Q2 AND QUCKIES
DOMINATE CAFE
250 AIR RACE
On
20 June, 1981. 3 homebuilt Quickies and a Q2 entered by QUICKIE AIRCRAFT
CORPORATION demonstrated
the superior efficiency,
speed, and fuel economy of the two designs by finishing 1st, 2nd,
4th. and 12th in the CAFE 250 Air Race held at Santa
Rosa, California. Forty-seven aircraft
representing a broad cross section of the homebuilt and certified
aircraft market competed in the race.
The CAFE 250 race had its origins one
year ago when Brien Seeley of Santa Rosa. California, decided to organize
a 250 mile race over a triangular course. The winner would be the aircraft
with the best combination of speed, miles per gallon, and payload, based
on the following formula:
(Speed) x (Miles per Gallon)
x (Square root of Payload)
-
FEF
where FEF represents the Fuel Efficiency Factor. The derivation of
this formula is too complex to present here, but we do hase copies
of it available.
Suffice to say that a variety of aircraft designers, pilots, and
factories, in addition to actual comparative testing of many different
aircraft, substantiates
that the FEF is a valid means br comparing a wide variety of aircraft.
With the above formula, a four place factory aircraft can realistically
he compared with a single place homehuilt. We believe that the FEF
formula will become the standard means for comparing different aircraft,
and Mr.
Seeley is to he congratulated for his hard work.
Printed below are the official results
down through 20th place:
Note that the FEF of the Q2 is so high,
and so much greater than even the 2nd place Quickie, that the spread
in FEF between 1st and
2nd places, about
25,000 points, is also the spread between the 2nd place Quickie and
the 17th place LongEze.
Note also that the Quickies and the Q2 finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd. and
4th in fuel economy. The Q2’s fuel economy was nearly 50%
higher than the next closest aircraft. Put another way, while the
Q2 was averaging
|
about 3.5 gallons per hour, and the Quickies were averaging
between 1.44 and 1.87 gallons per hour. the aircraft with the 5th best
fuel economy was burning 5.7 gallons per hour.
N81QA - 1st place, the Q2 and a proud Gene Sheehan.
N88QB - 4th place finisher at the CAFE 250. |
Many factory teams participated besides QAC. Since all types
of aircraft were invited, a particular omission from the listing indicates
that the company declined the invitation, or else did not show up.
N80QT 2nd place finisher at the CAFF 250.
N80QK .- 12th place finisher at the CAFE 250 |
