AF Light Air Support Aircraft

[contraildash]

Have a laugh:

Stavatti "A/C" vs real A/C

and more on the "CEO"

Christopher Beskar

A creative visionary, Mr. Beskar is also focused upon the production of next generation, civilian aerospace vehicles, propulsion systems and insuring the advancement of interplanetary manned spaceflight. Mr. Beskar received a B.S. in Physics from University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 1997. Mr. Beskar has over 2,000 flight hours in various tactical and general aviation aircraft. Mr. Beskar is a member of the AIAA, AFA, EAA and plays the bagpipes.

I agree with some things I've seen written about this guy, he seems so wrapped up in a fantasy that he's spun up all on his own.

Some more for ya:

source

I am interested in purchasing/leasing the SLEEK in the near future, can any pre-orders be made? anything in that sense?

Are there any current pictures available of any prototypes as the CG graphics don't give a real good impression of the quality...

Will this unit be truly this cheap?

I am looking forward to a response.

Dear Mr. Blokker,

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the SLEEK Sportplane. I apologize for the delay in our response, but your comment regarding the photos prompted our rendering department to get back to work! Attached as a JPG file is a current rendering of the SLEEK in a hypothetical paint scheme.

Regarding pre-orders, Stavatti does have a "Letter of Intent (LOI)" package which we can email to you as a PDF file that essentially secures a SLEEK production article. As the prototype of the aircraft has not yet flown, such LOIs are deposit-less at the time, however, once the prototype is air-borne and has at least 100 hours tach-time, we will begin accepting 5% deposits on secured production slots. That 5% deposit will then be followed by a 20% deposit once the aircraft actually enters Full Rate Production. We presently have about 45 'orders' for the aircraft (issued LOIs) not including military interest.

Regarding pricing, we are yet working with our Industry Team Members to determine ultimate flyaway costs. We are presently listing the Orenda OE600A powered SLEEK at approximately $600,000, but that is dependent upon customer selected avionics and interior configuration. We are considering a variety of powerplant configurations, including models powered by PZL radial engines and PT6 turboprops alike, hence the actual flyaway cost will vary between $500,000 and $1 million. As the SLEEK is ultimately a derivative of our MACHETE COIN aircraft, it is theoretically possible to have variants powered by the PW127 series engine, although the unit cost on those aircraft reaches over $3 million. Pure turbofan variants are also being considered at this time due to the flexibility offered by the pusher configuration, but that is ultimately based upon our work regarding the SM-47 Super Machete (which is a pure turbofan Lead-In Fighter).

To be frank, we have focused most of our efforts upon completing the MACHETE program, which will enter production first. The MACHETE satisfies an immediate military need both domestically and abroad and as it is the basis for the SLEEK, receiving full military certification and qualification for the MACHETE is ultimately extremely beneficial for the SLEEK. When the SLEEK finally does enter production (about one to two years after the MACHETE), the aerodynamics of the configuration should be well proven with assured reliability. In essence, we view the MACHETE as a 21st century P-51 or A-1 Skyraider. The SLEEK will provide civilian customers the opportunity to own a demilitarized aircraft based on a real-life fighter, which should be quite a charge. This appeals to quite a few current and former military pilots (hence our renderings depict pilots in military flight gear on optional Martin Baker Crashworthy (not ejection) seats! )

I hope this information is of assistance. As our MACHETE program evolves we will be placing far greater emphasis upon the SLEEK, however, we would be happy to send you out an LOI package and add you to our list of potential SLEEK customers if you are interested.

Best Regards and thanks for your inquiry,

Chistopher R. Beskar

STAVATTI™

TEL: 208-263-6081

FAX: 208-263-8059

[OverTQ]

The Piaggio is a Italian made aircraft with a rear facing prop design. Cool pictures of the MACHETE. Maybe it will show up one day, in video game.

[Guest CA]

https://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com/military/at-6_ab/R0816AT-6_LithoUpdate.pdf

Check her out.

Where do I sign up? You guys can have your F-22's and C-130's.. I'll take one of these!

[kapilot]

However, I sure driving an AT-6 or similiar aircraft from the states to anywhere overseas wouldn't be a whole ton o' fun.

wouldn't it make more sense to drop the wings and transport them over?

[Stitch]

wouldn't it make more sense to drop the wings and transport them over?

How about a “folding wing” like the old F6F Hellcat? Stuff em’ in a FRED or a C-17 and send them off, once at the overseas location un-fold the wings, lock em the place, service, pre-flight, crew ready a crap load faster than dropping the wings, packing them up, shipping them (greatly increasing the chance for damage), re-hanging them, re-rig the flight controls, a billion functional control checks, etc, etc…

[kapilot]

How about a “folding wing” like the old F6F Hellcat?

That is actually a pretty good idea. I think a corsair wing fold might be easier. I don't know I'm not an engineer. But while were dreaming lets make it so that they can deploy from a transport while in flight open the back door and all of the sudden you have a swarm of attack planes pouring out the back.

