Here I’ll post some series’ of shots of test-flights of my own designs here. From time to time I may even post the aircraft itself for download.

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Had a vivid dream of a SSTO spaceplane last night, and so I set to work trying to re-create it in X-plane today…

Relatively small, two seats in tandem. Non-cryogenic fuels compatible with both rockets and jets stored in the relatively thick wings and in the fuselage and tail-booms.

Today’s test-flight is sub-orbital. Future flights are hoped to reach low orbit, though this may require additional fuel capacity using external tanks, which could be collected in orbit.

Take-off is rapid with full-afterburner, even fully-loaded. Might be worthwhile to use dry-thrust only in future, conserving fuel for later…

Once airborne and cleaned up, the aircraft is pulled up into a vertical climb. Two jet engines with ‘advanced’ intakes take the aircraft up to around 70,000ft and Mach 3+

As the air begins to get thin and jet thrust starts reducing, the two liquid rockets are ignited, continuing acceleration.

When the air gets too thin, the jets are shut-down, and the craft continues to climb on rocket thrust only.

Once the main fuel is exhausted, the craft coasts up to 800,000ft. Beware of passing satellites!

The spacecraft then begins to fall. RAPIDLY. With no air-resistance (or almost none) to create drag, speed builds up rapidly. A chute is deployed to stabilize the falling craft, and create more drag as the atmosphere slowly thickens.

As aerodynamic controls become effective again, the craft is brought level, and the jet engines are switched to auxiliary fuel for the flight back to base. We have re-entered about 50nm from our take-off point.

Sharp ‘S’ turns to slow the aircraft on final approach. Note to self: Install speedbrakes!

Gentle touch-down, with enough fuel remaining to taxi to the ramp. Now we can re-fuel and fly again, if required. Today, however, the designers are taking the aircraft away for modification.

Credit:
Flight Of The Voidhawk

I’m a new member looking for feedback on my designs. They’re all in here: http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?autoco…esults&mid=5347 , and any comments, ideas and constructive critisisms on the subject of handling would be recieved with thanks (I know the panels and the paint jobs are pedestrian at best, but that’s not really my main area of interest.) Here are some pics:[attachmentid=12762] [attachmentid=12763] [attachmentid=12765] [attachmentid=12767] [attachmentid=12769]

I think they’re quite nice

More:
Pm Aircraft