The Kremer Prize had been set up in 1959 by Henry Kremer, a British industrialist, and offered £50,000 in prize money to the first group that could fly a human-powered aircraft over a figure-eight course covering a total of one mile (1.6 kilometers). The course also included a ten-foot pole that the aircraft had to fly over at the start and at the end. Early attempts to build human-powered aircraft had focused on wooden designs, which proved too heavy. Very early attempts – notably the HV-1 Mufli [de] and Pedaliante – used catapult launches.[2]
In 1961, Southampton University's Man Powered Aircraft SUMPAC took to the air at Lasham Airfield on 9 November, piloted by Derek Piggott, achieving a maximum flight of 650 metres (2,130 ft). One week later, on 16 November, the Hatfield Puffin flew, and eventually managed a maximum flight of 908 metres (2,979 ft) but it was difficult to turn. The Jupiter managed 1,239 metres (4,065 ft) in June 1972. The Nihon Stork B achieved over two kilometres (1.2 mi) in 1976.[3]
In the early 1970s, Paul MacCready and Peter B. S. Lissaman, both of AeroVironment Inc., took a fresh look at the challenge and came up with an unorthodox aircraft, the Gossamer Condor. He took his inspiration from hang gliders, increasing wing area so that the drag of the wire bracing needed would be reduced.[4] The Gossamer Condor is built around a large wing with a gondola for the pilot underneath and a canard control surface on a fuselage extension in front, and is mostly built of lightweight plastics with aluminum spars.[5]
Operational historyEdit
The Gossamer Condor evolved over a period of time through three distinct versions. The first version, known by MacCready as the Pasadena version, was a proof-of-concept aircraft which flew only once, in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The first aircraft carrying the name Gossamer Condor was known as the Mojave version, without pilot fairings and other niceties, flown at Mojave airport by MacCready's sons on 26 December 1976. The record-breaking version, known as the Shafter version, included improvements such as a pilot nacelle and double-skin airfoil sections, allowing the aircraft to fly long distances as well as maneuver.
On September 22, 1977, Maude Oldershaw, wife of the chief construction engineer Vern Oldershaw, became the first female to pilot a human-powered airplane under her own power.[6]
The success led Paul MacCready and AeroVironment to carry on with experimental aircraft: the Gossamer Albatross, which crossed the English Channel; the Solar Challenger, a solar electric-powered version that also made an English Channel crossing; and NASA's Pathfinder/Helios series of unmanned solar-powered aircraft.[5]
^. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
^ ab"SOLAR-POWERED UAVS: HALSOL & SOLAR HAPP", The Prehistory Of Endurance UAVs, by Greg Goebel, in the Public Domain 2009-02-11 at the Wayback Machine
^Grosser, Morton (1981). Gossamer Odyssey (1st ed.). Houghton Mifflin Company - Boston. p. 149. ISBN0-395-30531-4.
Further readingEdit
Morton Grosser. Gossamer Odyssey: The Triumph of Human-Powered Flight. MBI Press, 2004; Dover Publications, Inc., 1991; Houghton Mifflin Co., 1981
Morton Grosser. On Gossamer Wings. York Custom Graphics, 1982
Gosnell, Mariana. Zero Three Bravo. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1993. (see chapter entitled Shafter)
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gossamer Condor.
