Home Page Archive (page 3)

Perlan 2 Glider Breaks Altitude Record

"The Perlan 2 high altitude glider has achieved another altitude record over the high peaks in the southern part of the Patagonia mountain range. After being pulled to an altitude of 42,000 feet, the Perlan 2 continued to climb past 62,000 feet. This altitude is beyond the Armstrong Line, which defines the point beyond which the blood in a human body would boil unless protected by some form of pressurization. Perlan Mission II's chief pilot Jim Payne, and pilot and project manager Morgan Sandercock shattered the previous record, set by the same pilots about one year ago in the same region of Argentina. At that time, Payne and Sandercock flew to 52,221 feet. The team recently started using a tow plane ..."

Cox Thimble-Drome Advertisement

This particular page is from page 47 of the July 1957 issue of American Modeler magazine. If you can find one of these older model Thimble-Drome (Cox) PeeWee .020's on eBay in the original packaging, it will typically end up selling for $75 or more. Thimble Drome is no longer in operation. Use the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' inflation calculator to see what items cost in today's dollars. For instance, that $3.95 PeeWee .020 would be $35.19 in 2018 money - a factor of nearly 10x ...

Nearly 2,000 Waivers Granted to Operate Beyond Part 107

"Indicates an overwhelming interest in nighttime operations, other expanded operations. On the eve of the two-year anniversary of the FAA establishing regulations for operating small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) today released an update to its analysis of waivers by the FAA for UAS operations beyond the scope of the Small UAS Rule and found that nearly 2,000 have been granted. The analysis finds that nearly 92% of the waivers grant permission to operate UAS at night, which is not permitted under the FAA rule. The report also shows that first responders around the country ..."

Stunting Vickers Wellesley

I finally found the scanned file for this Stunting "Vickers Wellesley" article that appeared in the May 1957 issue of American Modeler magazine. Somehow the magazine disappeared and I had to dig back into an old hard drive from 2011 to find the file. Anyway, here is yet another fine Walter Musciano design of the British bomber of World War II fame. Designed for a .35-size engine, this 58" wingspan control line model with 420 cubic inch of wing area should be capable of basic stunting. An electric power setup could easily be adapted to the airframe, and some weight could be saved by thinning out the structural members a bit. Smooth-running brushless motors don't put anywhere near the vibratory strain on models as internal combustion engines do ...

Jim Walker & The American Junior Aircraft Company

If you are a fan of control line (aka CL, C/L, U-control) Jim Walker and have not yet visited the Jim Walker & The American Junior Aircraft Company, this is the time to do so. "Jim Walker was really one of a kind. He was a visionary, a showman, an inventor and a passionate promoter of Model Aviation. Whether he was flying his Two-Speed ignition engine Fireball with U-Control or his 10¢ Model 74 Glider, Jim Walker captivated the crowds and the imagination of a generation of youngsters with his incredible flying skills. Producing Ready-To-Fly model planes years before balsa became common, his American Junior Aircraft Company shaped the future of the hobby world with his innovative ideas ..."

R/C Aircraft Hobbyists Battle with Feds to Protect Their Hobby

Note: Be sure to look at reader comments at the bottom. "The FAA recently changed its mind about exempting model aircraft. Radio control aircraft hobbyists are currently standing up to the FAA, Department of Defense, and select members of Congress in order to preserve the freedom of their pastime, to fly small model aircraft in select locations around the U.S. In a petition, RC pilots say their fight revolves around 'Rule 336,' which is a section in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act from 2012 that exempts model and remote control aircraft enthusiasts from regulation if they were flown for 'hobby & recreation' purposes. Earlier this summer, the federal government reversed the original ruling, leaving enthusiasts vulnerable to federal regulation ..."

Alain's Duck R/C Canard Plans Now Available for Download

Alain Pons, of France, sent my a paper copy of the plans for his custom-designed 6-foot wingspan R/C canard model airplane - "Alain's Duck.". I had it scanned to JPG format at Office Max and then did some clean-up to enhance the contrast and eliminate most of the fold lines. You can easily scale the plans to any size you need to fit your tastes. Thanks again to Alain for making this available ...

