Transatlantic Model Airplane Flight to Begin Shortly 164
dtmos writes "An update on this old story -- Maynard Hill's attempt to fly an 11-lb. model airplane across the Atlantic (from Newfoundland to Ireland) is due to begin tomorrow night, Newfoundland time. This would be the first transatlantic flight by a true model under FAI rules (this plane was too large to qualify). News and updates, background information, some technical info."
I work with one of these guys... (Score:5, Interesting)
The funny thing here is that he went to NG to offer them coverage - he wasn't looking for funding or anything - and they declined, saying there wouldn't be enough interest. Well now it's in the Post, it's on
Congrats, Foster - clear skies =)
Re:I work with one of these guys... (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~barrettjf/Images\T
Backslashes and spaces. Pfft. (fixed in the link above).
(-:
That said, someone else prolly did the site.
S
Re:I work with one of these guys... (Score:1)
Track their progress online (Score:2, Informative)
Good luck (Score:2, Troll)
And don't even get me started on the inadequacy of the power source to last that long. Crazy dreamer.
Re:Good luck (Score:1)
And I would suggest that they have checked out the duration of the power source by flying it over their back yard for that amount of time - hardly a major proposition.
Re:Good luck (Score:1)
From the technical background of the project:
No tailwind will be needed although there probably will be one.
Again, from the article:
His models currently hold records for
So, to recap, this flight will not be aided substantially by tailwinds, although the more tailwind the better, and it will also set a new distance record.
Re:Good luck (Score:5, Informative)
The choppy winds will pose less of a problem in many respects also. The "choppiness" is caused by different aircurrents affecting the aircraft simultaneously. In a 747 moving at 600kts with a 200' length, you are going to intersect numerous sheers of aircurretns repeatedly, bouncing the plane around and causing the "choppiness". A slow tiny thing like this model just isn't going to have that problem.
Personally I wish them well. They are undertaking a great challenge, and I would love to be there with them!
Re:Good luck (Score:1)
Johan Veenstra
Re:Good luck (Score:1)
Re:Good luck (Score:1)
Isn't that some kind of record?
Better watch out for those DVT's bud!
Re:Good luck (Score:1)
I'm not much of a builder either, so I eventually had to give it up.
Model Helicopters look interesting though
Re:Good luck (Score:1)
Human reaction times don't matter much:
I learned this by reading the National Geographic News article referenced in the post. Ah, the magic of reading before posting!
cbd.
Re:Good luck (Score:1)
Re:Good luck (Score:2)
Obviously you have no clue, `PhysicsGenius'. Actually get some experience with model airplanes, and come back later.
Re:Good luck (Score:1)
rj
Weather?? (Score:1)
It will be saturated before it gets here!
Check http://www.met.ie/
Phil
At last! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:At last! (Score:1)
Re:At last! (Score:2)
Air traffic controller (Score:1)
Re:Air traffic controller (Score:1)
Re:Air traffic controller (Score:1)
Re:Air traffic controller (Score:3, Informative)
Commercial ATC Operators don't 'see' the aircraft on screen, they 'see' a transponder signal (known as a 'squawk') which is sent by the transponder unit when the ATC Radar strikes a detector on the aircraft. Only Military Radar Operators actually 'see' a true radar return signal.
Re:Air traffic controller (Score:1)
What next? (Score:1, Funny)
Ha. I won't be impressed until they can do it with a paper airplane [zurqui.co.cr].
Re:What next? (Score:2)
Can I use a motorboat and a bit of string?
Ok and (Score:1, Troll)
Is some great scientific breakthrough being made?
What are the implications and how can this be used in the future?
Re:Ok and (Score:1)
Quote:"The TAM model will be flown by a pilot using standard R/C hobby gear to a planned cruising altitude of about 1500 ft. There it will be put into an autonomous mode, steered by global position satellite signals and an on-board microprocessor. The flight of about 1950 miles is expected to take about 45 hours at 45 mph. No tailwind will be needed although there probably will be one. The position of the airplane, as well as technical data about altitude, speed, engine rpm, and some autopilot functions will be telemetered to satellites and returned to monitors on both sides of the ocean. On arrival at its destination, an R/C pilot will take over control and land the model."
dam(u)
Re:Ok and (Score:1)
Re:Ok and (Score:1)
This is a good thing... (Score:1)
Not that amazing (Score:1)
Call me when they do the first transatlantic paperplane.
And don't cheat and use a paperclip on the nose.
Re: (Score:1)
Re:Not that amazing (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Not that amazing (Score:1)
Power for their engine (Score:4, Funny)
The doomsday people... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:The doomsday people... (Score:1)
And NG! (Score:1)
And NG is writing articles, too. Imagine that, NG having to play catch up!
Bart: The ironing is delicious.
Lisa: The word is "irony."
Bart: Huh?
