MasterBates
Well-Known Member
I have a plasma cutter, a mill, lathe and a TIG welder. I can mod anything. You just may scream when I hand you the bill.
Kind of like my customer did yesterday.
Kind of like my customer did yesterday.
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UAVs, not just an Air Force gig anymore
- Thread starter kanakAttack
- Start date
No, I mean it'd be sort of like saying I don't want a new axe, just replace the head and the handle.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
USN needs to go with the way many warbirds and classic cars are "restored".. Recycle the VIN tag, not much else, and BAM! You didn't buy a NEW plane, you upgraded it.
Pretty much what they did with the D. Started off as a radar replacement program, wound up as a new airplane.
It really is like the Hornet/Rhino...looks similar, same designation, totally new airplane.
And I will say, after flying it for a year, the D really can do what Grumman promises it can do. It has it's burps, but for a plane at this stage of development, it's surprisingly solid and reliable. I would feel comfortable taking one off the Boat to do operational flying. My only real gripe with it is, as I said, it's very not sailor-proof. But that's what OPEVAL is for.
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It really is like the Hornet/Rhino...looks similar, same designation, totally new airplane.
And I will say, after flying it for a year, the D really can do what Grumman promises it can do. It has it's burps, but for a plane at this stage of development, it's surprisingly solid and reliable. I would feel comfortable taking one off the Boat to do operational flying. My only real gripe with it is, as I said, it's very not sailor-proof. But that's what OPEVAL is for.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
A Navy officer speaks with local media.
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (July 31, 2012) Rear Adm. Mathias Winter, program executive officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, speaks with local media about the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) and other unmanned systems during a press conference. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Tristan Miller/Released)
^^^^ Seeing the Rear Admiral stadning in front of the X-47 really gives a sense of scale to it, that is a big aircraft.
RadicalDude
Social Justice Warlord
Do the wings fold? How does the yellowshirt tell it where to go?
Either that, or he's really just very...
(Sorry, that was a softball.)Yes, that thing is ginormous. On an unrelated note, and not intended for a threadjack: I wonder how easy/difficult the handling this thing on the deck will be at the height of flight ops. I wouldn't want to be on the deck crew...after all, there's no pilot to blame if it hits something.
Except, of course, the handler.
maxsonic
Well-Known Member
Yes, the wings are designed to fold.
"Media had an opportunity to view the control display unit for the X-47B, which is used to guide the aircraft during aircraft carrier taxiing, during Unmanned Air Systems Media Day, July 31, at Patuxent River, Md."
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
I can see the mayhem that will ensue the first time two "drivers" get messed up on what plane is theirs.
Wonderin' what fate awaits the unlucky UCAS Controller/Aircraft 'Cruncher', who loses the first X-47B over the side, on a max rate turn into the wind... to recover a distressed aircraft? Probably nail the poor Plane Captain (0h wait, will they have a P/C for a UAV, no cockpit brake-rider?)... whole new shipboard ballgame!
*That dude with the Star Trek-like Phaser, looks like a young 'Blues Bros.' Bill Murray!
BzB
Should be interesting on the flight deck to say the least. I am sure they will baby step into operating these things. For example, have them pre-spotted on the cats for a launch cycle and then do a X-47 only launch cycle or lauch them early followed by the on-time cycle. I can't imagine the sha-smortion of a mixed unmanned and manned launch will be - ie- "Spin the UCAS off cat 3 and sideline him" when there is a daisy chain on the waist and a stack of baby hornets on fumes overhead. I am sure someone smarter than me has thought off all this stuff.
On another note, we operated a test aircraft (not the actual X-47) on Lincoln in the carrier pattern. It was pretty interesting, they had a touchscreen in primary where the Boss or Mini would give it commands, ie - Turn downwind, waveoff, etc. It was actually pretty cool for the video game nerd set to watch.
On another note, we operated a test aircraft (not the actual X-47) on Lincoln in the carrier pattern. It was pretty interesting, they had a touchscreen in primary where the Boss or Mini would give it commands, ie - Turn downwind, waveoff, etc. It was actually pretty cool for the video game nerd set to watch.
Interesting. I wonder if it will respond to the subtle head nod left or right while spotting the cat or 20 sailors pushing it back into position.