Quick Floats Article & Plans

Airplanes and Rockets website visitor Rob P. wrote to ask that I post the construction article for George Wilson's "Quick Floats," which appeared in the May 1973 issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine. It's nice to know that even with all the prefabricated floats available for purchase today that there is still someone who prefers to build his own. The original Quick Floats design was sized for a .60-powered stunt airplane, but you can easily scale them up or down as needed to fit your model. I normally do not include a full-resolution scan in order to give the AMA Plans Service an opportunity to sell a copy (very low prices); however, a visit to their website does not show a listing for Quick Floats. Click on the plans images below for the larger versions. Beware that scans from the magazine may contain skew ...

Bye Aero Flies Solar-Electric Prototype

"Bye Aerospace announced August 20 a successful first flight for a solar-electric aircraft created with surveillance and patrol missions in mind. The company founded by CEO George Bye hopes to be the first to certify an American-made electric airplane, the Sun Flyer, which was designed to reduce the cost of flight training and prove that electric propulsion is a viable alternative to petroleum-based fuels in general aviation. The mission of the Solar-Electric Survey Aircraft, or SOLESA, is somewhat different, Bye explained in an email, though the two platforms share many components and systems. 'The SOLESA ‘could’ be available to the 'public,' but not likely, because of the solar cell expense to the aircraft ..."

Dr. Ralph Brooke's "Whistler" Article & Plans

Dr. Ralph Brooke was a member of the 1963 U.S. International Team, which won the World Champion ships at Genk, Belgium. He custom designed "Whistler" full house radio control model airplane is featured in this 1963 issue of American Modeler magazine. The engine was a Veco .45, which was smaller than the .60 size used by many competitors of the day. The plans are well-drawn, but the wing portion is broken across the two sheets, and only the left half is shown. The wingspan is only 59", so it really wouldn't have been that much trouble to put at least the entire wing half on one sheet. That has always been a pet peeve of mine. Otherwise, the Whistler is a nice looking model and could easily be adapted to electric power ...

Airbus Zephyr Drone Record at 26 Days in the Air

"Airbus has praised the success of the drone's maiden flight and plans to increase the device's duration, while the UK government is set to become the first one to adopt the technology for its needs. While Airbus is mostly known for its passenger aircraft construction, it is also one of the global leaders in space engineering. The company's press-release published on Wednesday reveals another achievement in this sphere. A Zephyr S HAPS drone (High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite) successfully landed in Farnborough, the UK upon finishing its first trial flight. The drone was in the air for 25 days, 23 hours, and 57 minutes, breaking the world record ..."

Rolls-Royce Unveils EVTOL Air Taxi at Farnborough Airshow

"Engine maker Rolls-Royce has released details of a new EVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) vehicle at this year's Farnborough Airshow. The hybrid aircraft, designed to carry four or five passengers, has an M250 gas turbine which delivers around 500 kW of electrical power. This is used to drive six rotors that can provide both lift and propulsion, with the wings tilting forward 90° once sufficient altitude has been reached. Four of the rotors can also fold into the wings, leaving two at the rear to provide thrust at cruising altitude while helping to reduce cabin noise. Top speed is estimated at 250mph and range is predicted ..."

The UK's Scottish Spaceport Plan

"The plans for a launch site for rockets in Sutherland on the north coast of Scotland have already attracted lively debate in our news section, so it is an obvious choice for our poll this week. There have been ambitions to site a spaceport in the UK for over a decade, but business secretary Greg Clark's announcement at the opening of the Farnborough Air Show was the first concrete sign of these plans being put into government policy, and were accompanied by an announcement of a £50 million UK space launch fund. We have suggested a number of options as responses to the question. Is the plan an unequivocally good idea ..."

Model Rocket Safety: Be Smart! Be Safe!

