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Category Archives: Transportation
The Martin Jetpack and Its Design Tradeoffs
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLccl_NWDQE] Here’s the technical information. It uses a piston engine to spin two smallish propellers. At first look it seems inefficient: the propellers are so small (diameter 1.7 ft so radius is 0.26 m) so the air mass flow is low … Continue reading
Posted in airplane, engines, Motivation, Science Links, Transportation
Tagged Design, Jetpack, Martin, Tradeoff
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Long Endurance UAV Design
Karoliina has some thoughts on plane design, looking at High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAV:s as inspiration for high L/D craft, to ultimately cruise at fast speed with little power. I disagree somewhat, and I’m sketching out why, below. Probably … Continue reading
Posted in airplane, Models, Motivation, Navelgazing, Science Links, Transportation
Tagged Aircraft, Conceptual Design, cruise, HALE, Loiter, UAV
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Finally, Quieter Helicopters
The fenestron already improved helicopter noise problems a lot (less tail rotor and main rotor interference) but this new blade tip they’re working with at Eurocopter seems like a great advance! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBS1NRsYuF8&feature=player_embedded] If the power levels / flight situations are … Continue reading
Posted in industry, Motivation, Science Links, Transportation
Tagged Blue Edge, Eurocopter, Fenestron, noise
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Ridiculous Laws, Part n of Infinity
It seems the US is getting onto private aviation bashing. No trailerable aircraft to airports or automobile gasoline for the engines. The former could be seen to be motivated by trying to prevent building bombs into aircraft, the latter is … Continue reading
Posted in airplane, Demotivation, Homebuilt, idiocracy, industry, Transportation
Tagged alternative fuel, aviation, Electric cars, FAA, overregulation, private, Regulation
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Chevy Volt
Jay Leno testing one briefly. It’s a plugin series hybrid, the gasoline engine doesn’t “help” the acceleration like in the parallel hybrid cars produced so far, and it’s supposed to come out in 2010. But a 1.4 liter gasoline engine … Continue reading
Posted in industry, Transportation
Tagged chevy, GM, hybrid, opel, plugin, series, volt
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Astrospies and Other Nova Documentaries Online
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2K6HHUbUe0&feature=player_embedded] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-mVR4F7tfY&feature=player_embedded] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kNszWU7hTw&feature=player_embedded] Merry Christmas everyone!
Posted in airplane, Architecture, industry, Journalism, Transportation, Uncategorized
Tagged Almaz, Astrospies, MOL, PBS
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Be Careful When Starting Large Projects
Photos of a certain large Soviet ground effect vehicle.
Posted in airplane, Architecture, Demotivation, industry, Motivation, NASA, RLV:s, Transportation
Tagged Orlyonok, WIG
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Burnelli Report on Fox
http://vimeo.com/6382632 An old video. The Burnelli “lifting body with wings” style transport and passenger planes might have been good. Too bad it’s pretty hard to pressurize compared to tube hulls that were just introduced when Burnelli aircraft were proposed. I … Continue reading