Bidule 170 Hydraulic Brakes!!! Can fit other big tugs too

[lenb]

I'm really excited to show a new product that was introduced at the Wram' s show this weekend. It's really Gunny's story to tell, but Jim received a prototype set a month ago and spilled the beans to me, so I ordered a set a few weeks ago and picked them up at the show.
All I can say is WOW.

Back tracking the story a bit, the Bidule 170 with its big motor and prop spinning up front is sometimes a challenge to get to stop where you want it. Especially if you have bearings in the wheels. When waiting for the glider to hook up, you need to idle down as much as possible, but then the plane will shake from vibration if you go too low on the idle. MANY times I'd mutter, I wish this think had a parking brake.
Well, Jim uttered the same thing to Gunny one day about the Decathlon, and with Gunny being a brilliant mind, set out to find a solution.
The result is a beautiful hydraulic brake set. Fully proportional, you can set it to a switch for predetermined braking or a slider for a proportional braking action.

I'll let Gunny or Jim jump on with more details, but I opened my box up today and couldn't wait to share this cool "MUST HAVE" with all the Bidule or big tug drivers out there.

For more info, pricing and event test VIDEOS------- check out http://www.aviationconceptsrc.com/hydraulic-disc-brakes


Here are the pictures from my set. They're fitted to Aeroworks Carbon Cub wheels, but any wheels can be fitted.



Don't even ask.






Over the top detailed instructions. Lots of pictures, even my cat could put these on the plane.



Jim even came to town to help out at the show and brag about these awesome brakes.

[Helijet]

Fantastic!!!!!!!!! Ordered a set and paid for.

​Thx for the info
Dean

[ARUP]

That's a cool product!

[MarnochS]

How cool.........put my self in the que.

[Xroadie]

Wow! Very cool!!

I got real excited when I saw the Aeroworks Carbon Cub Wheels, as my Carbon Cub, will not stop on pavement at idle. But it looks like they aren't designed for wire landing gear....yet

Even if they could mount on the Carbon Cub gear, I'd want an ABS system to keep from tipping forward. I wonder if you could mount a dedicated gyro, just for the breaks

Pete

[JimD]

Pete, look at Gunny's video using two master cylinders, one for each wheel, and consider the possibilities! Scale like Cub toe brakes! Can turn on a dime! Here is Gunny at the WRAM Show discussing the brakes with some curious modeler.

[Swiss1]

Nice Gunny, would I be able to adapt these to fit the Porter 3.2 and 5.2 meter gear?

Jeremy and Ben
SCCAAA TT TN

[stevekremer]

Gunny,

The brakes are sweet!! Really impressive job. You continue to impress me with you skills.

Steve K

[BobM]

Those look really great Gunny .....I definitely will have to purchase a set this spring before the towing season gets going. Very nice work and craftsmanship as always.

Bob

[gunny11]

Nice Gunny, would I be able to adapt these to fit the Porter 3.2 and 5.2 meter gear?

Jeremy and Ben
SCCAAA TT TN

The brakes are designed to mount on flat plate gear. The problem with wire gear set up is that the axle needs to be extended and the caliper mounting plate has nothing to mount to. The brakes are recomended for 1/3 scale and up. the 3.2 meter porter just does not need them and they would be physically too large for the gear/wheels.

The only way to get them to work on the Porter or Pawnee (another persons request) would be to send me the complete landing gear and wheels and then I could design something to fabricate / modify and manufacture and have TIG welded parts added to the gear. This would /could be cutting the axle completly off and have a thick wall steel tubing stub welded with a set screw holding on a new longer axle and a thin steel mounting plate welded to the stub. This is only a theory right now.
The easiest way to get them to work on the 5.2 meter Porter would be to put on a plate landing gear like the Hanger 9 Decathelon.

[gunny11]

Thanks for the comments guys... The brakes are a great hit at the WRAM show. Increadible amount of interest and a ton of business cards left the table with the interested giant scale modelers. I must say a big thanks to Jim D. for also taking up the slack in demoing the working brake display at the show.

[gunny11]

I heard that Len and Jim are testing out there brakes up at Cumberland aerotow meet.. And I understand they are really enjoying it.

I just finished and sent out 3 more brake sets for Bidule owners.

[lenb]

My Bidule also had a fair amount of air time this morning. The brakes are simply fabulous. NO KIDDING. We were like children out there, bringing the plane in for a landing and watching it slow down like you had revers thruster on the prop.
My favorite thing was to lock them up on landing roll out and watch the Bidule slide to a stop. The grass was a bit damp this morning. On pavement you would leave skidmarks. Excellent design.. Trouble free so far, about 2 hrs on them. ( not easy on them either)
The parking brake feature is great. I can run the motor up to about 1/4 throttle before it starts sliding the plane on the grass with the wheels still not turning.
Another thought was to add some studs to the wheels or get knobby tires. lol Probably grip so hard it would tear the gear off the plane !!!

Makes ground handling much more comfortable, especially when operating close in with other people milling around.


len

[gunny11]

Outstanding Len!

[JimD]

I got a chance to tow with my Bidule yesterday morning and the brakes worked just as I had imagined that they would.

First, the Bidule lands super slow and light on its gear. That allows for a straight ahead taxi to launch position without the need to turn around. That point was just over the crest of the field and slightly downhill, so we clicked on the brakes and the Bidule stopped perfectly and held its position.Since it has a new engine and since it was a little chilly, we bumped the throttle up to fast idle while waiting for the next sailplane to hookup and the brakes still held the Bidule in place perfectly!

Once the sailplane had hooked up, we pulled the idle down, released the brake, and the Bidule slowly moved forward until the line was tight. Then, when the sailplane pilot gave us thumbs up we advanced the throttle and off we went!

On several landings, we tried the mid position of our brake switch to slow down and, again, that worked like a charm...slick, very slick! Thanks Gunny!