Transatlantic Model Airplane Flight to Begin Shortly

dtmos writes "An update on this old story -- Maynard Hill's attempt to fly an 11-lb. model airplane across the Atlantic (from Newfoundland to Ireland) is due to begin tomorrow night, Newfoundland time. This would be the first transatlantic flight by a true model under FAI rules (this plane was too large to qualify). News and updates, background information, some technical info."

Comments

Good luck

[PhysicsGenius]

A tiny plane like a model will never make it across the Atlantic because airplanes don't scale down. Lift (==control) rises as the square of the size whereas weight rises as the cube. So when you have a tiny plane it is mostly lift. Which sounds great, except that human reaction times and amounts are grossly oversized to control something so unstable. Flying around the backyard is fine, choppy winds and extensive times are another.

And don't even get me started on the inadequacy of the power source to last that long. Crazy dreamer.

amazing

[tps12]

I'm continually stunned by what mankind can accomplish in this day and age. A century ago, crossing the Atlantic meant going by steamship. A century before that it meant sailing, and hoping you weren't boarded by pirates. A few centuries before that it was impossible! Now we can do it with a model airplane; what next?

This is truly a technological tour de force. If anyone has any doubts as to the future of humanity, I suggest they need look no further. We are thriving, healthy, and accomplishing more than any species ever has before. I would do anything to see what we'll do a century from now...hey, if things keep going as well as they have been, I might still be around!

Ok and

[xbrownx]

This is important how?

Is some great scientific breakthrough being made?

What are the implications and how can this be used in the future?