{"id":11864,"date":"2018-08-09T23:07:44","date_gmt":"2018-08-10T06:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=11864"},"modified":"2018-08-09T23:07:44","modified_gmt":"2018-08-10T06:07:44","slug":"coots-and-e-gulls-at-oshkosh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/coots-and-e-gulls-at-oshkosh\/","title":{"rendered":"Coots and e-Gulls at Oshkosh"},"content":{"rendered":"

As many readers know, Richard Steeves, a physician <\/a>and teacher<\/a> at the University of Wisconsin \u2013 Madison is also a builder and long-time advocate for an amphibious aircraft called the Coot.\u00a0 He publishes the Coot Builders Newsletter and stages a recurring AirVenture event, a yearly get-together of fellow Coot builders<\/a>.\u00a0 Recently, he got into electric aviation and has built and flies Bravo, an e-Gull designed by Mark Beierle<\/a>.\u00a0 Richard\u2019s newsletter<\/a> now features articles about amphibians and electric flight.<\/p>\n

Mark showed up at Richard\u2019s hangar at the Sauk Prairie Airport, a lovely stretch of green bordered by hangars and bisected by a concrete runway pointing south toward Madison and north toward the Wisconsin Dells.<\/p>\n

Beierle \u201cworked very methodically and precisely to optimize Bravo beyond my dreams,\u201d according to Richard.<\/p>\n

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Mark Beierle and Richard Steeves’ example of his e-Gull, Bravo<\/p><\/div>\n

The Coot Builder\u2019s Newsletter reports, \u201cMark Beierle showed up at the Sauk Prairie (SP) airport a week before the EAA convention to build a snug-fitting cowling around Bravo\u2019s motor. The idea was to minimize aerodynamic drag and obtain the best range possible for its 11.4 kWh battery.<\/p>\n

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tufts show clean airflow leading over cowling added by Mark Beierle.\u00a0 Wing shows absolutely flush riviting that comes with a Beierle-built kit.\u00a0 Richard adds, “Notice the raised red \u201cbrow\u201d over the leading edge of the wing in the center. This was a big insight, and nicely corrected by Mark.”<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cTo test its effectiveness, Mark flew next to the runway, 3 feet above the grass, while I drove down the runway\u2019s centerline and Mike Cummings took images. Happily, all the yarns streamed back without any flaws. Testing the upper cowling wasn\u2019t as easy, for it required that Mark fly close to me, and take photos from above. At first I was concerned about 2 planes flying so close to each other, but Mark is a superb pilot, and he buzzed around me for the needed images while I flew steadily in stable air.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Bravo underview photographed as plane flew low down Sauk City runway.\u00a0 Cowlings under the wing contribute to smooth flow, excellent cooling for motor<\/p><\/div>\n

“Yes, the airflow over the controller was perfect, and the battery didn\u2019t overheat even with the side\u00a0\u201cblisters\u201d closing off air access almost completely.<\/p>\n

“The only time the battery overheated was in Markesan, with two chargers going in hot weather, and the weather slowed us\u00a0down there anyway.<\/p>\n

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Bravo in flight on the trip to Oshkosh<\/p><\/div>\n

“Mark did all his tests and also flew with me to Oshkosh in an old J-model ICE-powered Soaring Gull that he sold at Oshkosh to a [customer] from Ohio.<\/p>\n

“It was great to have Mark flying next to me all the way to Oshkosh. For greatest efficiency and energy reserve, I flew Bravo at 50 mph (8 kW) and landed twice (Portage and Markesan) for recharging, which took only 2 hours at each stop.\u00a0 …The Portage airport… manager, John Poppy, took good care of us as we waited for rain showers to pass.”<\/p>\n

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A rainbow over Portage welcomes Bravo<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t imagine how much I appreciated Mark\u2019s presence on the flight to Oshkosh in pretty bad weather\u2026took us 3 days, camping at each stop.<\/p>\n

“Also, the approach & landing in the cramped little grass strip in the UL area was challenging for the first time, but was easy once there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Seaplane Base Gathering<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Coot Builders’ meeting at the newly-renovated seaplane base drew an appreciable crowd of Coot and e-Gull aficionados<\/p><\/div>\n

“Although seriously outnumbered by Cooters, e-Gull enthusiasts were also present, including its designer, Mark Beierle, chief assistant Mike Cummings, and a new kit-builder, Ray St. Laurent (NB).<\/p>\n

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Talk about a car-toppable ultralight!\u00a0 Ray St. Laurent ready to haul a kit e-Gull to New Brunswick<\/p><\/div>\n

The day after the Coot meeting we pooled efforts to mount a complete kit onto the top of Ray\u2019s little Pontiac Vibe. He actually made it back to New Brunswick this way with only minor issues. Best of luck building and flying your e-Gull, Ray!”<\/p>\n

Perhaps as a vision of a plausible future, Richard says that Mark is considering an amphibious form of the e-Gull, thus combining Richard’s two great loves in flying.<\/p>\n