I used up my entire allotment of blunders for the year in our July issue, where 1) I incorrectly referred to a Robertson STOL conversion as Robinson; 2) I said that the small forward lifting surfaces on the Robertson Wren 460 (a modified Cessna 182) were nicknamed “Wren’s teeth,” when in fact that name applied to rows of movable vortex generators on the wings that assisted in roll control at very low speeds; and 3) I described the Beech Starship as a “2,000 hp VariEze” when in fact it was a 2,400 hp VariEze.
The Piaggio Avanti is Strange, but Great
Key Takeaways:
- The author clarifies the distinction between a "canard" aircraft configuration and a "three-surface" configuration, classifying the Piaggio Avanti as the latter due to its conventional aft elevator for pitch control.
- True canard designs are inherently limited, requiring the foreplane to stall before the main wing and preventing the use of powerful high-lift devices, resulting in larger, heavier, and less efficient main wings.
- The three-surface configuration, exemplified by the Avanti, overcomes these limitations by using an aft elevator for pitch control, allowing the main wing to utilize advanced high-lift devices for greater efficiency, higher performance, and better fuel tankage.
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