Last February, the blog reported on the low-cost Flying Flea formula, four-motored ultralight that Nedo Lavorini built and flew. Unknown to your editor at that time, YouTube has videos of the construction of what turns out to be at least three fuselages. That answers the question of why the aircraft flew with at least two landing gear configurations. Parental and Spousal Warning: You may want to view the video privately before allowing your children (or wife) to see the following. There is a bit of eye candy in Nedo’s workshop, and even the cameraman seems to be distracted momentarily. The flying video gives a new meaning to the term “tree hugger.” The Pulce Elletricca seems not to have a great rate of climb with its four 2 kilowatt Chinese model airplane motors doing their best to lift the 330-pound all-up-weight flea. It’s a heroic effort for the pilot, and the under $5,500 total cost for the nicely crafted machine is certainly …
Pulce Elettrica in Italia
The Pou Guide site has news of this extremely small Flying Flea variant. Nedo Lavorini, a light 76 kilograms (167 pounds) flew his Pulce Electtrica (Electric Flea) of 74 kg (162.8 pounds – with batteries) on June 28, 2009 at 7:30 in the morning. An all-up weight of 150 kg (330 pounds) allows the use of four Chinese model airplane motors of 2 kW each to power the featherweight Flea. Motors are arranged in two pairs, each pair coupled to a reduction drive through a toothed belt, and all four driving a common propeller. 45-Volt, 64 Amp-hour Lithium-polymer batteries provide up to 40 minutes flying time, according to the Guide. The Pulce’s light weight and tandem wings of 5.3 meter (17.93 feet) span with a combined wing area of 13 square meters (just shy of 140 square feet), give a wing loading of a mere 11.54 kilograms per square meter, or 2.37 pounds per square foot – just right for the …