By Josh Glaab
07/25/05 - I was selected and approved to be a member of the Airborne Sub-scale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) test-bed pilot team at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) in early 2003. The AirSTAR project employs Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) research aircraft techniques to accomplish research objectives that are either too dangerous or too costly to be conducted with other means. Currently, the AirSTAR project is focused on a 5.5% dynamically scaled model of a Boeing 757 aircraft, referred to as the Generic Transport Model (GTM). Dynamically scaled aircraft represent the geometry and mass properties of the real aircraft to the air in order to accurately model dynamic aircraft responses. As a result, dynamically-scaled aircraft are usually much heavier than normal R/C models.
SEE video
The GTM will be used to provide an experimental flight test capability for research experiments pertaining to dynamics modeling and control beyond the normal flight envelope. The concept of operations for the GTM vehicle is to have the research vehicle take off and land in a similar manner to today's advanced Radio Controlled (R/C) turbine-powered aircraft. Once in the air, control is transferred to a research cockpit for evaluations and testing, and then back to the safety pilot for landing. Proceeding in this manner can enable a much higher-rate of operations at reduced costs compared to research vehicles that are dropped at high-altitude and parachute to a landing, or expose manned research vehicles to undue safety risks, for example. Recent advancements in R/C turbine technology are enabling this research technique.
Overall, the GTM vehicle is an advanced high-performance UAV weighing approximately 55lbs with 40lbs of thrust with challenging flying characteristics, such as approach speeds of approximately 70 mph. Initial training began in February, 2003, with basic sport R/C aircraft (flying the Kadet was a mental challenge). Subsequent training vehicles were employed with increased weight and performance to approach the anticipated research aircraft characteristics. In January, 2004, initial flight training with turbine R/C aircraft was initiated. I received the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Turbine Waiver certificate in February, 2004. Continued training has been performed using several high-performance turbine-powered R/C aircraft. To date, over 90 turbine-powered R/C flights have been logged for the following aircraft: T-33, KingCat, Single-Engine L1011, Dual Engine L1011 (Mod-2), F-100F, F-86, and T1. The T1 was the first dynamically-scaled B-757 GTM vehicle. I was selected to be the pilot for the first and second flights of T1. The video is for the second flight.
Thanks, Josh.
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Where is the tow hook?
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Posted - 07/25/2005 : 3:22:37 PM
