FanFacts W
elcome back! With some of the larger R/C jets we are seeing out there, I thought I’d take a look at an even larger one that has been in the news for the last several months —the Northrup-Grumman X-47B demon- strator. With “drones” in the news (seeming- ly daily) it was neat to watch the Navy video of the catapult launch of the UCAS (Un- manned Combat Air System) from the USS George H.W. Bush in May, followed by sever- al touch-and-goes … kool stuff!
So, how does this relate to R/C you might ask, and the answer is in the wrist controller used for ground/shipboard control. I think this is taking the old Futaba single-stick transmitter to new heights, but I have no clue on how to perform a snap-roll with this style controller! I have included two links with videos, articles and history of the proj- ect, and much more can be found via a Google search.
The first is a video of the landing at:
http://tinyurl.com/kfzfqrn. Additionally, a montage of the take-off, touch-and-go and landing can be found at:
http://tinyurl.com/ pnjvyuf. Finally, the two aircraft are now being mothballed, having served their pur- pose, and having two “failures” for landings #3 and 4, which did not happen because the on-board flight computers could not agree. The demonstrator aborted to go back to Patuxent River Naval Air Station to land in- stead. I would guess that as much was learned from the two aborts as was learned from the two successful landings! As regular readers know, I like some of the edf models, and its non-mainstream ex-
PHOTO: U.S. NAVY
Top view of an X-47B. An interesting blended-body plus a wing shape. The wing extensions fold for carrier operations. Remote controlled while on deck, once airborne the demonstrator is autonomous depending upon consensus with its computers.
perimental stuff. The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, or EADS (bet- ter known as the parent company of Airbus) has an experimental side, and at this year’s Paris Air Show presented their E-Fan demonstrator aircraft, which is a twin edf and is slated to be a Light Electric Trainer. While I’ve only been able to snag a short com- pany video from the web of the plane taxiing,
it is very interesting, and can be found at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lavvVN7fSEU. Just looking at her, I can easily see a model version in my future, though I don’t think I’ll be able to get the company claimed duration of an hour from it!
Okay, down to a smaller edf (though it is
still big!) at 88 inches long and with a 63- inch wing span, Andy Zaner (with another
by greg moore You can reach Greg Moore via e-mail at
jetflyr@comcast.net
PHOTOS: U.S. NAVY PHOTO: EAD VIA THE WEB
Up, up and away! Our hobby semi-sort-of meets current military development trends. The Northrup-Grumman X-47B (above) demonstrator takes off from a carrier for the first time. While follow on touch-and-goes as well as two full stop, arrested landings were accomplished, this photo shows the first major milestone. Here is what makes the X-47 a bit more relevant to these pages— the on-ground controller (above, at right) which controls steering, thrust and brakes, keeping a man in the loop until airborne and its autonomous systems can take over. We can see from this photo that flexing the wrist left and right can move the nose gear steering, but how do you do a snap roll with something like that? Copied from the web (at right), this taxi-test photo of the EADS E-Fan experimental edf-trainer piqued Greg’s interest. While looking like a large glider, the twin edf—with exposed and simple fans—should probably make a good model. Greg especially liked the French registration on the tail.
58 AUGUST 2013
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