An unusual aeroplane is among the latest batch of pictures on 1000aircraftphotos.com. It is the Aerofan Single Twin, c1984. It is a clean machine, but details seem sparse. Anyone know anything about it? The name suggests two engines driving one propeller, as in the Learfan.
I have a soft spot for pushers, although few have been commercially successful. I loved the Beech Starship, and always look up when I hear the distinctive sound of a Piaggio Avanti overhead.
Aerofan Single Twin (Bernhard Klein Collection via 1000aircraftphotos.com)
The Starship was a triumph of aerodynamics over structures (go aero!), great to fly in, and a commercial failure. The stylish Avanti has become a success, belatedly, but history is littered with unsuccessful pushers: the Learfan, JetCruzer, Avtek 400, Prescott Pusher - the list is in danger of becoming endless.
Pushers look good on paper, but maybe they are just too - different - to be successful. Mind you, if there is ever to be an open-rotor-powered airliner, there is a strong chance it will be a pusher - best to keep those whirling propellers well away from the paying passengers.
Burt Rutan's proof-of-concept Starship (Johan Visschedijk Collection via 1000aircraftphotos.com)
Comments (1)
Starship C-51 is one of most revolutianry Burt Rutan's development, already concepted and flyed.
Maybe someday we have the Starship - II on the air.
Posted by Jorge Oliveira | January 25, 2009 4:16 PM
Posted on January 25, 2009 16:16