R/C MODEL FLIES ACROSS THE ATLANTIC!!!

[Hagar]

That's my point about the autopilot. Theoretically you launch the thing & fly it to the desired altitude. Then set the A/P & forget about it. The guy at the other end lands it at the appropriate time. It's a wonderful technical achivement but doesn't require any great flying skill. IMHO

I also think it's more than a tad dangerous, especially if others try to copy it, which they undoubtedly will.

[Rifleman]

After reading the allowed information on this model, I now find that this flight wasn't remotely controlled at all. In fact, the take-off and landing were done remotely and by radio control, but the flight on auto-pilot was done by internal control with referrences to GPS inputs, to an onboard computer system.....
........autonomous flight not radio controlled flight........

..........and here I thought there was marine vessel tracking and keeping course with the airborne craft.........

.............sheesh, our glider contests here in Canada have generated a 74 km closed course distance record, done by having a team, driving the car and flying the plane around a number of roads in a four direction box, three times around, to attain this distance..........

[Scottler]

Ya know...the more I think about this story, the more I realize the significance of it.

I mean, sure, the guy didn't fly the thing the whole way manually.

And yes, it happened during the centennial year.

But this story, as seemingly insignificant as it may be, really has some unforseen value.

Think about it...when was the last time we had an aviation first like this?  (Even if you include the space program, which I'm not for the sake of this discussion, there hasn't been one in ages...)

Back in the day you had guys and gals like the Wright Brothers, Lindbergh, Yeager, Jimmy Doolittle....

But we just don't have things happen anymore, because we've just about conquered earthbound flight.

So in it's own quirky little way, this is really cool, if you put it in the proper perspective.  It brings aviation accomplishments to an entirely new generation...

[Rifleman]

Scott, maybe you are not aware of the Pathfinder ?.....its a NASA project which is doing this very same kind of stuff.....has been for years.........

http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Newsroom/FactSheets/FS-034-DFRC.html


Maynard Hill is just another fine modeller doing things without the budget of NASA..........

[Hagar]

.............sheesh, our glider contests here in Canada have generated a 74 km closed course distance, done by having a team, driving the car and flying the plane around a number of roads in a four direction box, three times around, to attain this distance..........

Precisely. That takes skill, just like the short cross-countries I've done in the past following the model on foot over all kinds of terrain. Some of our club members flew a glider from Ditchling Beacon to Shoreham Airport with the pilot sitting in the back of a pick-up truck driven along the main roads. Not a great distance but extremely difficult & skilled flying. This is my whole point.

[Scottler]

No, I know that there are major groups doing it, but I mean the little guy...he did it, so that means that just about anyone can.  (That might be dangerous, as has been pointed out.  lol)  It's just inspiring, much like the good ol' days...

[Hagar]

My problem is not with the achievement. It's the description "R/C MODEL FLIES ACROSS THE ATLANTIC!!! ". This is either unintentionally or deliberately misleading. It might have RC equipment aboard (for take-off & landing only) but to all intents & purposes it's a miniature cruise missile........!!!!!!!
I find this thought a tad frightening.

At least it's good publicity for the engine manufacturers. Good old OS .60 four-stroke.

[Rifleman]

Hagar, you make me feel inferior, with my Saito .50 in my Zeke........
I do however, also fly O.S. .........I have several of the FP version in different sizes.......SuperTigre too..........

[Felix/FFDS]

If I recall the information on the fellow - wasn't he involved in the design of UAVs?
 This is just a miniature UAV....

F

My problem is not with the achievement. It's the description "R/C MODEL FLIES ACROSS THE ATLANTIC!!! ". This is either unintentionally or deliberately misleading. It might have RC equipment aboard (for take-off & landing only) but to all intents & purposes it's a miniature cruise missile........!!!!!!!
I find this thought a tad frightening.

At least it's good publicity for the engine manufacturers. Good old OS .60 four-stroke.

[Threadkiller]

[quote]That's some acheivment.

[Scottler]

Isn't that how Jeffrey Dahmer started out?  LOL

[Hagar]

2 of them sacrificed themselves for the name of parachute sience

The question is, did they jump or were they pushed?

[Scottler]

Time for some "My Cousin Vinny" Psychology.  (Great movie...)


Lemme axe you sumptin'....imagine you're a hamstah.  You've got your little furry ears, and your little furry fingahs.  

You're running around your little metal wheel, everything is great.  You bring your little furry nose up to the little metal tube to take a sip of watah.

BAM!  

You're flat on the ****in' sidewalk, with a tiny scrap of trash bag covering your bloody corpse.

Now I axe ya.  Are you gonna give a **** whethah you were pushed or if you jumped?


LOL

[Hagar]

[quote]Now I axe ya.

[Threadkiller]

The question is, did they jump or were they pushed?

they perished in the line of duty, and thats that  :-[ at that time they didnt have the safety device on (a string tied to them) and the chute failed to open