A plane Chris Byrne could love.

[Highspeed]

My current project ( seeing as I have no workshop and no funds to build one ) is building 3D CAD models of aircraft and running them through CFD virtual wind tunnel simulations ( thanks to the magic of the Piratebay, where I can get tens of thousands of dollars worth of engineering software for free, once I eventually go through the cracking process outlined in broken English by some Russian dude )
I'm up to the Bell-X1-B so far, I expect I'll catch up in about another 50 years - anyone think that swept wings might help ?

[Steamforger]

I'm instantly suspicious of any use of the word synergy.

[Netpackrat]

Also, they're looking at using the 180hp or 200hp deltahawk diesel... good choice.

Might as well pick a vapor engine to go with a vapor airplane.

Hey now.... they've already started delivering small quantities of powerplants... It's not vaporware... it's just piecework at this point.

I started watching their website well over 15 years ago. Nice to know they have "already started" finally shipping engines. Does that mean there is someplace I can actually buy one if I want to plunk down my money? Something tells me they aren't going to cost much, if any less than an equivalent power Lycontosaur, let alone the $15,000 they were originally projecting, even if you adjust for inflation.

[Termite]

There's a lot of cutting edge aviation stuff out there that will work; it's not just theory.

The big problem is......$ $ $..... or more correctly, the lack there of.

Burt Rutan was called a dreamer and laughed at....until he scratched together enough money to build a couple of his planes, and show that they worked. Then Beechcraft had him design the Starship; even though it wasn't a commercial success, it proved Rutan's ideas on composite construction for airplanes. Then Rutan found himself a "Daddy Warbucks" in the form of one Richard Burton, a multi-multi-millionare who was also a fellow dreamer. And the rest is history.....and perhaps the future.

I hope that McGinnis's creation lives up to the promises. And it's some BIG promises. 1.5 mph per horsepower or greater, light jet range( at 30-40mpg), and able to utilize 3000 ft runways.
Even if it delivers, what will be the price?
Well, a Cirrus SR22T costs over $700K new, carries 4, and cruises about 200mph getting approx 14 mpg.
If this thing can cruise 250 mph, getting 30 mpg, carry 5-6, and price in at under $250K, I'd say he's gonna leapfrog the competition.

We shall see.

[Netpackrat]

Paul Moller, call your office.

[Termite]

McGinnis is obsessive...

No kidding; apparently about getting his design stolen, and any in depth performance numbers.

When I spoke with him, he was very evasive until I told him I was an EAA member, and gave him my local chapter name and my membership number.

[Netpackrat]

Best of luck to them, but aviation is littered with the corpses of aircraft and companies that had more going for them.

[Termite]

I would be extremely happy with a Velocity SE-RG with IO-360. Although a 200 DeltaHawk engine would make it more better.....