Introducing a new and exciting concept in composite aircaft parts fabrication.

The FoldaPlane

The "FoldaPlane" is a concept developed by Steve Rahm over a couple years and is now an offered parts option for those folks who don't want to build the Vision in the normal plans built format. This method allows inexpensive shipping of large prefabricated parts such as fuselages and turtledecks. These parts are shipped via UPS or similar and quickly assembled and then folded into shape.

Amateur built composite aircraft have fallen into two categories over the years. The inexpensive plans built versions and the quite expensive kits. The concept of the "FoldaPlane" is to develop a technique that allows the fast construction of kit quality parts with a minimum of cost. It allows parts to be sold at the same cost as molded parts with better results, better quality material, and in a form that can be easily shipped  We don't think you should have to choose between plans built and kit built. With the available FoldaPlane parts, you can choose as you go.

The animated graphic here shows the basic assembly and folding of a two place Vision fuselage. In addition to the commercial parts, we are helping builders use the technique with the standard materials at home. The commercially produced parts are of higher property honeycomb cores and carbon skins which are not suitable for home construction but, using the foldaplane technique, are yielding parts of 1/2 to 2/3 the home built weight.

The main advantages of pre molded kit parts are those of superior outer surfaces, which reduce finishing time, and the time savings in not needing to form the part itself. The concept of the FoldaPlane is to create an inexpensive product that can quickly be formed into near perfect finish fuselages, turtledecks, wing skins, and other surfaces.

Many people reading this are familiar with the lower fuselage shape of the Vision aircraft. Contrary to its smooth curving appearance, the Vision is made up of simple curves and flat sections.

In the FoldaPlane method, pre molded flat sheets are sent via inexpensive shipping routes anywhere in the world and guide lines are used to assemble them at your location. Here is are photos of a prototype 4 place plane being built with a customer in our shop. In the first shot you can see the outside surface of the pieces as they are bonded together after aligning the edges.

This fuselage would be shipped in sections and the exterior is already finished smoothly. The interior only has carbon fiber on the flat sections over nomex honeycomb cores. The areas that will be the radius sections are not surfaced at this time. A few very simple guiding formers are all that are needed to flop this large flexible sheet into. At that point it almost magically becomes a fuselage.

You can see that the inner curves still need fiberglass applied to lock in the shape and there is minimal sanding to align the joints along the side.

With a little time glassing the inside of the curves you have now saved hundreds of dollars in freight and built a fuselage of high tech and very light materials. This allows Vision part shipping anywhere in the world at reasonable cost.

Here are some shots of the assembly of a production FoldaPlane turtledeck which was sent out to Skylar Lee in Fresno CA. Fuselages and turtledecks arrive like this via UPS. You can choose to get them complete and folded or in sections to save a ton on freight and crating. The turtledeck is all foam and carbon but the fuselages have honeycomb in the flat sections for extra stiffness. Much of the "handling" material on the edges of the turtledeck will be cut off.

The FoldaPlane turtledeck comes in four pieces. These have joggled edges which are scuffed and then the pieces are joined together with bidircectional carbon. The joggles keep the tapes relatively flush for easy finishing.

The inside surface is then joined only in the areas of reinforcing carbon. These will be the flat sections.

Wood formers are made up and the FoldaPlane turtledeck is draped into them. You can see that the exterior will require very little finishing and joggles are placed at the trim lines and where the part will join with the fuselage.

With just a little push, the turtledeck is seated in the formers. These formers were previously slipped onto the fuselage iteself and spaced so that this turtledeck represents the shape of Skylar's actual fuselage. This takes a lot of the work out of fitting.

In his usual innovative way, Skylar used screws to hold the turtledeck in position. Very effective.

Sky's fuselage has the typical pinch in the aft section so he replicated that with a small wedge behind a longeron. You can see that he was able to attain the Vision wasp waist.

At that point, the interior foam is slurried and fiberglassed. Completing the sandwich in this way locks the shape in solidly. Much of the edge carbon will be trimmed away and is only for shaping. The specific foam and carbon combination was chosen because if flexes easily, doesn't exhibit core damage in the bend , and produces nice radii.

Having saved hundreds of dollars on crating and shipping, trading that for a few hours work, this turtledeck is lighter and nearly as finished as any molded one. In addition it is customized to perfectly fit the fuselage.

I hope this helps to explain the FoldaPlane concept. The line between a kit plane and a plans built plane should be come fuzzier and people should be able to pick and choose between the hands on method of building everything themselves and the convenience and available properties of reasonable expense prefabricated parts. With the Vision the decision of whether to build a kit or plans built plane becomes a little less relevant. Our goal is to help you build your plane.

Inexpensive parts

Inexpensive shipping

Purchase parts one at a time with no danger that you won't be able to finish your airplane.

Blur the line between kits and plans built. You shouldn't have to choose!

A new project making extensive use of the FoldaPlane technique - this time in less expensive, but heavier foam and fiberglass- is Morgan Hunter's prototype of our Covair powered Personal Cruiser