NASA to Unveil Personal Tilt Rotor Aircraft Tomorrow! (pic and vid included)

NASA's Puffin Is a Stealthy, Personal Tilt-Rotor Aircraft

What's cooler than a hover-capable, electric-powered, super-quiet personal VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft? If you answered "absolutely nothing," do read on, because NASA is preparing to oblige you. The space agency's Puffin aircraft design will be officially unveiled tomorrow, showing just how far personal, electrically propelled flight could change the ways we live and get around. The Puffin is something of a personal V-22 Osprey, complete with vertical-takeoff and landing capability (but minus the squad of Marines). But rather than tilting the rotors forward for horizontal flight, the whole craft -- cockpit and all -- pitches forward, meaning the pilot flies from a prone position. During takeoff and landing the tail splits into four legs that serve as landing gear, and flaps on the wings deploy to keep the aircraft stable as it lifts and descends.

Article here: www.popsci.com...
www.popsci.com...





[edit on 19-1-2010 by 12GaugePermissionSlip]

Nice find...I wonder what the price will be...

And how the FAA feels about it.

Originally posted by Jinni
Gosh, in 2010 we are still supposedly using technology 70 years old!

How dumb do these people think we are?

Tell us about the latest tech not WW2 rubbish.

LOL at Gas Turbine Aero-Engines and prop crap!

**c* you all.

[edit on 19-1-2010 by Jinni]

You are so right!
What do they say? That the black projects are always at least 20 years ahead of whatever the public knows about?
Or something like that.

Gosh, in 2010 we are still supposedly using technology 70 years old!

How dumb do these people think we are?

Tell us about the latest tech not WW2 rubbish.

LOL at Gas Turbine Aero-Engines and prop engines!

Originally posted by ThePublicSpirit

Originally posted by Jinni
Gosh, in 2010 we are still supposedly using technology 70 years old!

How dumb do these people think we are?

Tell us about the latest tech not WW2 rubbish.

LOL at Gas Turbine Aero-Engines and prop crap!

[edit on 19-1-2010 by Jinni]

You are so right!
What do they say? That the black projects are always at least 20 years ahead of whatever the public knows about?
Or something like that.

It used to be the default 50 years but now it's well over 70 years.

But 70 years is for a single scientist. Given the numerous scientists working on such projects throughout the world you can multiple that by 60,000 which is an underestimate of people directly or indirectly working in the related field.

So that's about 4,200,000 Man YEARS OF EFFORT!!!

Ain't that a joke?

It is absolutely sick that NASA are showing us VTOL. They are simply mocking you all.

You guys forgot about the moon explosion already?

I dont care how old the tech is it looks really cool and i still want one lol.

Even if the Government did make some black project tech available. The average person would still never get the chance to use it. You'd have to be a billionaire to even consider it.

Well one thing is for certain... it would do your neck in...

Ever tried to keep your head up whilst lying down??? The neck has evolved over millions of years to support the head in a vertical position. If you attempt to lay horizontally gravity causes your neck muscles to tighten to hold your head up. With long exposure to this kind of position can lead to chronic headaches and even strokes.

All the best,

Korg.

No thanks; dont particularily fancy being strapped into a coffin with wings.

The thought of flying forward with my arms by my sides, having to strain my neck upwords fills me with fear and I reckon most people would be the same.

Most plane crashes happen nose end first so in the event of any technical issues you'd have a front row seat in the most epic face plant of all time.

Cant see anything working like this unless people can sit up in a conventional driving poition as it offers some reassurance that you could escape/brace if something went wrong...which it will.

YAWWWWWWWWWN! I'm completely with Jinni on this. Cryo-Freeze me and wake me when they start letting us fly these or better:

www.youtube.com...

And did I say, "Screw NASA!!!! " yet? SCREW NASA!!!

Very interesting article and video. In fact quite a find. Because I was a once a pilot, I found some areas of discussion that need some elaboration.

The rotors/propellers were just about head high and if any issue ensued with the rotating blades either before or after take off, the human head would be the first thing to go. In addition I don't think anyone realizes that that the directional turning of the blades will ensure in certain atmospherically conditions to throw debris, hit birds or rain and sleet into the pilots canopy area and or has the potential to cause some type of damage to the fuselage.

The video showed a flight where the pilot was looking around and I again noticed that the one thing a pilot always can use is more visibility from your position during the piloting of the plane. The back side of the pilot head area should be clear to allow for an unlimited field of view to the right and left so the pilot can see immediately what is behind him and above and below.

Too many mid air collisions occur because current airplane design places too many dead zones where you can not see other planes. The wing placement and of course how the pilots cabin is designed also contribute to where and how easy it is to look around you while in flight.

Overall I was quite impressed. If they attempt to weaponize this craft it will need more power or weapons that don't weigh so much. It still would be a great tool to move from mountain bases to mountain side remote locations located at elevation and or areas that too remote to visit and in which one could visit and return with no great delays and without having to build roads and airfields.

reply to post by Jukiodone


Ahh! your gonna die somehow. Id rather die crashing head first in to the ground in a personal vtol coffin with roters. Than lie in a hospital while cancer eats mt arsehole away from the inside. lol

If i did go down in one i would aim for something if possible. Make it look like a stunt that went wrong or something.

Its a cooler way to die

I bet the safety features are state of the art. Electric power has changed greatly in the last few years. I bet it its half the weight of an 80's design. They promised us flying cars but I doubt we will get to fly them, too many drivers can't even do right and left. Up and down will mean many deaths.

Originally posted by Jinni
It is absolutely sick that NASA are showing us VTOL. They are simply mocking you all.

In what way? I think the development of an electrically powered personal flying vehicle great. This particular vehicle may never become available to consumers, but the technology from it will eventually. I don't see how this is a bad thing.

You guys forgot about the moon explosion already?

By "Moon explosion", I assume you're referring to the LCROSS mission? What does any of that have to do with this subject?

Yer but does it have cargo space to smuggle drugs that's what i wanna know? The CIA will be very interested in that!

[edit on 22-1-2010 by MOTT the HOOPLE]

How are you supposed to EGRESS this thing if you need to bail out? Honestly reminds me of some WW2 suicide plane.