AD-150 HIGH-SPEED VTOL DRONE

Thanks to its HTAL (High Torque Aerial Lift) advanced tilt-duct propulsion system, the AD-150 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) has been designed to take off and land vertically (VTOL) as well as reach a speed of about 300 knots.

It is still being developed by American Dynamics Flight Systems. Its airframe is to be made up of carbon fiber and kevlar materials. It could be one of the most effective drones of its generation with its versatile payload configuration; GCS interfaces; and interoperable data links. Its Pratt and Whitney engines could be feed with Jet-A; JP-4; and JP-5 fuel.

VIDEO:

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Volcanic ash posing a threat to flight safety

Sunday 5/22/2011 – Breaking news:

The Grimsvötn volcano began erupting yesterday. It is located underneath the uninhabited Vatnajokull glacier in southeastern Iceland. As it has been sending ash into the skies up to flight level 650 i.e. 65,000 ft or around 20 kilometers or 12 miles.

The European fleets might be grounded due to the spreading of an ash cloud which is forecast to drift over Scotland on Tuesday – May 24, 2011 – and expected to reach France and Spain by Thursday or Friday. Here is an interesting short documentary about how the scientists examine the volcanic ash, and how they determine that it can pose a threat to aircraft.

Watch the video:

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Snowbird – Canadian human-powered plane that flaps its wings almost as described in Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches!

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Jet fuel R&D

Burning Passion Mark Laber, left, a University of Dayton research partner, examines the expansion of aircraft seals using synthetic fuels. One of the uses of current aviation fuel is to swell seals found throughout the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Desiree N. Palacios)

Airman Magazine – Jet fuel is strange. It needs to have seemingly contradictory properties to make it useful. It can’t freeze. It can’t have a low flashpoint or easily vaporize. Yet, it must have a tremendous amount of energy for its volume and lubricate and seal fuel lines in aircraft. In the more than 30 years the Air Force has been studying its primary aircraft fuel, known as JP-8, scientists are still learning new things.

READ FULL ARTICLE on www.af.mil

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