UAV rescue helicopter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 0
From: Australia
There's people in OZ who cannot fly kites and reckon they could use them for mustering. We say to them bring them on, but nowhere near us.
This Everest project can't be too smart or else we would have heard from Dave Jackson by now. either that or he's off on holidays with his corkscrew.
This Everest project can't be too smart or else we would have heard from Dave Jackson by now. either that or he's off on holidays with his corkscrew.
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,012
Likes: 1
From: USA
Makes Little Sense
The development of a new certified helicopter in the 6000 lb class (my guess based on the cartoon provided) costs perhaps $300Million. The market size for helos that can hover at 30,000 feet is perhaps 3. Makes it a pretty hefty price tag when you charge $100Million each.
Diesel is the worst engine for the mission, heaviest, and most affected by the thin air. If it is a twin, the losses are even worse. Turbines shine in that environment.
Also, the decision to build a man-rated UAV for this mission makes me wonder what the design team left off of the high-risk equation. A person/seat and such add 800 lbs to the design, leaving a pilot out for a mountain rescue mission seems risky. Since the loss rate for UAV's at this time is about 20% per year of operations, the safety for the passenger would be very questionable.
Diesel is the worst engine for the mission, heaviest, and most affected by the thin air. If it is a twin, the losses are even worse. Turbines shine in that environment.
Also, the decision to build a man-rated UAV for this mission makes me wonder what the design team left off of the high-risk equation. A person/seat and such add 800 lbs to the design, leaving a pilot out for a mountain rescue mission seems risky. Since the loss rate for UAV's at this time is about 20% per year of operations, the safety for the passenger would be very questionable.
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,334
Likes: 0
From: Cambridgeshire, UK
I'm a high boost turbodiesel fanatic (for cost reasons) but agree completely about choice of turbine for such an edge of envelope application, Nick.
On obscure projects: I thought the vaccum buoyancy project was interesting, albeit requiring >1m^3 per kg MAUW
. Not convinced about the no fuel claim either, unless he is going nuclear to pump in/out the buoyancy tanks 
. I also wonder about the weight of the composite structure required to avoid tank collapse compared to that volume of hydrogen at say 500 mbar 
. Still, in theory it could hover and land - albeit much more subject to the whim of the wind than a helicopter. Ever seen a blimp do an airfield beat up? 
Edit: $300M development seems a tad high, but i don't know heli project costs. I'm guessing S-92 was a $3Bn development project? What sort of concept development time goes on to kick off this sort of project?
Mart
On obscure projects: I thought the vaccum buoyancy project was interesting, albeit requiring >1m^3 per kg MAUW
. Not convinced about the no fuel claim either, unless he is going nuclear to pump in/out the buoyancy tanks . I also wonder about the weight of the composite structure required to avoid tank collapse compared to that volume of hydrogen at say 500 mbar . Still, in theory it could hover and land - albeit much more subject to the whim of the wind than a helicopter. Ever seen a blimp do an airfield beat up? Edit: $300M development seems a tad high, but i don't know heli project costs. I'm guessing S-92 was a $3Bn development project? What sort of concept development time goes on to kick off this sort of project?
Mart
Last edited by Graviman; 9th February 2007 at 21:50. Reason: The weekend unspool...
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
topendtorque,
No holiday. Just been contemplating the perversity of a Don Knotts site that changes the linked picture in a PPRuNe posting from a humorous one to a very grotesque one.
Site owner;
This Everest project can't be too smart or else we would have heard from Dave Jackson by now. either that or he's off on holidays with his corkscrew.
Site owner;
The Army of Steve
315 West Hamilton Ave,
Apt B State College, PA
16801 US
Last edited by Dave_Jackson; 9th February 2007 at 20:00. Reason: For clarification
