Unusual Airplane...The Rutan Boomerang

I saw this weird airplane on a facebook post and I decided to "Google" it and it was legit, it is an actual airplane and it flies and has some impressive specs especially for a "General Aviation" airplane.   I pulled the specs from the Company website.

Design

“The Boomerang is a new high performance pressurized 5 place light twin intended for personal transportation. Its basic goals were to provide optimum performance from two turbocharged 200 hp Lycoming reciprocating powerplants. Probably one of the most difficult tasks faced in the development of this aircraft was explaining why I would design a configuration that is asymmetric.  In fact, an early comment as the aircraft arrived at the Experimental Aircraft Association International Air Show at Oshkosh, Wisconsin this year, was from a fellow who ran up and remarked, “What in the hell were you smokin’ when you laid that one out?”  

– Burt Rutan (1996)

In trying to explain how Burt Rutan developed the idea of the Boomerang, he used a step-by-step comparison of a “traditional” twin-engine aircraft (Beech Baron BE58) and his design.

Step-by-Step Comparison : Baron vs. Boomerang

Baseline Baron 58P

Span = 37.8 ft. Wing area = 188 sq.ft. Stab area = 56 sq.ft Vert Area = 24.4 sq.ft. Total BHP = 650 Empty Weight = 4018 lb Useful Load = 2222 lb Max Fuel = 1140 lb Gross Weight = 6240 lb Stall = 78 kt Cruise (75% 20kft) = 224 kt Range (75% 20kft) = 975 nm

Left engine moved outboard to improve symmetry at low speeds and to reduce cabin noise.

 

Both engines moved inboard to reduce MCS. Right engine moved forward to clear fuselage. Left engine moved aft to balance.

Wing skewed to support engines and to reduce left engine interference.

Composite construction allows smaller, higher aspect ratio wing. but configuration is now nose-heavy, thus left wing is swept forward. This helps, but configuration is still nose-heavy.

The weight savings allows smaller engines and tail area can be reduced.

Higher aspect ratio tail flutter problem is fixed with nacelle boom. This allows additional baggage room in boom.

Right engine is moved to the fuselage to reduce weight, cost and drag. Lateral balance is restored by moving entire wing to the left. MCS is now well below stall.

Left engine is moved outboard to reduce cabin noise and to eliminate prop interference. Entire wing is moved left to restore lateral balance.

Twin small vertical tails improve low speed handling, reduce weight and allow low-drag pressure-recovery aft fuselage.

Continue evolution

• Round fuselage, increased room.
• Laminar flow flying surfaces.
• Higher wing loading.
• Aspect Ratio to 13.2.
• Full-span camber control for aileron/flap/wing optimization

Baron 58P	Boomerang
3.8psi cabin	4.6psi cabin
6 seats	5 seats or 4 seats+1 bed
3% more span	15% wider cabin
84% more wing area	20% longer cabin
65% more tail area	92% more aspect ratio
59% more engine power	10% higher stall speed
62% more empty weight	45% more climb rate
13% more fuel	41 kt higher cruise speed
45% more gross weight	56% more range at 75%
	92% more max range
	Immune from MCS accidents Technical Specifications This table summarizes the performance and technical specifications of the Boomerang: Engines Lycoming TIO-360A1B (200 hp) RHS Lycoming TIO-360C1A6D (210 hp) LHS Seating 5 (includes pilot) Empty Weight 2370 Lbs Max Fuel 1026 Lbs Max Cabin Payload 1000 lb Payload at Max Fuel 865 lb Max Gross Weight 4242 lb Wing Span 36.7 ft Wing Area 101.7 ft² Length 30.6 ft Aspect Ratio 13.2 Vmax 283 knots true (326 mph) at 18,000 ft Max Cruise At 22,000 ft and 75% power:  264 kts/304 mph at 1500 nm range Economy Cruise At 24,000 ft and 50% power:  210 knots/242 mph at 2100 nm range (Range includes Takeoff, Climb and 45 min reserve) Max Climb 1900 fpm (2900 fpm at 2800 lb) Stall Speed 88 knots (at 4200 lb) or 73 knots (at 2800 lb) Pressurization To 7000 ft at 22,000 ft altitude Gear Electric retract Miscellaneous Full-span aileron reflex Download PDF  The Cockpit is totally computerized with LCD screens allowing for multiple selection of functions from pneumatic, hydraulic, fuel management,engine management  passenger comfort and many other selections plus required analog gauges. To see more, check HERE