[HU&W]

That is actually a pretty good idea. I think a corsair wing fold might be easier. I don't know I'm not an engineer. But while were dreaming lets make it so that they can deploy from a transport while in flight open the back door and all of the sudden you have a swarm of attack planes pouring out the back.

Sure, and you can even have the pilots stay on the cargo plane to remotely control the swarm...

[nsplayr]

Folding wing wouldn't fit in with the point of light-attack...i.e. using them for a time, training up partner nation to use them, leaving them with the plane to fight their own internal conflicts so we can rehack and do it again somewhere else. This plane needs to be as uncomplicated as possible IMHO and the ass pain of ferrying them to overseas locations (can we say 10-day tour across the world?) is less then the ass pain of teaching a foreign mechanic how to service a crazy folding-wing contraption.

Like the idea of having a airborne carrier that launches fighters...that would rule.

[Guest 3GAF]

Like the idea of having a airborne carrier that launches fighters...that would rule.

The idea has been explored with more depth and seriousness than most aviators know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Macon_%28ZRS-5%29

I've always thought that piece of historical trivia was pretty damn cool.

[FlyinGrunt]

I'll volunteer for the ferry op, so long as I get to take the "south" route. Talk about some GREAT places to RON . . .

[scoobs]

Thinking ahead what track will this come from?

[Whitman]

Thinking ahead what track will this come from?

Scoobs, things will change 69 more times before you go to UPT in 2020 so no use worrying about it now.

[HoHum]

That is actually a pretty good idea. I think a corsair wing fold might be easier. I don't know I'm not an engineer. But while were dreaming lets make it so that they can deploy from a transport while in flight open the back door and all of the sudden you have a swarm of attack planes pouring out the back.

[kapilot]

Ginger, dude your way off. We're talking about manned platfroms.

Edited September 18, 2009 by kapilot

[tac airlifter]

Ginger, dude your way off. We're talking about manned platfroms.

Bro is that the Don Carnage air-pirate mother ship of Tail Spin? If so, well played sir.

[Stitch]

Don Karnage & the Air Pirates

GENUS PEDIGREE: Dogface (Anthropomorphic Fox or Wolf).

KNOWN ALIASES: unknown

KNOWN RELATIVES: unknown

KNOWN PETS: unknown

CITIZENSHIP: Pirate Island

KNOWN CONFIDANTS: Dumptruck, Ratchet, Gibber, Mad Dog

KNOWN RIVALS: Baloo, Kit, Rebecca

PARAPHERNALIA: Sword; Airship: The Iron Vulture.

1st PRINT APPEARANCE: "Disney's TaleSpin Limited Series: Take Off" #1 (Jan. 1991); "Disney's TaleSpin" #1 (June 1991).

1st FILM APPEARANCE: "TaleSpin: Plunder and Lightening" 2 hr. television special (Sep. 7, 1990); which launched the series "Tale Spin."

VOICE ACTOR: Jim Cummings

SIGNATURE: unknown

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS: Don Karnage is the foxy and cunning leader of a band of villianous Air Pirates. He is renown for his strange jumble of French, Spanish, and Italian accent, and his malappropriate use of the English language. Karnage fancies himself to be a swashbuckler, dashing and debonaire, but he's still a dirty rotten scoundrel, though he's really not evil, per se. Has a tremendous ego, and is constantly tripping over it. He is very intelligent, and very quick to temper. Wears a Napoleon style uniform, white breeches and black boots, and a large sword in true pirate style. He and his "loyal" band are all wanted criminals in the fortressed city of Cape Suzette. Noted among his followers are Dumptruck, Hacksaw, Ratchet, Gibber and Mad Dog. Kit Cloudkicker was once an Air Pirate as well. His secret hideout, Pirate Island, is located inside a volcano somewhere near the coastal city. His Air Pirates often patrol the outskirts of Cape Suzette in his flying fortress carrier called the "Iron Vulture." There they lie in wait within the clouds for an unsuspecting pilots to pass so they can run an air raid. Karnage and his air pirates are a constant harassment for Baloo and company, as well. See also the DTA entry under "Disney's TaleSpin."

HISTORICAL FACTS: unknown

LITTLE KNOWN SECRETS: unknown

WORKING THEORIES: unknown

[hobbitcid]

Here is the ultimate bruiser of an Attack/COIN aircraft for SOF/CAS... The Turbo Skyraider. This would be a real beast...

[Stitch]

Just to add some fuel to the USA vs. Airbus fire, Airbus builds a small trainer which I'm sure could be made into a lite attack acft. The EADS PZL-130 "Orlik" TC-II

OBTW, I think the Turbo Skyraider is an awesome freaking bomb truck! Get some

[FlyinGrunt]

After seeing that Turbo Skyraider, I have only one question: why aren't these already flying? I mean hell, does anyone disagree a modern A-1 is precisely what we need right now for that COIN attack role?