Vernon (Vern) Estes is single-handedly responsible for the prevention of untold eyes, fingers, arms, hair, and even lives, due to his invention of safe, prepackaged, solid fuel model rocket engines. Estes Industries was founded in 1958, the year this article on model rocketry safety appeared in American Molder magazine. Shortly after Estes began operation, they published a newsletter titled, "Estes Model Rocket News," which had amongst its contents numerous tips on safe handling and use of model rocket engines, and many warning against trying to build your own engines. The thought of kids and even adults handling picrate, the fulminate, and the iodate compounds is enough to send chills down my spine. G. Harry Stine, editor of the model rocketry column in American Modeler ...

Video: A Conversation with Vern and Gleda Estes

The Museum of Flight produced a very nice video titled, "A Conversation with Vern and Gleda Estes." If you are or once were a model rocketeer - a term coined by Vern - you will definitely want to view video. After watching the video, go straight to the VernEstes.com website and look through the vast historical information there, which includes an incredible film of the beginnings of the Penrose, Colorado, headquarters and factory. Vern and Gleda built the first structures by hand, block by block. It was truly a bygone era of rugged individualism. We owe the pair much gratitude for transforming model rocketry into a safe, affordable hobby.

U.S. Army SUAS Drone School

I wish these types of drones were around during my USAF days. "U.S. Army instructors at Fort Benning, Georgia recently opened a new drone training school to teach young soldiers to become as familiar with these tiny flying devices as they are handling M4 carbines. The 3rd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade opened its new small unmanned aerial system, or SUAS, course facility June 11 and recently began giving classes to basic trainees 'so they can become familiar with drones before they show up to their units,' Sgt. 1st Class Hilario Dominguez, the lead instructor for the class, said in a recent Defense Department news release. Students at the SUAS course showed basic trainees ..."

Aston Martin Reveals Flying Car That Could Hit 200 MPH

"Not even James Bond had an Aston Martin like this. The British sports car maker revealed a concept version of a flying car, the Volante Vision Concept, at the Farnborough Airshow this week. Aston Martin has billed the futuristic vehicle as a luxury car for the skies. The autonomous hybrid-electric vehicle, which has room for three passengers, is designed for urban and inter-city travel, the company said. It's also capable of vertical take-offs and landings. The vehicle could fly at top speeds of around 200 miles per hour, according to Reuters. 'With the population in urban areas continuing to grow ..."

Reader's Digest Model 800-XR Speaker Modification

The original speakers on my Reader's Digest 800-XR stereo system sounded OK, but they sounded crackly at some frequencies even at normal volume level, so I decided to replace the speakers with something more modern. Not wanting to spend a lot of money on speakers and a crossover network, I opted for a set of car speakers with built-in crossovers. Since car speakers have a 4 Ω impedance and the stereo wants 8 Ω, I wired the two new speakers in series. Over time, the right channel on the Speaker A output became scratchy and sometimes would drop out completely. There was also an issue with distortion on all outputs when the volumes was turned ...

Oak Lamp Turned in the Robins AFB Woodshop

While serving in the U.S. Air Force at Robins AFG, Georgia, in the early 1980s, I took advantage of the base woodworking shop to make a set of stereo speaker enclosures, turn a couple lamps on the wood lathe, and a few other projects. Most have been sold or given away over the many household moves that have transpired since then. One of the oak lamps has survived, probably because I had given it to Melanie as a present before we were married. It is made from some 3" thick blocks that were found in the wood shop's scrap bin. I laminated three of them together and then turned an ad hoc design (no preplanned shape) that can be seen in these couple photos. A couple grooves were added and then brass tubing was bent ...

Flying Trains Could Be Coming Your Way

This author must have never heard of the C-47 Skytrain. "It sounds like something Q, the tech guy in James Bond movies, would create: A plane that lands on a runway, shrugs its wings off, turns into a train and rolls on to rails to drop you off at your local station. That's what a French entrepreneur, who's made millions by connecting engineers with industrial groups, is pitching to Boeing Co. and others. 'Link & Fly' is Akka Technologies's new flagship aircraft design, with wings that come off to hasten turnover at airports and make boarding easier and closer to passengers' homes ..."

Model Rocket Safety: Be Smart! Be Safe!

