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Description
| Manufacturer: | Goodyear | |
| Base model: | AO | |
| Designation: | XAO-3 | |
| Version: | G1 | |
| Nickname: | Inflatoplane | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1956-1962 | |
| Basic role: | Airplane, Observation | |
| Status: | Experimental | |
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| United States Army Aviation Museum | Ozark | Alabama |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Joseph J. Mitchener Colorado Springs, CO | Thinking about powered paragliding. One drawback is the slow flight speed (30-35 mph). An inflatable wing would be stiffer and would require fewer shrouds. This should make it have much less drag. That should allow for faster travel. Like the old Goodyear planes, the engine that drives the prop cud also run an air pump. Anyone know of any outfit or person who has developed/tested such a wing?
04/04/2009 @ 15:07 [ref: 24073] |
| Bill Gilbert Perth W.A., OTH | I have been trying to find a machine that could build the inflatoplane wing with the drop thread nylon in the shape of naca 0015 or naca 0018.I have studied this inflatoplane been to visit the aircraft have copies of lots of papers on the subject including wind tunnel test and believe the aircraft would be a great hit. I would like to build them but need to get in touch with a textile engineer to complete the wing, can anybody help or does any one now or a better way of manufacturing the wing.Please call captbillgilbert007 on skype or captbillgilbert@hotmail.com 04/03/2009 @ 23:10 [ref: 24071] |
| Bill Gilbert Perth W.A., OTH | I have been trying to find a machine that could build the inflatoplane wing with the drop thread nylon in the shape of naca 0015 or naca 0018.I have studied this inflatoplane been to visit the aircraft have copies of lots of papers on the subject including wind tunnel test and believe the aircraft would be a great hit. I would like to build them but need to get in touch with a textile engineer to complete the wing, can anybody help or does any one now or a better way of manufacturing the wing.Please call captbillgilbert007 on skype or captbillgilbert@hotmail.com 04/03/2009 @ 23:10 [ref: 24070] |
| Tony Harding Rittman, OH | Interesting reading.
Would Harold Hight who posted here on 04/05/2007 please contact me at tonyh_akron@hotmail.com. 04/18/2007 @ 05:05 [ref: 16218] |
| Harold Hight Munroe Falls, OH | My father was involved in the inflatoplane project and I still have his salesman's notebook with lots of 8 x 10 glossy photos and specs on the later GA 468 (single) and GA 466 (two place). According to a 1991 Loral company newsletter, of the 12 built between 1955 & 1959 3 were sent to museums for display and a 4th was requested by the Army Aviation Museum. My father told me story that a fellow in Mass.? bought several at an army surplus store/auction and would not let Goodyear buy them back years later. Who knows?! You should post some of the later pictures. The XAO 3G1 looks pretty crude to me compared to the later models. 04/05/2007 @ 03:55 [ref: 16098] |
| John Smith , NC | We have lost over two dozen men in the V-22 and we persist in wanting to field it to create more dead alleged "heroes". The USMC is good for fielding flying deathtraps re: the Corsair and today's Harrier.
In the inflatoplane, we have a sound concept that only gets better with material and general aviation technologies. Add a recovery parachute (RP) and if for whatever reason you ain't happy with how the inflatoplane is flying, you come down by a ballistically deployed parachute. Another important possible inflatoplane application would be by SEAL teams deploying from submarines since they already use inflatible boats but this would enable them to insert/extract faster/farther but still from below the horizon under radar. www.combatreform2.com/submarineaircraftcarriers.htm 01/01/2007 @ 22:36 [ref: 15062] |
| Thomas Callihan , PA | Last I knew the museum at Patuxent NAS had one . 08/02/2006 @ 04:32 [ref: 13781] |
| Mike French , RI | Does anybody remember plans for an ultralight inflatable aircraft that was to be used as a rescue aircraft for dowmed pilots.I believe it was designed by Goodyear. 07/10/2006 @ 08:39 [ref: 13697] |
| swamp fox jr. , MO | The AIR MAT technology is used on BLIMPS. Thousands of connecting fibers between the envelope's inner surfaces retain the shape of the wings. Inflato Suacers were as well possible. Project Blue Book failed to mention the SAUCER SHAPED Blimps developed for the ARMY guys in the Little Green Flight Suits. Look at the man walking on the Wing and WAKE UP. UFO's were and are AMERICAN MADE 06/26/2006 @ 07:47 [ref: 13600] |
| Jesse Shannon , FL | I was one of the two army mechanics attending the Goodyear School on this aircraft. I was stationed at Ft. Rucker Alabama with the U.S. Army Aviation Test Board. I witnessed the crash at Wingfoot Lake, Acron Ohio. "Pug" Wallace was the Army Aviator killed. What happened was that the aircraft was in a decending turn when one of the control cables under the wing came off of the pulley and got wedged in the pulley bracket. This locked the stick and the turn just kept on getting tighter until one of the wings folded up over the prop and got chopped up. With the wings flapping because of loss of air, one of the aluminum wing tip skids hit the pilot alongside the head (marks on his helmet proved that). I saw Wallace come out over the nowe of the aircraft and fall into the shallow lake. His cute never opened. When we got to him, he was bleeding from the ears and nose. The other Army mechanic was Sam Hess and the other Army Aviator was Lt. Elton. "Pug" and I were having a few beers the night before. He left a wife and at least one child. The project was canceled. There was a two place InflatoPlane that we all would take a ride in after the class graduation. It never got to that. 08/24/2005 @ 00:35 [ref: 11074] |
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