[ClearedHot]

After seeing that Turbo Skyraider, I have only one question: why aren't these already flying? I mean hell, does anyone disagree a modern A-1 is precisely what we need right now for that COIN attack role?

I completely disagree.

The A-1 is too big and too expensive to operate. By definition a COIN aircraft should be simple AND inexpensive to purchase, operate, and maintain. The A-1 was a beast and it is far bigger than the current need for a COIN aircraft, and why would I need ECM pods in a COIN environment? Also, I don't see the need to haul multiple GBU-10's, ECM pods, AND a shit-ton of other things. There is a point of diminishing returns when it comes to hauling crap around the battlespace.

The Super T and the AT-6B are better suited because of their smaller size and lower operating cost AND they both already have a second seat which again fits the COIN model....build partner nation capacity by training THEM how to provide their own fires so we can go home.

Trust me, i would love to fly a tricked out super Skyraider deluxe with a pimped out engine, avionics, and weapons, but that is not necessarily what our partner nations need.

[Hacker]

After seeing that Turbo Skyraider, I have only one question: why aren't these already flying? I mean hell, does anyone disagree a modern A-1 is precisely what we need right now for that COIN attack role?

Other than the fact that:

- For decades the USAF has scoffed the CAS/COIN mission

- The acquisitions process is so utterly broken that it takes decades to design, build, test, and field a military aircraft these days.

Dave Lindsay tried to sell the USAF on the Piper Enforcer for damn near two decades, and time after time the USAF said "not just no, but HELL no!"

[FlyinGrunt]

Hacker - I hear ya man, I was more interested in the recent past i.e. what CH mentioned. I didn't realize that the Skyraider was so expensive to operate; however in terms of flying low and slow, I'd feel a LOT safer in a new A-1 than a AT-6B. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in terms of redundancy, self-sealing fuel tanks, etc etc features designed for combat aircraft, the A-1 was quite hard to kill, whereas the AT-6B has little to none of these. As for the super T, I'm not as familiar, other than the superior payload capacity over the AT-6B. How is it kitted out for a manpad/small arms threat environment?

As for the second seat, what about revamping the A-1E instead of the A-1H design? (I think I've got the designations right) Seems that would solve the problem.

[Hacker]

The Super T and the AT-6B are better suited because of their smaller size and lower operating cost AND they both already have a second seat which again fits the COIN model....build partner nation capacity by training THEM how to provide their own fires so we can go home.

Wish somebody had thought of that, say, 20 or 30 years ago.

Dual cockpit, dual control, T55 engine (same as in the Chinook) and (could) carry/drop anything you could hang from a 1,000 pound bomb rack (including targeting/shooting a Maverick).

Also, a version of it carried the largest gun ever mounted on a combat aircraft (sorry Gunship guys), the 106mm recoilless rifle

Nuthin new under the sun...just a very short memory in the USAF accompanied by a corporate failure to learn from the past.

Edited October 16, 2009 by Hacker

[Stitch]

Folding wing wouldn't fit in with the point of light-attack...This plane needs to be as uncomplicated as possible IMHO and the ass pain of ferrying them to overseas locations (can we say 10-day tour across the world?) is less then the ass pain of teaching a foreign mechanic how to service a crazy folding-wing contraption.

Not complicated at all, wing swings down/unfold, the crew chief locks it into place, off ya go.

Watch some Discover/History Channel sometime and watch the Hellcats, Wildcats, etc... launch off the carriers these guys just started engines, taxied, unfolded wings, launched, spanked (sts) some Zeros, went back to the boat. Repeat as required. Wait for nukes, VJ Day, go home, start baby-boom.

[hobbitcid]

Cleared Hot,

I'd have to disagree

The USAF decided to go to the A-1 during Vietnam because it had much more capability down low and slow in the flak heavy environment of CSAR and COIN. Granted in its primary form, it is a maintenance heavy nightmare but if you update the platform replacing airframe aluminum and steel with titanium, composites and kevlar, vacuum tube avionics with digital avionics, comms and weapons systems and the radial engine with one or two (via coupled turboshaft) turbo prop engines then you would have a lighter, faster, more robust aircraft with the ability to operate in all environments. The short pole would of course be the requirement for air supremacy or at least air superiority.

With regard to the weapons, granted ECM pods and GBUs are not necessary in the COIN environment. However, if your replace these heavy weapons with rockets, hellfire, maverick missiles, cluster bombs and 30mm gun pods, you would have a killer weapons system that could stay long, carry a heavy load and handle the small arms air threat that characterizes the COIN battlespace. In fact, the Turbo-Skyraider could take the Sandy Role back from the A-10 and in some cases (threat dependent) support SCAR and AFAC missions.

Bottom line, old becomes new in the aviation all the time. The first tilt rotors were tested in the 50's. The F-4E was built with a gun because because the USAF realized that it still needed to dog-fight in close. The F-4D had issues in close...

Maybe its time to bring the A-1 back with 21st century technology... It would be a killer COIN/CSAR/AFAC aircraft in the right hands.