Vernon (Vern) Estes is single-handedly responsible for the prevention of untold eyes, fingers, arms, hair, and even lives, due to his invention of safe, prepackaged, solid fuel model rocket engines. Estes Industries was founded in 1958, the year this article on model rocketry safety appeared in American Molder magazine. Shortly after Estes began operation, they published a newsletter titled, "Estes Model Rocket News," which had amongst its contents numerous tips on safe handling and use of model rocket engines, and many warning against trying to build your own engines. G. Harry Stine, editor of the model rocketry column in American Modeler, printed the Model Missile Safety Code as drafted by the Model Missile Association (MMA, predated the National Association of Rocketry - NAR) ...

2 Flying Taxi Startups Got Pentagon Funding

"Self-flying vehicle firms got $2M last year, as U.S. military envisions taxis as more Blade Runner than Back to the Future. Last year, Kitty Hawk and Joby Aviation received a total of nearly $2M from the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), a Pentagon organization founded to help America's military make faster use of emerging technologies. Neither company, nor the DIUx, disclosed the funding at the time. The website for Cora, Kitty Hawk's experimental air taxi, emphasizes its role in solving urban transportation challenges: 'Cora is about the time you could save soaring over traffic. The people you could visit  ..."

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System

"NASA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System, or UAS-NAS project, works on identifying, developing and testing the technologies and procedures that will make it possible for UAS to have routine access to airspace occupied by human-piloted aircraft. The UAS-NAS project uses modeling, simulations and flight tests to develop and test technologies that provide safe, effective, secure capabilities including detect and avoid (DAA) and command and control (C2). The SIERRA-B unmanned aircraft system developed at NASA's Ames Research Center ..."

HobbyKing Drone Transmitter Spurs Possible $2.8M FCC Penalty

"In the wake of an investigation resulting from a 2017 ARRL complaint, the FCC has proposed fining HobbyKing and associated entities $2.8 million for apparently marketing noncompliant RF devices and failing to comply with Commission orders. According to a June 5 FCC Notice of Apparent Liability (NAL), HobbyKing appears to have sold audio/video transmitters (A/V) intended for use with unmanned aircraft, such as drones, marketing them as Amateur Radio equipment in some instances. 'The Enforcement Bureau previously issued a Citation notifying HobbyKing of its legal and regulatory obligations and ordering it to cease and desist from marketing noncompliant equipment,' the FCC said ..."

Experimental Spaceplane Engine Test Successful

"DARPA's Experimental Spaceplane (XSP) advances toward its goal for rapid turnaround and on-demand launch with the completion of a test series that put the spaceplane's AR-22 Experimental Spaceplane Main Engine through a rigorous campaign. In the two weeks preceding the campaign, the engine ran twice to establish initial performance characteristics and turnaround processes. Then, starting July 26, the engineering team successfully fired the engine 10 times in just under 240 hours. All firings lasted at least 100 seconds. The AR-22 engine is a variant of the RS-25, also known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) ..."

Soviet Military Cemetery Filled with Aircraft Fins Grave Markers

"The Amari Cemetery located in Harju County, northern Estonia, is a place where you'll witness a series of graves decorated with aircraft tail fins. The answer to why these graves have aircraft fins on them lies beneath these tombstones, with all those who are resting in these graves. These are Soviet pilots who were killed while serving their duty during the Soviet occupation of Estonia. The burial place is truly a sight that will kindle respect for all the soldiers who put their lives on the line for their country. What could have been a better way to pay homage to the martyrs than using the fins of an airplane that they were likely died in? The soldiers were buried on a site that was designated for the burial of war causalities ..."

Flyin' Jenny Comic Strips: November 2, 1941, Baltimore Sun

This is the November 2, 2941, "Flyin' Jenny" comic strip. The Baltimore Sun newspaper, published not far from where I grew up near Annapolis, Maryland, carried "Flyin' Jenny" from the late 1930s until the strip ended in the mid 1940s, so I saved a couple dozen from there. The first one I downloaded has a publication date of December 7, 1941 - that date "which will live in infamy," per President Roosevelt. Many Americans were receiving word over the radio of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor while reading this comic at the breakfast table. I expect that soon there will be World War II themes. "Flyin' Jenny," whose real name was Virginia Dare (what's in a name?), was a test pilot ...

