David Rowe is the man behind the fourth version of his “Flying UFO” a single-seat aircraft that is truly “alien” to the aviation world. This unique design has been a labor of love for David, who started with a model and then developed a series of prototypes, making revisions to power, center of gravity, undercarriage, and controls along the way.
The first full-size aircraft was the Rowe Wild Thing, which was registered in 1995 and powered by a 28 hp Cuyuna snowmobile engine. However, it proved to be under-powered, leading to the development of the Rotax-powered UFO. This version was relatively successful, although a little tail-heavy, prompting further design revisions to produce the UFO-3.
The UFO-3 used a different wing section and featured a repositioned cockpit and engine, resulting in an improved aircraft that was flown for 13 years, commencing in 2000. By any measure, this aircraft must be considered a success[5].
The fourth version, the S-4, first flew in 1935 and remained in use until the Second World War. It was a practical aircraft, successfully developed and demonstrated over a number of years. However, control system changes over time suggest that the ability to approach and land at low speed was a positive, but also that control power at low speed was an issue[5].
Despite the challenges, the UFO community has been attracted to this aircraft due to its unique design and the fact that it actually became airborne. The circular wing planform, while not common, has been successfully flown in various forms, including the Lee-Richards Annular Biplane and the ARUP[5].
What is most remarkable is the video of the craft flying. We can see it take off, fly with stability, and also land. This is so interesting, because there is a long standing trope in the UFO community that all military versions of circular winged aircraft were discontinued (after millions of dollars were spent in some cases) because the craft never got off the ground, because the design is just inherently unstable.
How did this one guy build this and make it fly when our top military aircraft engineers could not? Perhaps he is just the right kind of genius to pull it off when no one else could, despite huge budgets (and wind tunnels).
David Rowe’s “Flying UFO” is a testament to human ingenuity and the pursuit of aviation innovation. While it may not fit the traditional mold of aircraft design, it is a reminder that sometimes the most interesting designs are those that push the boundaries and challenge our preconceived notions.
Citations
[1] https://youtube.com/watch?v=eFgr90LobAQ
[2] https://youtube.com/watch?v=AiV_X8dnFGg
[3] https://www.recreationalflying.com/topic/22841-circular-wing/
[4] https://aeropedia.com.au/content/rowe-ufo/
[5] https://hushkit.net/2021/02/15/top-10-real-flying-saucer-aircraft/
