Airframe
Firebird airframe schematic drawing, parts and description
1
Right-wing
2
Right-aft VTOL rotor arm
3
Fuselage
4
Right v-tail
5
Left v-tail
6
Avionics bay
7
Aft landing leg
8
Left-aft VTOL rotor arm
9
Left wing
10
Left-forward rotor arm
11
Payload bay
12
Forward landing leg
13
Pitot tube
14
Battery bay
15
Right-forward VTOL rotor arm
Fuselage
The fuselage is a carbon-fiber-reinforced glass-fiber semi-monocoque. The internal components are mounted on carbon fiber and amalgam-filled mounting brackets.
Wings
The load-bearing structure for the removable wings is two carbon fiber tubes that stick out of the fuselage. The wings have two matching carbon fiber tubes, which the carbon fiber airframe tubes fit into with a sliding fit. This structure is the spar of the wings. These spars support the wing's ribs, which define the airfoil cross-section.
Empennage
The empennage features a V-tail configuration, constructed similarly to the wings. The V-tail surfaces are mounted at a high dihedral angle of 45°. Each surface has a movable flight control surface, and ruddervator (rudder + elevator). The ruddervators move together for pitch control and asymmetrically for yaw control.
Landing Gear
The skid landing gear is made from fiberglass designed to absorb and distribute impact during landing. The design includes sufficient clearance to ensure the aircraft's propellers and body do not contact the ground.
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