Flying the Adam A500
The Adam A500 is a unique and innovative aircraft characterized by its unusual twin-boom configuration and centerline thrust design, where both engines are mounted on the centerline of the aircraft, one pushing from the rear and one pulling from the front.
Here are some of its key features and specifications:
1. Design: The aircraft has a pressurized cabin and utilizes a carbon fiber composite structure which is lighter and stronger than conventional aluminum construction.
2. Configuration: The twin-boom layout provides several advantages including reduced aerodynamic interference between the fuselages, and props, and potentially increased safety in the event of a single-engine failure due to the aligned thrust.
3. Engine: Equipped with two Continental TSIO-550-E piston engines, each producing 350 horsepower, the A500 is designed to be fuel-efficient and provide a comfortable cruising speed.
4. Performance: Typically, the A500 could cruise at speeds around 220 knots, with a range of around 1,000 nautical miles, and a service ceiling of approximately 25,000 feet.
5. Cockpit and Avionics: The cockpit was designed with ergonomics in mind, aimed at reducing pilot workload. It included advanced avionics for its time, with the intention of making information management and flight operations more efficient.
6. Passenger Comfort: The A500's cabin was designed to seat six including the pilot, offering comparative comfort and space in the general aviation category.
The Adam A500 made its first flight in July 2002, but the development was fraught with challenges. Adam Aircraft Industries filed for bankruptcy in 2008, and only a small number of A500s were ever produced, making it a rare and intriguing aircraft in the world of aviation.
Пікірлер: 70
The Adam may have its critics and naysayers but this fellah stepped up and caught his dream by the tail. Kudos to him and what a beautiful airplane, wish I had one. Thanks for the video series!
Video rất tuyệt vời. Cảm ơn bạn đã chia sẻ.❤❤
I look to the sky just about every time a plane, helicopter, or jet goes by and I’ve never seen one of these. Again thank you.
@EUC-lid
2 ай бұрын
They only built 7 + 1 prototype, and with no parts manufacturing only a few are still flying.
@user-zj3cu4wn6j
2 ай бұрын
@@EUC-lid What an Honor.
Trailing arm mains are great! What a beauty!
I live near as large GA airport and get to see many,many different aircraft turning final over my house…..never seen this bird. Really cool.
Loved watching this bird fly when I passed through APA.
The walkaround was great. This is awesome. GA is become so boring and it is nice to see a breath of uniqueness. Bravo!
Pilots have the best hobbies/jobs for those who fly commercially y’all get to see the world as no one else does every single time y’all take to the skies. One day I’d like to get my pilot license to enjoy the sky as you do. Thank so very much for sharing this experience with us. For the time being this is as close as I’ll get to flying with y’all again Thank you so very much God Bless You Always, God Speed Fair Winds Safe Travels Gentlemen.
Thank you very much for posting this video. I have to say I’ve never ever seen a complete flight of the Adam A500. It’s definitely my absolute favorite aircraft.
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
That Bronco style twin boom tail, with the up-and-over stab arrangement, is perfect for push-pull planes!! Definitely an improvement over the Skymaster imo. And i suspect that gear is a bit more reliable than its Cessna counterparts. Haha
Air speeds please. Climb rate at various weights, endurance, fuel capacity, range, useful load, ceiling, cost, and fuel burn and capacity? Low level flight is nice but where is the most efficient altitude and power setting? Approach speed and landing speed, gear and flap speeds. Those are the things a prospective buyer would ask. According to the give specs there are twins that can match these and in this day and age whey the piston engines and not turboprops. That makes this in reality just an other twin with no other advantages other than a different look.
That was really nice to watch. A beautiful majestic airplane... everyone has their opinions
To think something so cool is flying over my home town. Kid me would’ve wigged out seeing this over head
Thank you for posting. Great video!
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
Such beautiful airplane.
Un magnifique oiseau de race !!
I don’t agree to the point that its suppose to be the worst aircraft. It’s a nice airplane. To operate with rules. Obviously it flies and it’s not a matter of the airplane. It’s a matter of the person, his knowledge his skills about aviation and his experience to put in the left seat. Being be able always staying ahead of this aircraft is the key. You can fly this Adam all over the place if you have the skills to do so. The design for sure needs some understanding to it. Everything is fine. In my opinion. 😊👍
Superb video. The camera angles really convey a sense of what the aircraft is doing. Also your choice of music is uplifting, pardon the pun!
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Thank you very much!
I had a co-worker who was on this program years ago. He said the amount of carbon fiber that went into the airplane was absolutely phenomenal. The layups were as thick as he's ever seen and were way overdone by the FAA. As the saying goes, "If you want it heavier and cost more, go with composites"
Very Cool!! Cheers!
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Thank you! Cheers!
It's the PushMePullYou of the aviation sector.
Cool plane. !
Será seguro volar en esta máquina...por los comentarios que se ponen yo no volaría por muy bien que esté este aparato. Suerte y un saludo.
What a treat. TY.
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Very welcome!
Wonder what an hour of dual would cost in that beauty?