July 1969: "The Engineer's" Coverage of the Apollo 11 Mission

Here is a subject near and dear to my heart: Apollo 11. The Engineer provided extensive coverage, and they now make available their complete archive. This is a year shy of the half-century anniversary. "Just days before Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon. The Engineer took a detailed look at the technology that would get him and his fellow astronauts safely there and back again. How do you mark the most significant achievement in the history of mankind? The Apollo landings of the late 60s and early 70s are still seen as the high water mark of humanity, and as The Engineer pointed out, much of the millions of words of press coverage of the first mission to land, Apollo 11 ..."

Sailing Drone Measures Oceans Autonomously for 12 Months

"Saildrone is a Californian company which designs and manufactures wind and solar powered autonomous surface vehicles, called Saildrones, designed to monitor the ocean for months on end. The hard wind design emerged from a decade-long pursuit of the land speed record – company founder Richard Jenkins ultimately achieved 126.2mph in 2009, having started his Windjet Project in 1999 while studying mechanical engineering at Imperial College. Using wind power for propulsion, a Saildrone fleet travels at 3-5kts, with each drone collecting high-resolution data either by holding station or following a survey pattern. The drones sail autonomously ..."

Free Flight Rocket, Jr. Jetex PAA-Load and PAA Load Jet

This article provides a really good look at how varied model airplane designs can be for a defined contest event - in this case Free Flight Rocket, Jr. Jet PAA-Load and PAA Load Jet. Wing, fuselage, and tail outlines, pylons or not, sub-rudders, and engine mounting locations are all over the map, figuratively speaking. "Jet" as used here refers almost universally to the Jetex engines that were popular at the time. Jetex motors, fuel, and accessories were imported from England and distributed in the U.S. by Aristo-Craft Distinctive Miniatures, in Newark, New Jersey. Jetex rocket engines were quite popular with model airplane, boat, and car builders through the early 1970s, at which point the fuel supplies began to disappear ...

China Aims to Beat NASA with Super-Powerful Rocket

"China is working on a super-powerful rocket that would be capable of delivering heavier payloads into low orbit than NASA, a leading Chinese space expert was quoted as saying Monday. By 2030, the Long March-9 rocket under development will be able to carry 140 tonnes into low-Earth orbit - where TV and earth observation satellites currently fly - said Long Lehao, a senior official from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, according to the official Xinhua news agency. This compares to the 20 tonnes deliverable by Europe's Ariane 5 rocket or the 64 tonnes by Elon Musk's Falcon Heavy ..."

Facebook's Project Aquila Arial Base Station Crashes

"Facebook has cancelled its UK-based high altitude unmanned aircraft project, Aquila. The project, based in Somerset, aimed to provide Internet basestations that could stay in the air for weeks at a time at an altitude of 60,000 ft. However the 2 kW power requirements and the laser communications technology that was intended to link aircraft in the sky and to the ground were both significant challenges. 'The only spectrum available for these platforms wasn't suitable for broadband due to technical and geographical limitations,' said Yael Maguire, director of engineering at Facebook ..."

Heathkit 3-Channel for Cars, Boats, or Lanier's Hawk Glider

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there existed a modeling civilization that enthusiastically embraced the concept of building kits for the personal satisfaction of being able to hone craftsmanship skills, to learn about the make-up of the products being built, and to save money. Radio control systems were expensive on a per channel basis compared to today's systems. Heathkit, as it did with a very wide assortment of electronics products, sold a few radio control systems in kit form. The buyer built everything - transmitter, receiver, and servos. I do no remember whether the NiCd battery packs came pre-assembled. Note that Heathkit servos used capacitive feedback ...

