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Cargo Pod

David Shelton

David Shelton

Well Known Member
The RV-10 looks like an excellent candidate for a cargo pod; large useful payload but small baggage area. I?m working on some new cargo pod designs and I?d be happy to develop one for the RV-10 if there is enough interest. I?ll describe my pods below and I?d love to hear feedback here or at my online survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=z2hHQ3rpu2gFr3JDVutbrw_3d_3d

In addition, I?d be interested in teaming with an RV-10 owner, providing a free or discounted pod in exchange for evaluation on their aircraft.

Removable Design
Conventional pods are normally designed with working airplanes in mind. Since working airplanes rarely need to remove their pods, they tend to mount with dozens of fasteners like a large cowling. Installation commonly requires a helper and 30 minutes of wrestling.
Personal airplanes have different needs. It is desirable to use cargo pods on certain trips but remove it for routine flights. We?re developing the first cargo pods that are easily removable, providing awesome hauling capability when you need it then converting to a clean airframe when you don?t. The new pods may be attached or removed in as little as two minutes, without assistance or tools.
How does it work? A built-in winch system allows you to hoist the pod up to the belly for attachment and lower it to the ground during removal. The attachment hardware is self-aligning and the pod is secured with four quick-release pins at reinforced attachment points.

Top-Loading
Conventional cargo pods may only be loaded through a door. These pods add considerable payload volume but they will not accept any cargo that is larger than the door. Our cargo pods may be easily removed for top-loading of larger items such as bicycles or deer! After loading, the integral winch system is strong enough to hoist the fully-loaded pod back up to the belly for reattachment.

Optional Motorcycle
These removable pods were originally designed for the purpose of hauling street-legal motorcycles. We have developed a 225 lb street-legal motorcycle with a reliable 4-cycle engine, electric start, highway performance and two-up riding. It quickly folds to a width of 12 inches and stores on its side without leaks. Within minutes of landing, it is possible to extract the motorcycle, unfold the handlebars and ride away. The motorcycle provides fun and convenient ground transportation at any airport and makes new cross-country adventures possible. It?s a great way to ride into town, reach new places or explore your destination.

Construction
Vacuum-bagged composite sandwich construction. Aluminum honeycomb is utilized in the floor for durability. Mounting rails will accept movable tie-downs, dividers, ski racks and other accessories. Optional NACA vents are required for motorcycle storage. A pod for the RV-10 would likely weight about 45 pounds with a gross weight of 300 pounds. The additional drag would reduce cruise performance by 6-8 knots.
 
I love the idea. in fact, i posted the same wish/desire some time back. every other minivan on the highway has a Thule or Yakima cargo pod on top of the car. i thought it would be great to see one modded onto an airplane, like they do on Cubs and Huskies.

img_354431.jpg


i never thought about hauling a motorcycle in one. my main desire would be to haul the same type of cargo the average family in a minivan would carry in their cargo pod on top of the car. in addition, if it could fit longer bulkier items like golf clubs, snowboard, skiis, or surfboards, that would be truly incredible. these are fairly light but bulky items that could get hauled around in a utilitarian-type space, separate from the cabin compartment.

i can just imagine the practical challenges to overcome, but in my book, this would be a dream come true!

Jae
 
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Bingo, if our cars can carry a Thule, why can't our airplane? I'd personally use it frequently for my mountain bike and other toys that don't fit. It would also be great for dirty camping gear which I hate to put near a $15k leather interior!

There are certainly challenges to overcome but luckily certification isn't one of them! I sketched some possibilities this morning:
RV-10 Pod.jpg


I just built this similar pod for another airplane. It adds about 20 cubic feet of storage volume. If you remove the pod for top-loading, it will carry items as large as 65"x36"x12" between the bulkheads. With low-cut bulkheads, it will be possible to carry items up to 8ft in length.
Pod-small.jpg


Here is a motorcycle that I modified to fit inside a cargo pod. The handlebars and pegs quickly fold to a width of 12" and the whole motorcycle stores on its side. I was able to drop the weight down to 225 and it has no problems keeping up with traffic on the highway. I can't wait to fly with it in the spring and visit all the off-airport places that I've been missing.
Motorcycle-small2.JPG


-David
 
cargo pod

I'd love to see a cargo pod that resembles the centerline external fuel tank on the F-15... golf clubs anyone? Hard points?
Best
Brian
 
Usable volume?

