[NSRCA-discussion] F3A Championships circa 1971

[Ronald Van Putte]

It was called the electrostatic autopilot.  Don experimented with it in the late1970s.  It would level the wings just fine, but didn’t work very well on the model’s pitch axis, because a conventional model's engine exhaust messed up the sensor in the tail.  I donated my Ascender (a canard design that had an engine in the rear) to the project when I left Dayton in 1979.  Don successfully experimented with the electrostatic autopilot, using pitch and roll stabilization with the Ascender after I left.

Ron

> On Jan 28, 2016, at 1:42 PM, Jon Lowe via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
> 
> My Dad tested the static electricity autopilot extensively as part of his Air Force RPV project in the 70s. Uses the radium (I think) source from smoke detectors. It is a real thing. The atmosphere has constant static lines above the ground and detectors at the wingtips sensed them and leveled the airplane in roll. Pitch was problematic when placing detectors fore and aft as I recall, because of propwash disturbing/creating static electricity. You have to remember that gyros were the only other form of stabilization, long before the ultra cheap rate sensors that are in every smart phone.  A cheap stabilization system was really desirable. Heck, even in the late 90s, cheap stabilization was non- existant. We were looking for one for a missile program I was managing. Sensors from car airbags looked promising, and led to the current sensors, but didn't mature in time for our system.
> 
> Jon
> 
> 
> 
> On Thursday, January 28, 2016 Phil Spelt via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org <mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>> wrote:
> 
> Jay,
> 
> "static electricity autopilot" -- does that use a "flux capacitor" to function?
> 
> Where do you get 3-lead battery packs for your Kraft radios?  I have an ancient 40-sized pattern plane ARF (a Dennis Hunt Zimpro kit) called a Capri which strongly resembles a 40-sized pattern plane I had in the early 80's.  It was my first plane with retracts (Kraft electric ones!) which I want to fly with the same Kraft radio I used in that plane.
> 
> Phil Spelt, KCRC Emeritus
> AMA 1294, Scientific Leader Member
> SPA L-18, Board Member
> (865) 435-1476v  (865) 604-0541c
> 
> 

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