114 lines
5.7 KiB
Plaintext
114 lines
5.7 KiB
Plaintext
SUBJECT: Radio-Controlled Flying Saucer Design FILE: UFO2606
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For the past year Raamco Avionics has been investigating the possiblity
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of developing a practical radio-controlled flying saucer. It is our
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belief that if alien flying saucers are real and have been seen, that
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their shape contributes no aerodynamic lift at all in the conventional
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sense, but rather that they operate on some form of antigravity.
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We have studied some scientific literature related to gravity, and it
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seems that even though Newton developed a mathematical relationship to
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describe gravity some 300 years ago (F=gm1m2/r^2), modern science really
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has no idea what gravity is or how it works, only that it has some
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relationship to mass. Just like the layman, scientists consider the
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problem solved, and take gravity for granted.
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We have not solved the problem of gravity, and unless the government
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comes clean with any knowledge it has of alien craft, or some bright
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scientists actually determine what the real mechanism of gravity is and
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how to defeat it, we will have to use more conventional means of
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propulsion in our flying saucer design.
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The flying saucer has several advantages over our conventional flying
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craft. Like a helicopter, they can hover. However they don't have the
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large rotor blades that cannot be safely operated near buildings,
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people, power lines, etc. Airplanes require forward velocity to remain
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aloft, and become dangerous in the case of engine failures in
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mountainous regions where there is no way to land safely.
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A practical flying saucer would eliminate these problems and potentially
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be the safest form of flying.
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Conventional forms of propulsion that could be used include: piston-
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engine ducted fans, rotary-engine ducted fans, turbine engines, or
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liquid fueled rockets. Since we are generating no lift from an
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aerodynamic surface such as a wing or a rotor, almost all the power
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developed will be used to defeat gravity. This requires the thrust to
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weight ratio to be greater than one, and such a machine will require
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more fuel than conventional aircraft. However this is compensated by a
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smaller, more compact aircraft that has vertical takeoff, landing, and
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hovering ability. Forward velocity may be limited, but drag should be
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low.
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Ducted fans actually represent a very attractive choice. They are
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enclosed, out of sight, and thus allow us to create a very "realistic"
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saucer. They are also more cost effective than the other choices, but
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deliver less thrust. One problem associated with ducted fans in
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conventional aircraft is that they lose thrust as the aircraft gains
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forward speed. Since our fans will be oriented vertically, and a very
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large percentage of the thrust generated will be used to overcome
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gravity, the forward (upward) velocity as seen by the fan is very small.
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This will allow the fans to be designed for maximum static thrust.
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For the initial design of such a craft, we propose using 6 ducted fans
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arranged around a central core that contains fuel, controls, payload,
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etc. All six units operating together provide enough thrust to elevate
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the craft to a predetermined service ceiling, where the effiency of the
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fan unit and engine can no longer accelerate enough air through to
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offset the force of gravity. This service ceiling will be specified in
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density altitude. Forward and sideways motion is accomplished by
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varying the thrust of various combinations of the six fans. To
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eliminate a torque that would cause the craft to rotate around its
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vertical axis, the three fans on the left side should rotate in the
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opposite direction to the three fans on the right side.
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A design is available from Raamco that has been prototyped. It is
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constructed of aluminum, balsa wood, and fiberglass, and is powered by
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six electric ducted fans. Rather than use mechanical servos as most R/C
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models, this design uses a total electronic system. The receiver
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obtains forward, reverse, left, right, up, and down commands from the
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ground-based transmitter, and these commands are converted to variable-
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voltage signals to drive the six ducted fan motors. This electronics
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unit is under development and will be available from Raamco by January
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1995. Eventually a complete kit will be available.
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In the future, larger designs will be built, possibly using piston or
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rotary engines driving fans. In the case of these, the receiver/
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controller electronics will drive servos that differentially control the
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throttles of each engine. We eventually will develop a version large
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enough to carry a pilot, that could be built from plans or a kit under
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the FAA Experimental Amateur-built category.
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Since the ducted fan saucer is a new development, there will be
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continuous changes and improvements to these plans. These updates will
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be sent free of charge as quarterly newsletters for the first year to
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all plans purchasers. After one year, a small fee will be charged to
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cover printing and mailing costs of the updates, and it will be
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necessary to subscribe if you wish to receive them. The newsletter will
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include feedback from subscribers/builders, who will have good ideas and
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experiences to improve the design.
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For more information call Perry at Raamco Avionics.
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Raamco Avionics, Inc.
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28815 Airport Road
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Eugene, OR 97402
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(503) 689-1801 (voice, no data)
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(503) 689-1802 (data, by prior arrangment on -1801)
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(800) 863-1801 (orders only)
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Plans + First year newsletter: $34.95
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Visa, Mastercard, Amex accepted; or send check.
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**********************************************
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* THE U.F.O. BBS - http://www.ufobbs.com/ufo *
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********************************************** |