Posted on 07/13/2020 10:33:23 AM PDT by Red Badger
Saw one of our guys watching a final ordnance check from the aft edge of a running F4-B. Was leaning down, with hand resting on the back of the wing fuel tank, elbow up.
Pilot cycled his controls, control surface comes down and snaps the forearm. Left a helluva dent in the fuel tank as well. Those surface are not stopping for anything. Crew chief should have verified the surfaces were clear of crew.
Really cool. Thanks for this.
There were some questions about autonomy. A few points: First is that man is not the limiting factor. Next is the fact that the vast majority of fighter pilots don’t really know how they dog fight, they just do it. They have a few standard maneuvers and improvise the rest. That is one reason why it is hard to automate. Next is that it isn’t a 3 dimensional problem or even 4,5,6,etc. It is a grater than a 15 dimensional problem. And the Raptor adds a couple of more twists. Next is situational awareness. Eyeballs and a neck swivel provide a lot of information that is hard to replicate. But also is the mind of the fighter pilot. He knows where the other guy is and what he is doing without seeing him (and her now). So the sensor requirements go way up. Part of the answer for a pilot is assessing the enemy’s energy state. The sensors would have to do that as well. This all can be done, but not by the folks selected by DARPA.
And the first time someone says 20 G’s, just walk away.
He is but a pale imitation of the Original Laz.
(Well, that is what my flight commander wants me to say.)
Hush!
OPSEC!
One more example of publicizing info that should be kept secret.
bkmrk
What secret? That ‘there is no natural stability in the aircraft’ is the key to changing direction? That this fact would be the reason behind dozens of control surface corrections each second to counter undesired trends of motion? That the aircraft could disintegrate in a half-second without active dynamic stability in operation?
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