GPLed do-it-yourself kit (Score:4, Interesting)
The hardware design [sourceforge.net] and source code [sourceforge.net] are all GPLed and available. The most recent releases [sourceforge.net] have an OpenGL helicopter simulator for you to play with as well.
Re:GPLed do-it-yourself kit (Score:2)
If not, there's no point in putting it on Slashdot.
Re:GPLed do-it-yourself kit (Score:1)
follow the horizon autopilots have been done to death in most of the UAV competitions.
object tracking/scene recognition is the real challenge.
Re:GPLed do-it-yourself kit (Score:2, Insightful)
Save some money by doing it scrapping the more expensive ATMega163 (though a great choice over the newbie PIC processors and Basic Stamps).
If you go with the AT90S-8515 you still get plenty of I/O, PWM, Serial I/O, though you'll have to hand code some A-D conversion. Maybe that's why you're going with the 163?
Re:GPLed do-it-yourself kit (Score:2)
Thanks for the suggestions! Sign up for the mailing list -- we can always use help with the engineering side of things.
Re:GPLed do-it-yourself kit (Score:1)
And I wonder who the FBI et all would hang for it?
*smiles wryly and sadly*
Cheating (Score:2, Interesting)
The "around the world" baloon flight was no more than a circle around antarctica.
Traditionally, I think "crossing the atlantic" means crossing THE WHOLE THING. From US east coast, to Europe's west coast. I'm sorry, but Newfoundland to Iceland doesn't cut it. Granted, flying a model plane over that distance is an admirable feat, but I don't think it would qualify for a world record.
Re:Cheating (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Cheating (Score:2)
Keep in mind, just this week somewhere in California a world record was set for most simultaneous breast feedings.
Re:Cheating....NOT (Score:1)
Re:Cheating (Score:2)
You start in a body of land on one side of the atlantic. You land in another body of land on the other side. You've crossed it.
Re:PaperPlane over the Atlantic ... (Score:2, Funny)
Won't mum be pleased!
Does it have a little model (Score:2)
Anyone interesting in getting into model airplanes, esp. the new 'parkflyer' electrics (if you can't stand glow fuel, caster oil 'slimers') should read up at RC Groups [rcgroups.com] - you can get a pretty good flight at the local soccer field with nice, quiet parkflyer electrics. I've just finished something called a Wing-E [toddsmodels.com] and it's a ball to fly in my nearby school yard, get's at least 10 minutes of aerobatic fun off one battery charge.
Fun little electric RC plane. (Score:1)
A couple friends of mine have 'em too and we've wasted waaaay too many hours 'shooting' each other down.
It's not as advanced as some of the newer park fliers but it sure is easy to fly, cheap, and lots of fun!
Re:Fun little electric RC plane. (Score:1)
Interesting -- has to be better than the cut-the-paper-streamer-with-your-prop type dogfights -- the props are so slow even tissue paper jams them up.
Excellent! Now, try that without a power plant! (Score:3, Interesting)
I mean, when you can keep an unpowered plane aloft for 36 hours [rc-soar.com], why not? Well, so far the straight-line distance record is only 226km, but with a GPS autopilot, and a thermal detection unit (get the scientist working on the tube technology immediately!), who knows!
FAI RC Model Records for Gliders [fai.org]
Lift!
Which is what Dynamic Soaring is all about (Score:1)
I have heard some very serious discussion from Joe Wurts about developing Autonomous Dynamic Soaring aircraft able to cross the atlantic, like the albatross.
http://www.reeseproductions.com/mpegs
Re:Which is what Dynamic Soaring is all about (Score:1)
http://www.wfu.edu/albatross/atwork/dynamic_
New hobby time! (Score:2)
my inspiration (Score:1)
Predator/Darkstar (Score:1)
Re:Predator/Darkstar (Score:1)
Where do we send the money? (Score:1)
I figure it's got to be organized, the competition to send a unmanned R/C plane with a wireless webcam over Area-51 is just too geeky to pass up.
Good Use as Cheap Military Drones (Score:2, Interesting)
sigless
Re:Good Use as Cheap Military Drones (Score:1)
Re:Good Use as Cheap Military Drones (Score:2)
Hey, good idea. We should also give this idea to Operation TIPS [salon.com]. Imagine how much more efficient their snitches could be.
And I understand x10 is coming out with a model airplane version of their wireless camera... (if they're not, they should!).
Re:Good Use as Cheap Military Drones (Score:2)
Especially since it's a simple matter of buying the plane yourself, building it yourself, and then buying and installing some sort of wireless camera yourself. No need to pay somebody else to do it -- this is hardly rocket science.
Re:Good Use as Cheap Military Drones (Score:1)
What an incredibly stupid thing to say.
