Model Plane Goes Transatlantic

BBC News.UK ^ | 8/12/2003 | BBC Staff

[ex-Texan]

Model Plane Goes Transatlantic

The plane flew at 270 metres over the Atlantic Ocean on autopilot

An international team of model aeroplane enthusiasts say they have managed the first successful flight by a lightweight remote-controlled plane across the Atlantic. US, Canadian and Irish engineers worked together to ensure "The Spirit of Butts Farm" - named after its testing site - landed safely in County Galway, Ireland on Monday 11 August, some 38 hours after it took off from Canada.

The balsa wood and mylar plane flew 3,039 kilometres (1,888 miles) using satellite navigation and an autopilot system overseen by engineers and radio operators using laptop computers.

If the flight is certified by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, it will break world records for distance travelled by a model aeroplane as well as duration of flight.

In order for the records to be broken, the plane had to weigh less than five kilograms, including its "camping lantern" fuel.

Dave Brown, president of the American Academy of Model Aeronautics, told BBC News Online it had been "pins and needles" waiting for the plane to come into view over the Irish coast.

"When it suddenly appeared over our heads, we were ecstatic," he said.

"We already lost three planes in 2002. We got one of five models this year to travel 500 miles, but they all eventually ended up in the drink apart from this one. This is the first time we've actually done it."

Doubts:

Mr Brown said there had been some tense moments, especially when hourly satellite updates pinpointing the plane's whereabouts failed for three hours.

"Then 10 minutes after the team called around to say another attempt had failed, it re-appeared," Mr Brown said.

He established direct radio control of the model after seeing it, before bringing it in for landing close to the designated landing spot on Marrin Beach, County Galway.

Records will be claimed by the team on behalf of Maynard Hill, the plane's designer.

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[ex-Texan]

Thereby raising other concerns in the Bush administration. 'Nuff said.

[martin_fierro]

Baby Lindbergh.

[spoiler2]

So now Islamic terrorists are scrambling to build transoceanic R/C model planes?

I've got some R/C model flier buddys who are saddened and depressed by the upcoming demise of their hobby, thanks to over-the-top Homeland Security concerns.

[Puppage]

Und, I vanted to make za first uber plane!!!

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

Why don't we outlaw Ryder trucks? That seems to be the most popular terrorist weapon. This thing only weighed 11 pounds and carried 1 gallon of Coleman lantern fuel. Along with paperwork to verfy it was the aircraft launched on the other side, not one launched just off shore from a boat.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

This is a true accomplishment, Maynard Hill holds many records of distance, duration, and speed. He was a past AMA president. He is deaf and legally blind. He has to dye the glue red so that he can see it, which is why all his models are red these days. A true feat.

[ex-Texan]

I agree with you! It is perhaps even a greater victory over nature and the sea that Lindberg's.

The media do not understand what a truly fabulous accomplishment this is. I used to build and fly model planes when I was a kid back in 1959 - 1960. They always were extremly vulnerable to cross winds and snaky head winds. The slightest puff would cause them to veer off course and a strong gust might cause them to crash.

Today people of all ages -- into their 70's even -- build and fly remote controlled model planes. One great place to watch is the high bluffs overlooking the beach in Long Beach, California.

[ex-Texan]

I was not suggesting a major flight like this one. Perhaps just a three mile flight. Some model planes may carry heavier pay loads. Think outside the box. 'Nuff said.

[spoiler2]

"I was not suggesting a major flight like this one."

Nor am I really. My R/C buddies fly the larger 30 - 40% scale replicas, which can obviously pose a higher risk, but if 'homeland security' makes their hobby illegal, we can only weep.

[Prof Engineer]

but if 'homeland security' makes their hobby illegal, we can only weep.

It's guys flying those oversized monsters, and the resulting liability, that will make the hobby illegal.

[spoiler2]

"It's guys flying ..........that will make the hobby illegal."

I respectfully disagree. The pilots of these scale aiplanes are a mature, responsible group. Children do NOT fly them and there have been no problems with liability claims to this point.

Besides, any increased liability would make the hobby more expensive, not illegal.

[Prof Engineer]

It's not the degree of responsibility in question. I have nowhere to fly a model of even 48" wingspan. ALL models have been prohibited because property owners and municipalities don't want the giants.

[spoiler2]

"ALL models have been prohibited"

Wow, I didn't realize Texas was getting so over-regulated. We fly successfuly at small local, grass strip airports, here in the midwest.

[donmeaker]

The problem is you are dependent on socialist charity for your planes to fly. Find a private property owner, pay him for the priviledge, and keep it in the air. West Texas is full of empty!

[spoiler2]

"West Texas is full of empty!"

I know, I've lived there. Here in the midwest, we fly at a local private grass strip, shared with other private small aircraft (but not at the same time). Sometimes we stop for about five minutes to let a Cessna land.

ProfEngineer is right there in Texas, and seems to indicate there's a real problem. Just read his last couple of posts.

[theFIRMbss]

There's no ocean wide enough
Final Approach, by Rick Bell, 12/03

Since man has taken to flight, he has always wondered how fast, how high and how far he could fly. Over the decades, many brave aviators have pushed the limits of man and machine to answer those questions. Maynard Hill has also asked those questions, but in a different arena -- model aviation.

Some of you might recognize Hill's name; he has been mentioned in the modeling press for many years for establishing records with radio-controlled aircraft. ...

...On August 9, 2003, he launched the model from the rocky shores of Cape Spear, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, as his STAR team looked on; its destination: Round Stone Bog, Ireland. The route chosen for the model to fly was the same route as Royal Air Force pilots John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown took when they flew their Vicker Vimy WWI bomber across the Atlantic on June 14 and 15, 1919.

...During the crossing, they didn't use a chase boat to guide the model. Instead, the model was packed with some very sophisticated equipment. In addition to a Futaba receiver and servos, a piezo gyro and a GPS rceiver, Hill also installed two miniature telemetry transmitters. One of his team members custom-designed the autopilot that uses a microcomputer to process data from the GPS, the receiver, the pressure sensors and the gyro to adjust the three control servos. Prior to launch, a memory chip was programmed with waypoints for steering, and it contained data on desired altitude and engine rpm between these points.

To keep track of the plane during the crossing, they used the two telemetry transmitters; one provided short-range data to receivers at the launching and landing points to assess performance while the other transmitted signals to satellites that relayed the data to ground stations. The data was then shared via the Internet with teams on both sides of the Atlantic. The transmitted data included time, latitude, longitude, speed, heading, altitude and engine rpm and temperature.

After 38 hours, 23 minutes and 1,888.3 miles, AMA president Dave Brown sighted the model, regained control of it and landed it safely before a crowd of about 50 at Mannin Beach, County, Galway, Ireland (not far from the original landing site of the 1919 flight). Congratulations to Maynard Hill and his team for a temendous feat!

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

That really was some feat! When do you think they will have one go round the world? I suspect it could be done with solar power during the day and fossil fuel by night.

[bert]

The air craft in question is not a "model aeroplane". It is a sophisticated flying robot.

The fact that it is small does not make it a model.

[weaponeer]

I had the pleasure of working with Maynard during the late 80's - early 90's on a Fiber Optic Guided Missile (FOG-M) simulator at Fort Hunter Liggett, CA. A truly inspiring and dediated individual. "Can't" is not in his vocabulary.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

A small aircraft is a model. Look it up in the dictionary it meets the definition to a tee. It met the FAI rules to make the record books. It had to be 5 kilograms or less in weight including fuel. To fly across the atlantic with less than a gallon of fuel is a feat, no matter what you call it, or its size.