I'd be interested in knowing what the usable volume of the POD would be. Also, how much weight could you put in it?
 
Brian, they sure do make some interesting pods for the F-15. My pod would likely require four hard points on the RV-10. Typical hard points would consist of a simple doubler and attachment fitting.

Fmarino, I would expect the usable volume to be 15-20 cubic feet. The pod would likely hold 250-300 pounds of cargo. One important benefit?the cargo is stored near the CG.

If I can find an RV-10 owner to work with, I?ll be willing to provide them with a cargo pod at reduced cost or free. The RV-10 owner would need to install the hard points per my drawings and evaluate the pod on their aircraft. The primary goals are:

1) Verify safe handling and flight characteristics throughout the operating envelope.

2) Measure effects on performance (6-8 knots typical).

3) Evaluate the design through normal use.

*I have a test pilot available for first flights if the RV-10 owner prefers. He has 17,000 hours including first flights in 30+ experimental aircraft.

I?m also particularly interested in demonstrating the first light aircraft to conveniently haul a street-legal motorcycle. From Glenn Curtis to NASA, more than 100 attempts have been made to develop a practical roadable airplane. Noting that 20% of pilots own motorcycles, I believe that motorcycles may provide a practical ground transportation solution.

Any takers?

-David Shelton
847-651-4373

PS- I?m located at Poplar Grove (C77) in Illinois
 
David,

Very interesting and if this is developed, I will take one for sure.

The pod in the photos would also make a great little dingy, develop some simple 'plugs' et al to cover the holes etc, chuck on a 2hp outboard and viola!! You could have air/water/ground motorized transport all covered at the same time...
 
Ha. Your not the first person to mention a boat! We've have a lake at our airport so I just might have to try that before it gets too cold.

-David
 
Have you thought about protecting the pod from the heat exhaust? There is an NTSB file regarding a Cessna in Alaska about a year ago who's external load of wood caught fire due to the exhaust heat.

Vic
 
Vic,

Wow! He must have put his wood pretty close to the exhaust! I believe that dry wood can ignite at only 300 degrees F! Do you know if the pilot was alright?

The pod itself should provide excellent protection from the exhaust heat. Fiberglass itself is a fairly fire retardant material and the pods streamlined shape will deflect the exhaust, resulting in lower surface temps than if the exhaust were impinging upon a blunt surface. The biggest problem with exhaust is likely the possibility for long-term warping. Epoxy resins have a Tg (glass transition temperature) at which point they lose considerable strength and begin to warp. For this reason, I post-cure my parts at an elevated temperature which tends to raise the Tg.

Hauling a motorcycle does introduce fire concerns, primarily because of the fuel tank! I've taken a layered approach to fire safety that goes beyond what the FAA wanted me to do for certified aircraft. Here are some of the precautions:

1) The fuel tank, carb and crankcase have been re-vented to prevent fluid loss in flight.

2) All vent lines now terminate in an 8oz catch can to provide a second layer of protection against leaks.

3) Drain grommets in the floor of the pod will evacuate flammable liquids in the event of a spill.

4) An NACA duct and aft vent establish ventillation to prevent the buildup of flammable vapor.

5) The motorcycle fuel tank has been stuffed with fuel cell foam to prevent explosion in the event of a crash.

-David
 
Looking at the time frame of the original post (2007), and that the original poster, David Shelton, is from belvidere, IL, the same location as the motopod, must be one and the same!
 
David, it is interesting u mentioned a pod for a 10. I am building a 10 right mow. I live mostly in Alaska and am a bish pilot up there. I flew my super cub down from Alaska last friday to wyoming where I will winter and work on my 10. I am diffinitly building a pod for my 10. Out of carbon fiber and vaccum bagging it. I am going to put a side and rear door in. I am making sure that all my antannas that I put on are going to stay clear and out of the way. You can pm me if you want and I will give u my number if u want to call. I was going to make a mold and also sell a few of these myself.
 
Didn't see second page when I posted. Looks like there is someone making these already so everyone can ignore my post but I will still be making one for my plane.
 
The Motopod has been around for some time - in fact I seriously considered adding the hard points, but I was too far along in the build. Someday, I might just add them when the opportunity arises.
John
 
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