Re: USAF Reveals X-56A


Message posted by Uncle Aina on February 02, 2012 at 11:54:42 PST:

Thanks for this cool article.
What I find most interesting is that they are using off the shelf JetCat turbine engines. JetCat has been a supplier to the remote control airplane world and guys like me who like to tinker. You can find their engines as cheap as $1000 used on eBay. They are nicely engineered. Pretty sure that dude who flies around with carbon fiber wings "Jet Man" uses JetCat engines too...or something similar.

The 240 model listed for the X56 is not something I see on their website, but they have another 200-series jet here..it makes 52 lbs of thrust:
http://www.sitewavesstores5.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=JetCat&Product_Code=P200-SX&Category_Code=TURB

I think it's wise that USAF/NASA are using fairly "cheap" OTS parts for these development programs. And how interesting that what I believe has been a fairly small, hobby-oriented company is now making bits for the Skunkworks! It must've blown their minds to sign that contract.
If the fuel consumption was similar to the engine listed above, a quick and dirty calculation shows that the plane would use only about 20-30 gallons of fuel per hour at cruising thrust! That's nothing. You can see pretty easily how they could devise a design that could remain aloft for 24 hours+ if they get those wings nice and efficient.

Looks like we are headed into an era of "active structural control" where wings can alter their stiffness, etc actively under computer control. Sounds kinda like the adaptive mirror systems on large telescopes.

What's next..."Airhogs Inks Deal With CIA"?


In Reply to: USAF Reveals X-56A posted by Griffon_314 on February 01, 2012 at 12:08:45 PST:

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