JWST Launch Delayed to 2021 at Extra Cost of ~$1B

I'm looking forward to JWST data, and sure hope it doesn't suffer a HST-type failure. "An independent panel has informed NASA that the James Webb Space Telescope will not be ready for launch until March 2021, and Congress will have to reauthorize the long-delayed, over-budget mission after breaching an $8B cost cap, officials said Wednesday. Blunders made by Webb's manufacturing and test team at Northrop Grumman, the mission’s prime contractor, are largely responsible for the launch delay, according to Thomas Young, a former Lockheed Martin executive and NASA program manager who chaired the review board examining the mission's development ..."

Boeing's Concept Jet Could Fly New York to London in 2 Hours

"Boeing has unveiled a concept jet that will be capable of whisking passengers from New York to London at a blistering Mach 5 - making it capable of crossing the pond in just two hours. The hypersonic plane would fly almost three times faster than the legendary Concorde - which was decommissioned in 2003 - and cruise at 95,000 feet, about 3,000 feet higher than its supersonic predecessor, according to Aviation Week. The concept aircraft, which was unveiled at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Aviation 2018 conference in Atlanta, is part of a long-range development plan with both commercial and military applications, the news outlet reported ..."

Sketchbook, January 1952 Air Trails

Creativity and ingenuity was needed more often by aircraft modelers back when various aspects of the hobby were in the development stages and access to a prefabricated device was not as ready as today. If you need a special-purpose product or method nowadays, a Google search will usually turn up a solution in the form of an off-the-shelf item and/or instructions on how to do it yourself - sometimes even with a video to show you how to do it. In the middle of the last century, if you wanted a component or gizmo other than common things like wheels, propellers, and bell cranks, you had to make them yourself from on-hand materials or do without. I often am amazed at the ideas presented in these Sketch Book installments. Check out the device designed by Mr. Mustafa K. Artam, of Istanbul, Turkey, for checking relative thrust ...

More Precise GPS Coverage Now Available Across U.S.

This might benefit some GPS-directed drones. "There is now more precise GPS coverage across the U.S., thanks to the recent deployment of the FAA's Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting 5 Wide Area Augmentation System navigation payload, which was developed by Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business. The GEO 5 payload joins two others already on orbit in correcting GPS satellite signal ionospheric disturbances, timing issues, and minor orbit adjustments, giving increased coverage, improved accuracy, and better reliability, according to Raytheon officials. 'GPS alone can't meet the FAA's stringent requirements for accuracy, integrity and availability ..."

Flying Jenny

Although not directly related to the mid-last-century aviatrix Virginia Dare, aka "Flyin' Jenny," the "Flying Jenny" book written by Theasa Tuohy is a novel about a daring tabloid newspaper reporter named Jenny Flynn. This Jenny was inspired by real-life barnstorming female pilot Elinor Smith, aka "The Flying Flapper Freeport." The author's mother and namesake (Theasa Tuohy) was a contemporary of Will Rogers and friend of Wiley Post ...

Atomic-Power Air Transport

Atomic-powered aircraft was another dream of mid-last-century visionaries. It was the post World War II era where, following the demonstration of nuclear energy's awesome capacity demonstrated in Japan, plans were being made to harness its capacity for peaceful uses. Large scale atomic power electricity and steam generation stations being designed and built. So, too, were personal nuclear power packs, atomic-powered car, boats, submarines, airplanes, rockets, and trains envisioned. Unfortunately, designers soon learned that safe containment of the fuel made small form factor generators impractical. Unfortunately, a few accidents in power stations has spooked ...

Student Pilot Crashes During Unauthorized Solo Flight

Notice the tail number has been blotted out. "A student pilot who was training at Fullerton Airport in southern California is in major trouble after an incident on Sunday. Too eager for his first solo, the man took a Cessna 172 from a local flying club without permission, but was unable to successfully complete his mission. Fullerton's airport manager Brendan O’Reilly said the student pilot had recently joined the RI Flying Club, which had the Cessna 172 as part of its fleet. O'Reilly said the flying club has been operating at the airport for more than 30 years without any incidents. The student pilot was not qualified to fly the airplane solo, but somehow snagged the keys and took the airplane to the skies. The student pilot made not one, not two, not three, not four, but five attempts at landing, each time messing up the airplane more ..."