Cutting Edge Engineering

Pushing Boundaries and Redefining Possibilities
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Landing Gear

Beringer wheels & brakes

Our set of wheel-brakes from Beringer incorporates a pressure limiter for anti-skid capability. Like the rest of the gears, they are extremely strong and achieve a braking distance of less than 500 ft at MTOW, coming in from 90 knots to a full stop.

Smoother landings

All three gears have a trailing link configuration, which is known to absorb bumps in a much smoother manner than direct oleos with scissors. Additionally, twin-chamber oleos are installed on the mains to provide for two damping responses : one fine for touchdown, and one heavy for 0-lift work or not-so-great landings.

Retraction

The retraction is achieved by a pneumatic system with a working pressure of 100 psi to avoid Skydrol leaks or other complexities and cost associated with hydraulic systems. Mechanical free-fall and lock are incorporated into all three gears to prevent any malfunction that could lead to jamming. A Weight-on-Wheels (WOW) switch ensures that no inadvertent retraction is possible, and an optional downward-looking Lidar can provide callouts and alarms to the pilot in the case of an imminent gear-up landing.

Direct Steering

On a plane designed to go fast, such as the Valkyrie, takeoff and landing speeds are typically higher than on lower-performance single engine pistons, ranging from 75 to 85 knots. Direct steering provides a sensation of precise handling at all ground speeds up to a hundred knots. It also avoids the discomfort of having to tip-toe on the brakes of each pedal in order to guide the airplane on the ground, and reduces strain on the pilot’s legs. Braking is achieved by a straightforward hand central brake and a mechanical latch for the parking brake, which pilots come to love for its ergonomics and simplicity.

Overall Design & Construction

The Valkyrie is equipped with a retractable landing gear, designed and qualified in-house. The landing gear is designed to provide a propeller clearance of 18 inches at the most adverse incidence during takeoff. Its main legs are machined on a 7-axis CNC from solid billet of 7075-T6 alloy, and assembled in liquid nitrogen to ensure the weight savings through their hollow body.
On the nose, the elbowed leg is constructed from 4340 HT steel, along with 4130 CDS components. All three legs are extremely robust to offer forgiveness to learning pilots, and will be retrofittable to lighter versions in future generations of the aircraft. Aluminum elements are hard-anodized (Type III) or powder-coated in specific areas to prevent corrosion fatigue. The landing gear structural components are manufactured by Centauri’s AS9100-rated subcontractor in North America, following Centauri’s specifications.
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Propulsion

The Valkyrie can accommodate various propulsion options. To date, we have flown with 300+ hp piston engines, such as the Continental TSIO-550, TSIOF-550, and IO-550, and we are developing a Diesel CD-300 version. Serious inquiries welcome for PT6 or hybrid engine integrations.
Continental IO 550
3
Continental TSIO 550
3
Continental CD 300 Jet-A1 (Pending)
3
Weight: 600 lbs
272 kg
Takeoff: 310 hp
@ 2700 rpm
Cruise: 230 hp
@ 2500 rpm
Ceiling: 14,000 ft
MAP (in. Hg)
Atmos
Fuel type: AVGAS
Fuel burn: 18 USG /hr
68 liters /hr
Weight: 650 lbs
295 kg
Takeoff: 350 hp
@ 2700 rpm
Cruise: 265 hp
@ 2500 rpm
Ceiling: 25,000 ft
MAP (in. Hg)
Takeoff: 38.5
Cruise: 30.5
Fuel type: AVGAS
Fuel burn: 18 USG /hr
68 liters /hr
Weight: 600 lbs
272 kg
Takeoff: 350 hp
@ 2700 rpm
Cruise: 265 hp
@ 2500 rpm
Ceiling: 25,000 ft
MAP (in. Hg)
Takeoff: 38.5
Cruise: 30.5
Fuel type: JET-A1
Fuel burn: TBC

FUEL SYSTEM

Monolithic aluminum tank

Multiple tanks are undesirable because, in real life, they lead to forgetting to switch them, or worse, freezing or jamming of valve selectors. Additionally, bladders or integral tanks tend to be difficult to install or be more prone to leaks. That’s why the Valkyrie’s tank was right on since the very first versions, and has undergone few evolutions : it’s simple, presents no slosh due to appropriate internal baffling, and has enough room to be increased in case the full fuel load is the customer’s focus (which is a tradeoff like anything in airplane design). It can hold from 70 to more than 100 gallons, depending on versions. The level sensing is achieved by a capacitive TSO’d gauge fed into the Garmin G3X’s data concentrator, with an additional, independent float-type low fuel sensor. A wide vent is plugged into the bottom fuselage to ensure maximal overpressure is provided in steep descents.

Maintainability

A&P-centric design

Happy mechanics make happy customers. With the Valkyrie, any licensed A&P mechanic will quickly find their way in the thorough, user-friendly documentation that comes with the airplane and recognize the standard, industry-wide accepted methods, parts, and vendor products. Continental engines are maintained worldwide by thousands of mechanics, and the rest of the aircraft is of disarming simplicity and accessibility. A Valkyrie can actually be disassembled and reassembled in less than a day! And no unit is hidden behind another. Every maintenance action has been timed and made fool-proof, for the good of safety and budgets alike.