, providing more structure for fabric or control surfaces.
**Depth as Structural Support**: By deepening hoop slats, the design gains additional resistance against bending under load, which can be beneficial for maintaining airfoil shapes without adding extra weight.

7. Hoops as Aerodynamic Enhancers
**Flow Curving**: Hoops can act as flow guides, shaping the airflow over the wing and improving lift distribution.
**Micro-Turbulence Generators**: Lightly textured hoop surfaces or even small tabs along the edges could promote beneficial micro-turbulence, reducing drag or increasing lift.
**Gurney Flap Adaptations**: Small, upward-curved elements on the trailing edge hoops can act like Gurney flaps, enhancing lift and control.

---

Brainstorm Summary: Hoops in TPHG Development
**Structural Roles**: Support for sail shape, load-bearing, aerodynamic stability.
**Packing Innovations**: Segmenting, folding, or nesting for urban-friendly compactness.
**Aerodynamic and Control Utility**: Enhancing lift, stability, control, and drag optimization.
**Customizable Assembly**: Varied materials and assembly methods could cater to different needs—lightness, flexibility, strength.

With these possibilities, integrating hoops into a hang glider like the TPHG can transform their role from simple structural elements to multifunctional, aerodynamic components that enhance performance while supporting portability and modular assembly.

[JoeF]

Further development notes on hoops that may play some part in some TPHGs:
With a single straight bendable slat or rod or reed or whisker and judicious use of string and some choices for cinching slat to itself, here is just a beginning of potential forms one might form from toted straight slats or the like:

HoopVariationsStabilizingStrings.jpg (73.82 KiB) Viewed 641 times

Other plays:
Note: A thin long slat may roll into a helical form and cinched to obtain a stronger approximate short-depth cylinder.
Note: A single slat may receive a half twist and then cinched to itself to give an approximate Mobius strip or one-sided slat.

WavOrAccordion.jpg (64.86 KiB) Viewed 638 times

HoopShaping001.jpg (12.32 KiB) Viewed 638 times

MultipleHoopsStabilizedByString.jpg (19.95 KiB) Viewed 638 times

Note: A particular form might be oriented one way or 90 degrees from that way, etc.
=========================

[JoeF]

It might be profitable to pause and see a heavier non-TPHG assembly:



=====================================
Maybe something for TPHG spars:

DOI:10.1061/9780784483374.100Corpus ID: 221970619
Deployable Tensegrity Lunar Tower
Muhao Chen, R. Goyal, +1 author R. Skelton
Published 27 September 2020
Engineering, Physics
arXiv: Applied Physics

TLDR
A tensegrity tower design to support a given payload for the moon mining operation is proposed, subject to the yielding constraints for strings and yielding and buckling constraints for bars in the presence of lunar gravity.

[Semper Fidelis]

As you know, I've the prototype in my hands and as you can imagine, I'm "playing with".

Several details occure...

First of all, 60lbs with a 5-6 yd package is managable. But into a 4.6 ft package, 60lbs seams to be heavy. The same impression appears when you have 1kg of wood or 1kg of gold in your hand. (not talking about the feeling to be rich, just the weight). Also, 4.6 or 5.5ft is kind of a "reverse male compare", women will always tell that the size does not make the difference (into some limits).

I've tought those last days (especialy by night for me) about some remarks I've recieved, directly or indirectly, especialy from Thomas (D) and Erika (US).

The TPHG 4.6 was a challenge (yes we can), but it will not be a commercial hit because :
1. It stays HEAVY (the gold thing)
2. It is NOT CERTIFICATED (and will not be)
3. It is VERY EXPENSIVE

Regarding this, my next goal for the next TPHG will be to respect :
1. The lite weight (hopefuly <30lbs)
2. A human size but under 6ft (thinking about 5.6ft) to fit the cars
3. To be OFFICIALY CERTIFIED
4. To stay simple as all the gliders we appreciated where
5. To be set and/or dissassembled within 20min
6. Last but not lease, to be AFFORDABLE !

SEE YOU SOON WITH IT