Music is perfect. Capt. Jack Sparrow would definitely have an A500.
Pretty cool. Thanks..
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Glad you liked it!
Well, that was quite enjoyable! Nice plane. Beautiful landing.
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Thanks a lot!
when did they quit making em?
Fun fact: an Adam A500 was used in the 2006 Miami Vice movie
@jetfixer3207
2 ай бұрын
The Miami Vice A500 was the very first (N501AX) and an experimental that was later scrapped. I have the overwing exit hatch, and a buddy (former co-worker) has one of the winglets.
Is it supposed have gear doors? Those holes look pretty draggy. Cool aircraft.
@dummgelauft
2 ай бұрын
It's a balance. The additional weight and complexity of a landing gear door system is probably the reason they chose to carry the additional drag due to open gear wells. The 737 has no main gear doors. Atleast classic 737 didn't..
Right after watching this video, YT recommended another video that explained what happened to the A500. Basically that video said the A500 was too heavy. When fully fuelled it couldn't carry any people, including the pilots! But it should've had enough power/thrust from the 2 engines. Not sure what was going on there. Maybe its aerodynamics wasn't optimal; perhaps the wings were not generating enough lift? It's really a tragedy that this aircraft wasn't successful. The concept is definitely viable and it is indeed much safer with two engines along the centerline of the aircraft. Who knows how many GA aircraft pilots and passengers lives could've been saved from engine failures if the A500 was in widespread use.
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Watch my Walkaround video of it. Dan covers that
@MegaSunspark
2 ай бұрын
@ErikJohnston Thank you. After watching that walk around video and checking the specs of other conventional twin GA aircraft, I see that the payload of the A500 is very much similar. So I don't know how or why this excessive weight and deficient payload myth on the A500 got started.
@EllipsisAircraft
Ай бұрын
Aircraft are point-designed to a "maximum gross weight". This is the weight where all the book numbers for performance coincide. Takeoff and landing distance, climb rate and speed. Best glide speed. G limits, range estimates, etc. If you add a bunch of fuel to inflate the range number to gain sales, then You have something like this. I have been unable to find a law against flying over-gross weight. But then, you are on borrowed margins and will perform worse than book in every way. Including range. Even with full tanks, due to being heavier. Burt Rutan is a fan of highly stressed, lightweight, under strength, way over gross weight designs. Such as Voyager. Global flyer. And the Friendship tour Long-EZs.
So frustrated to see Adam Aircraft fail. Flying out of KAPA, where the factory was, and knowing some of the people involved, I thought the 500 was a design with much potential. Timing against a failing economy, among other things, brought the company to a halt. I got a tour more than once in the factory. There were at least 6 airframes in assembly at that time. During their flight test days, several times I was in line with them for departure, and got to see them fly. At least once, there was a flight of two departing, the 500, and the prototype jet. Glad to see at least one flying. I thought they all had been grounded. There were a couple at Centennial in shelters that ultimately got donated, valuable parts reclaimed, like the engines and avionics, and the airframes donated to museums. I know one of the factors was life-limited parts that got the airframes certified, with plans to provide mods to greatly extend the replacement intervals of those parts.
Did not seem to need much crab in the crosswind
I REALLY LIKE THAT AIRCRAFT but I am a BEECH2000 STARSHIP and VELOCITY fanboy sooo eh.l.. yea... but I do like it!!
It is a looker for sure…..i hope its a flyer as well….
Tandems seems to be a better design than regular twins as it has no yaw when single engine failure?
@EllipsisAircraft
Ай бұрын
That's the idea. Safer when single engine. But noisier all other times.
Interesting bird but the concept just falls apart when an Eclipse 550 twin jet is nearly twice the speed yet has same or better fuel economy.
Erik, have you done an Epic E1000 or LT? Cheers!
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Not yet, would love to though! If you know anyone let me know
Too bad they trashed the last two airframes. There is an individual who purchased a Starship One without the Airworthiness certificate. He restored it and got an experimental rating on it and is flying it. I think he also purchased a second airframe for parts before Beech trashed them. It cost them more to destroy the airframes rather than to sell them off without certifications. Joys of composites. Same problem exists with old wind turbine composite blades.
What's it like to have engine noise coming from both front & rear?
@Subgunman
2 ай бұрын
Well in the comments of the pilot in the beginning of the video he mentioned it was quit noisy when he ran up the engines. The skymaster was loud as well but we always flew with full David Clark headsets.
337 owners just went limp
😎
Out of KSac?
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Dallas Executive, formerly Red Bird
好奇
🌟 P R O M O S M
As noisy as the Cessna Push-Pull.....
I'm so extremely right-handed that I couldn't fly a left-hand sidestick with any reasonable level of control or comfort. Very poor design, when it's such a lovely aircraft overall.
@EllipsisAircraft
Ай бұрын
Once you learn, then your right hand is free for everything else.
This plane isn't real!
@ErikJohnston
2 ай бұрын
Haha!!
@EllipsisAircraft
Ай бұрын
^No bird is.