Self-Healing ‘Magic Skin,’ A Condom for Aircraft

[flysebi]

NASA has awarded Cessna Aircraft Co. with a $1.9 million development contract for its self-healing “magic skin” condom for future aircraft (http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-01/17/nasas-2025-aircraft-designs).
The idea is to pad the entire airliner with energy-absorbing foam, then slide the giant conductive sheath along the plane’s body. Once on, the snug-fit casing would protect the vehicle from impact damage, lightning strikes, electromagnetic interference and temperature extremes.


Self-Healing (http://pilotmagazin.ro/2011/04/self-healing-%E2%80%98magic-skin%E2%80%99-a-condom-for-aircraft/)

[Double Zero]

Can you still get the doors open without a penknife ? :)

[clunckdriver]

In Canada we call it Duct {Duck} Tape, for a demostration of how good it is please Google "The Red Green Show".

[Pilot DAR]

Yeah, and apparently in Alaska, duct tape is a vital prodcut for "healing" planes...

http://i594.photobucket.com/albums/tt25/Deeday_Dux/PPRuNE/bear_attack_06.jpg

[170to5]

anyone else feel uneasy about flying around in a giant johnny?

[clunckdriver]

One must always wash out any fish/food smells before leaving aircraft in the bush, the number the bear did on this Cub was mild compared with some Ive seen! Moose have been known to totally wreck any aircraft found in "their" range, after all they were here long before us.

[flysebi]

@Pilot DAR (http://www.pprune.org/members/150561-pilot-dar) That plane is functional??? :eek:

[Jane-DoH]

I'm amazed nobody's made some kind of condom joke such as "Ribbed for her pleasure" :)

[Double Zero]

There was the project of a small, inflatable wing aircraft ( precursor to Microlights ) in I think the 1950's, for the use of 'spies in the field'.

It was flown, the Test Pilot ( Boscombe ? Can't find it for the moment but sure it's in the excellent 'Test Pilots' by Don Middleton ) commented he was uneasy relying on a PSI guage as a guide to structural integrity.

It was known as The Durex Delta.

Edit; a little searching reveals it as the Miles Utility, prototype XK776 first flown by Peter Twiss at Bedford, 23rd Aug 1956 before going to Boscombe in the hands of Fairey Test Pilots.

There were at least 2 prototypes, the 2nd being XK781, so the thing must have done a fair bit of flying.