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mars parachutes!

Discussion in 'Cinestar Misc' started by Jason Smoker, Jan 6, 2013.

  1. Jason Smoker

    Jason Smoker Active Member

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  2. Jason Smoker

    Jason Smoker Active Member

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  3. Philip Ellerbroek

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    I'll pass.... three reasons.

    A. It retails for $500 PER tub chute. Their videos show CS8 sized craft with two chutes. $1000? You'd have to do a lot of carbon fiber damage to make that up. I'd rather replace a few booms, props and maybe a hex plate for much cheaper.
    B. In this demo video, their craft comes down but you can see one of the two landing legs seems to completely break upon "landing".



    *** Also, as a side note, one LARGER parachute would be better than two. Not only would you only have to mount one chute, it would be cheaper.... read this ..... http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_better_one_parachute_or_lots_of_parachutes

    C. It is activated manually. While I understand their logic of not wanting an automated systems because of error or undesired deployments, this leaves the pilot to have to activate. This opens the door for accidental deployment if a switch is bumped. More important, with manually switch deployment, within seconds the pilot has to determine that the copter is bound to crash, then with instinct remember what switch the parachute is on and then to activate. The "motor skill memory" in this case wouldn't likely come naturally for activating the switch when under pressure when compared to punching the throttle or banking hard when needed.

    I think we can all agree that this product category would fulfill a need, but the cost and function need to align. Kudos to them for seeking to make a product.

    “I didn't fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.”? Benjamin Franklin


    Phil
     
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  4. Steve Maller

    Steve Maller UAV Grief Counselor

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    This is a very immature market, and somebody is going to hit a home run before too long. There's opportunity lurking out there...
     
  5. Philip Ellerbroek

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    Steve,

    What's your thought on manual vs. an automated version?

    Phil
     
  6. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Disappointing video quality too. Doesn't "telegraph" the level of quality I would expect in such a product.
    The deployment time was pretty good, but I can't wondering whether you'd not get into more trouble drifting into other ground hazards.
    Oh, no. Did I just invent a RC-controllable chute? ;)

    The automated deployment scares me with the possibilities of positive or negative system failures (deploys when it shouldn't, fails to deploy when it should). How could you pre-flight test, I wonder?

    The manual system is something that, with training, one could learn to use. I used to fly my full-sized sailplane wearing a chute, and would practice locating the canopy release and bailing out when I was on the ground. I *think* I attained automaticity but never had to test it.
    You could use shrouded switches to avoid the accidental bump.

    But as you say, there's still the thought chain and the time required:
    1. Is it going to crash?
    2. No, I think I've got it under control...
    3. I think I've got it....
    4. No, I don't got it....
    5. Where's the switch?
    6. WHERE'S THE SWITCH?
    7. Oh, there's the sw....keerrunch.....

    :)

    Andy.
     
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  7. Steve Maller

    Steve Maller UAV Grief Counselor

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    I defer to the gentleman from Oregon. He pretty much nailed it.
     
  8. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    That's what my cameraman said after my last arboreal encounter....."Boy, you pretty much nailed that, didn't you..." :)
     
  9. Philip Ellerbroek

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  10. Jason Smoker

    Jason Smoker Active Member

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    i am just putting it out there for suggestion and comments. I saw it on another forum and though i would post it to start a conversation.

    like Steve said This is a very immature market, and somebody is going to hit a home run before too long. There's opportunity lurking out there...
     
  11. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    It's an interesting idea, but I wonder whether a spring-loaded deploy wouldn't be just as effective?
    As you say, a "still air" deployment isn't quite the same as "copter plunging downwards." Would it still work if the copter went inverted?

    Andy.
     
  12. Mark Melville

    Mark Melville Member

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    Andy, you flew sailplanes!!!!!!!!

    I took a handful of lessons when I lived in San Diego back in the day. Wonderful!!! Never got my glider rating but I've located a place near Rome that gives lessons so I want to take it back up again. I absolutely loved it. Then again I also like to sail boats.
     
  13. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Yeah. A self-launching sailplane made by Glaser-Dirks out of Germany (the same company that's now making a human carrying, electrical powered multi-rotor, incidentally). The entire trailing edge of the wings were flaperons so it was very nimble.

    This isn't my bird but just an image I found on the web. There are wing tip extensions that took it out to 17m span. The engine retracts into the fuselage behind the pilot.
    Andy

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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    Andy I had an 808B. Went to the factory to see it as a work in progress and then took a side trip up to the trailer factory north of Frankfurt. Also got my one and only winch launch with a club near Bruchsal. Next best thing to a carrier launch.
     
  15. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Excellent. I infer you sold the 808B?
    My first solo (back in the Dim Times) was a winch launch -- and I got a cable break. Builds character.
    Did you see what Glaser-Dirks are now building?

    [​IMG]
    They're only doing the construction of the airframe of the so-called Volocopter. See http://www.e-volo.com/
    Human carrying multi-rotor copters. Don't think they'll be using MK Boards, though.

    But you know you want one....

    Andy.
     
  16. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Yeah, it's great fun -- and teaches you about real airmanship and how the atmosphere really works. You end up using phrases like "dry adiabatic lapse rate" to impress the ladies. Well, some of them....

    Sully Sullenburger only got away with landing in the Hudson River, IMHO because he was an experienced sailplane pilot. But either way, it was a damn fine piece of airmanship under pressure.

    Andy.
     
  17. Mark Melville

    Mark Melville Member

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    Glide ratio isn't quite the same as on a sailplane but nice job putting that bird down safely.
     
  18. Shaun Stanton

    Shaun Stanton Active Member

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    Out of all the aircraft that I have flown from the KC-135 to the old T-37 Trainer and T-34 A/B Piston mentors, I have always found my soaring days to be the most enjoyable flying I have done yet. The KABQ arrival corridor of the J-86 Jet route is right near the Moriarty Airpark wher I used to do most of my soaring. I remember once starring down at a Southwest 737 that was 2000 feet below me, while flying clubs G-104:)
     
  19. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Yeah, the notion that sailplanes have the right-of-way quickly gets replaced with "gross tonnage wins." :)

    Andy.
     
  20. robert Scott

    robert Scott New Member

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    I checked out the mars parachute at the shop in California I guess there prices have dropped to $389 msrp for the 58 inch parachute system. But I am actually waiting for the new system to come out. Since I have a bigger system with the Red Scarlet. But they are not releasing it until a month or two they said they will be posting some info and video soon on the website and starting a preorder the only thing they told me was it was estimated good up to 45 pounds which by my guess has to be 90-140 inch parachute. I saw a few samples videos of the heavy system but you are right they need to work on higher quality video but I did like it. But I never really got to see the design in the video or in the shop but I am hoping they will release info soon.
     

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