Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Sadly a chap called Maynard Hill has passed away...... Apparently he flew a model aeroplane across the Atlantic..... Maynard Hill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tee Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Didn't know about this record but he was well known in the 70's and 80's for his altitude records tracked by radar. Not sure if any have been bettered in later years. Yet another pioneer in the model field lost. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I am also pretty certain that I read accounts of Maynard Hills altitude record attempts, possibly in Aeromodeller. I have also seen many accounts of model drones, made by modellers, whilst working for USA aerospace companies. I always dismissed them as "target drones". Shows you how wrong you can be. I guess Maynard Hill worked in these areas. I guess just as I thought that the Gossamer Albatross was novel, but a long way from serious applications. I then read that the CIA were a sponsor of the project, I thought why would they? Then you see some of the NASA projects and the various drones, and it all makes sense. No I am not that surprised on reflection with respect Maynards Hills achievements. I guess a lot of the drones operated by the various military agencies can fly further, if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I remember reading about it at the time - was never absolutely convinced that it wasn't a wind up but what an achievement. It's about time the 'leccy boys caught up! Is it possible yet using stored energy?Edited By Martin Harris on 14/06/2011 14:18:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 Martin...they might do it with solar cells......!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spice Cat Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Just read his obit in the Daily Torygraph. Fascinating stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Butler Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Found this on Youtube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josip Vrandecic -Mes Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 A great feat...RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Posted by Steve Hargreaves on 14/06/2011 14:29:14: Martin...they might do it with solar cells......!!!! Hence my careful wording of "stored energy".... I wonder if someone with Motocalc might be able to come up with a power train capable of carrying itself that far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I think that an electric remotely powered aircraft the Helios holds the altitude record at 96,00 feet. It would not surprise me that there is an electric remotely piloted aircraft that can easily fly the Atlantic, it is just a question that we have no need to know. The people who operate these types of things will eventually let us know, when it suites their needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spice Cat Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Incredible achievement. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Quite remarkable, thanks for sharing Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Maynard Hill has been mentioned in model mags at various times. The model that flew the Atlantic was displayed in the Seattle aircraft museum ( the original Boeing Works ) and it looked quite like a normal model with an Enya four stroke up front. I wonder whether the Telegraph published an obituary on other notable aeromodellers? Perhaps only Maynard Hill changed the World enough.......would we have had drones to find the Taliban without him?Edited By kc on 15/06/2011 10:45:05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Phil Smith Ron Moulton Bert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMarc Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 A truly amazing achievement - because he insisted on using true models - that is a max of 15cc engines and the 5 or 10kg weight limit that was in force at the time. Doing it with larger RPVs is relatively easy. Once again though - surprised by the lack of knowledge of such exploits by the average RC modeller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Followed Maynard Hill's TAM5 flight in real time on that tinternet thing when it happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Posted by leccyflyer on 16/06/2011 08:18:43:Followed Maynard Hill's TAM5 flight in real time on that tinternet thing when it happened. Me too - both years! What the tension must have been like for Maynard and the others waiting for news in Newfoundland, I can't imagine. It was bad enough watching as a detached observer over the net! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bowker Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Just read it today and came here to see if we had a thread on the article. Thanks for posting it Steve, a remarkable story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyinBrian Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Posted by kc on 15/06/2011 10:41:56: Maynard Hill has been mentioned in model mags at various times. The model that flew the Atlantic was displayed in the Seattle aircraft museum ( the original Boeing Works ) and it looked quite like a normal model with an Enya four stroke up front. I wonder whether the Telegraph published an obituary on other notable aeromodellers? Perhaps only Maynard Hill changed the World enough.......would we have had drones to find the Taliban without him? Edited By kc on 15/06/2011 10:45:05 I think you will find the engine was an OS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 What I found facinating was that little model...all alone out there....miles from anywhere just chugging along hour after hour.....almost brings a ump to your throat!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I am intrigued how the model was controlled. There is more than a suggestion that it was using GPS for positioning. I suspect that it was very much a triumph of developing a control system. Again I suspect that gyros were essentially components of this system. From the obituary, it seems that a system developed at least in part for APV was involved I imagine that the airframe and motor were not the greatest issues with respect to the challenge. In some ways I view the project with a little concern, in that a small aircraft can be sent, thousands of miles, with no direct control by an observer, accurately to a pre-specified location. Quite a triumph,not without a potential darkside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Have a look at the FAQs on the TAM website at http://tam.plannet21.com/FAQs.htm Here's a couple of extracts; 21. What electronics are on board? A Futaba receiver, three Futaba servos, and a piezoelectric rate gyro are combined with a Motorola Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The autopilot is a custom design by Joe Foster who wrote all the software. A pressure sensor provides altitude information. This altitude system is calibrated periodically by data from the GPS. There are two miniature telemetry transmitters.24. How is the airplane guided? The autopilot uses a microcomputer to process data from the GPS, receiver, pressure sensor and gyro to adjust the signals to three control servos. Steering, altitude hold, and engine speed are separate servo loops. Prior to launch, a memory chip is programmed with waypoints for steering. The chip also is programmed with desired altitude and engine RPM between waypoints. The complete algorithms are proprietary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I think that was accomplished with respect to the control system is the impresive part of the flight. Just think what a project it would have made for an accredited degree individual project. Incorporating all the concepts of instrumentation and control. Then there is the build and demonstration. Know put into that context, did he not do well, a testament to his abilities as a engineer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 The real achievement was to do it with an aeroplane weighing less than 11 pounds including fuel. BertEdited By Bert on 21/06/2011 15:40:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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