This morning's launch scrubbed (Score:1)
Latest 09:20 EST 8/8/02 -
Last night the launch site at Cape Spear was covered with heavy fog--zero visibility and ceiling zero. Launch has been scrubbed and the team is looking for another opportunity.
mod parent up please :) (Score:1)
11 lbs.... (Score:2)
Less than that even (Score:2)
Nice fuel consumption of 1900 miles per 0.625 gal or 3000+ mpg!!!
Re:11 lbs.... (Score:1)
Maybe :-)
Go back and read the article... (Score:1)
This site generally has comments about articles that are posted somewhere else. People usually go read them and then come back to make informed comments about what they read. But somehow you missed that part.
Re:11 lbs.... (Score:2)
~1HP on 20% nitromethane blend.
Fuel tank: 75cc
1 gallon = 4546cc or about 60 tanks of fuel
My car has a top speed of 68mph or so (and can hit 60 in around 4.5 seconds when geared to do it). But to maintain sane fuel economy... it has to sit around 22krpm, or around 35mph. It can go on that for about 10 minutes (though maybe 12).
Or 6 tanks per hour
Or 10 hours
10 hours at 35mph = 350mpg
Keep in mind that this is a high-performance, fuel sucking, 35krpm peak, engine. It also doesn't have the weight of a bottle of nitro either on it. But I think 300mpg is possible. 1HP could move 10 pounds (car and fuel) that I would surmise.
-----
I love this quote! (Score:1)
I could write a whole B movie based on that quote : )
Autonomous Trans-atlantic Soaring (Score:2, Informative)
I have heard some very serious discussion from Joe Wurts about developing Autonomous Dynamic Soaring aircraft able to cross the atlantic, like the albatross.
http://www.reeseproductions.com/mpegs
Newfoundland time (Score:1)
Re:Newfoundland time (Score:2)
Meaning 1.5 hours later than Eastern time, or a half hour later than Atlantic time.
Imagine the fisherman... (Score:5, Funny)
nnnnneeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......
this little red plane buzzing by.
One of two things will happen. Either he'll jump overboard... or he'll finally give up the sauce.
-S
Entrepenueral opportunities (Score:3, Funny)
Looks good on paper at least.
Clifden (Score:2)
Why does fog matter? (Score:2)
The site says the launch was delayed due to fog. If the thing is running on GPS-assisted autopilot, what difference does fog make?
Re:Why does fog matter? (Score:1)
rj
A real terrorist weapon this isn't (Score:2)
However, that doesn't mean that creating a low cost cruise missile isn't beyond the means of even the smallest terror group or nation.
Check out The Low Cost Cruise Missile [aardvark.co.nz] for a pointer to where the real danger lies.
Re:A real terrorist weapon this isn't (Score:1)
You don't need alot of Ebola to mess someone up, and it doesn't take much radioactive crap to have a building torn down.
GPS? (Score:2)
Re:From the April 2001 /. postings (Score:3, Insightful)
1000lb is a bit more than 11lb, and in fact can be already done. That is why the military have radar, guns and missiles. The clever bit here is that this is very small. Very impressive if it makes it all that way.
What would happen to the US if a bomb did go off at the Oscars? Very little. Yes it would be a disaster/massacre of innocents, but it won't affect the economy like the twin towers attack.
This is not a useful model for any type of private cruise missile. Spy plane, maybe. Secret courier, yep. Heavy weapon, erm...nope.
Re:From the April 2001 /. postings (Score:2)
I don't think we'll see a pilotless terrorist bomb/plane anytime soon -- it'll be crazy guys at the helm of a Cessna -- or a Jetliner
Xentax
But... (Score:1)
Re:From the April 2001 /. postings (Score:1)
Re:From the April 2001 /. postings (Score:1)
It seemed a reasonable comparison of this year's factoid with last year's jokette.
Those Mods must be off their Rockers!
Re:Well, talk about an increase in drug traffic... (Score:2)
Re:Well, talk about an increase in drug traffic... (Score:1)
Re:Well, talk about an increase in drug traffic... (Score:2, Interesting)
I once saw a copper-coated table tennis ball which, it was claimed, was used to test the anti-intruder radar. The placard claimed it was throw out of a high-altitude aircraft and tracked by radar as it fell to earth, beint blown this way and that by the wind. When it landed, they sent a man out to pick it up - which he usually did.
Sealth technology has a big impact on flyability. I would expect that this plane, unstealthed, would have a radar crossection bigger than my table tennis ball, and stealthing it would ruin the range.
Re:Well, talk about an increase in drug traffic... (Score:2)
Re:amazing (Score:1, Informative)
Don't be afraid about the our planet dying because of us, it will simply change. The problem is it's us that won;t survive these changes.
Re:amazing (Score:1, Flamebait)
Re:They're ignoring Canada (Score:1)
Re:RC plane =? assassination weapon (Score:2)
wireless network you say? you must have better Pringles technology than available round these parts