October 21, 2023
maccready, gossamer, condor, first, human, powered, aircraft, capable, controlled, sustained, flight, such, kremer, prize, 1977, design, paul, maccready, aerovironment, gossamer, condorrole, experimental, aircraftnational, origin, united, statesmanufacturer, a. The MacCready Gossamer Condor was the first human powered aircraft capable of controlled and sustained flight as such it won the Kremer prize in 1977 Its design was led by Paul MacCready of AeroVironment Inc 1 Gossamer CondorRole experimental aircraftNational origin United StatesManufacturer AeroVironmentFirst flight 1976Status On displayNumber built 1Developed into Gossamer Albatross Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications Gossamer Condor 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksDesign and development EditThe Kremer Prize had been set up in 1959 by Henry Kremer a British industrialist and offered 50 000 in prize money to the first group that could fly a human powered aircraft over a figure eight course covering a total of one mile 1 6 kilometers The course also included a ten foot pole that the aircraft had to fly over at the start and at the end Early attempts to build human powered aircraft had focused on wooden designs which proved too heavy Very early attempts notably the HV 1 Mufli de and Pedaliante used catapult launches 2 In 1961 Southampton University s Man Powered Aircraft SUMPAC took to the air at Lasham Airfield on 9 November piloted by Derek Piggott achieving a maximum flight of 650 metres 2 130 ft One week later on 16 November the Hatfield Puffin flew and eventually managed a maximum flight of 908 metres 2 979 ft but it was difficult to turn The Jupiter managed 1 239 metres 4 065 ft in June 1972 The Nihon Stork B achieved over two kilometres 1 2 mi in 1976 3 In the early 1970s Paul MacCready and Peter B S Lissaman both of AeroVironment Inc took a fresh look at the challenge and came up with an unorthodox aircraft the Gossamer Condor He took his inspiration from hang gliders increasing wing area so that the drag of the wire bracing needed would be reduced 4 The Gossamer Condor is built around a large wing with a gondola for the pilot underneath and a canard control surface on a fuselage extension in front and is mostly built of lightweight plastics with aluminum spars 5 Operational history EditThe Gossamer Condor evolved over a period of time through three distinct versions The first version known by MacCready as the Pasadena version was a proof of concept aircraft which flew only once in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena The first aircraft carrying the name Gossamer Condor was known as the Mojave version without pilot fairings and other niceties flown at Mojave airport by MacCready s sons on 26 December 1976 The record breaking version known as the Shafter version included improvements such as a pilot nacelle and double skin airfoil sections allowing the aircraft to fly long distances as well as maneuver The aircraft piloted by amateur cyclist and hang glider pilot Bryan Allen won the first Kremer prize on August 23 1977 by completing a figure eight course specified by the Royal Aeronautical Society at Minter Field in Shafter California It was capable of taking off under human power On September 22 1977 Maude Oldershaw wife of the chief construction engineer Vern Oldershaw became the first female to pilot a human powered airplane under her own power 6 The aircraft is preserved at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum The success led Paul MacCready and AeroVironment to carry on with experimental aircraft the Gossamer Albatross which crossed the English Channel the Solar Challenger a solar electric powered version that also made an English Channel crossing and NASA s Pathfinder Helios series of unmanned solar powered aircraft 5 Specifications Gossamer Condor Edit nbsp General characteristics Crew one pilot engine Length 30 ft 0 in 9 14 m Wingspan 96 ft 0 in 29 25 m Height 18 ft 0 in 5 49 m Empty weight 70 lb 31 75 kg Powerplant 1 HumanSee also EditList of slowest fixed wing aircraft The Flight of the Gossamer Condor a 1979 short documentary filmRelated development MacCready Gossamer AlbatrossAircraft of comparable role configuration and era SUMPACReferences Edit John W R Taylor Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1980 81 Page 786 Grosser Morton 1981 Gossamer Odyssey The Triumph of Human Powered Flight Houghton Mifflin ISBN 0 7603 2051 9 History c 2009 Royal Aeronautical Society Archived 2011 06 13 at the Wayback Machine Gossamers Archived from the original on 3 October 2011 Retrieved 15 December 2009 a b SOLAR POWERED UAVS HALSOL amp SOLAR HAPP The Prehistory Of Endurance UAVs by Greg Goebel in the Public Domain Archived 2009 02 11 at the Wayback Machine Grosser Morton 1981 Gossamer Odyssey 1st ed Houghton Mifflin Company Boston p 149 ISBN 0 395 30531 4 Further reading EditMorton Grosser Gossamer Odyssey The Triumph of Human Powered Flight MBI Press 2004 Dover Publications Inc 1991 Houghton Mifflin Co 1981 Morton Grosser On Gossamer Wings York Custom Graphics 1982 Gosnell Mariana Zero Three Bravo Alfred A Knopf Inc 1993 see chapter entitled Shafter External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gossamer Condor Gossamer Condor at the Smithsonian Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title MacCready Gossamer Condor amp oldid 1176639022, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
