Read all about it! Austrian flies the English Channel!!

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2003-08-01 06:19am

Done with fiberglass wings!!

- Makes people like the birds!

- Countless 19th century crackpot inventors vindicated!

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-08-01 06:44am

But it's just a glider attached to him. He was dropped from a plane. What a wimp. I could do that. Extreme my ass.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-08-01 06:49am

looks like fun.

and no, I wouldnt call it extreme. hehehe.

Bob McDob · Post by **Bob McDob** » 2003-08-01 07:22am

Hehe, people go for the most obscure records nowadays.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-08-01 07:58am

I want one of those.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-08-01 08:06am

picture dozens of navy seals using these things. their transport plane lets them jump far from the insertion point, they gould just glide in under the cover of darkness and cover hundreds of miles...that is fucking cool and could revolutionize airborne infantry.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-08-01 09:18am

Col. Crackpot wrote:picture dozens of navy seals using these things. their transport plane lets them jump far from the insertion point, they gould just glide in under the cover of darkness and cover hundreds of miles...that is fucking cool and could revolutionize airborne infantry.

Seems like an elaborate waste of effort to me- consider:

1. How high does the transport have to fly to allow for enough altitude to make the distance?

2. Are weather conditions favorable?

3. This may work fine for some bored Austrian guy dressed in spandex, a helmet, and nothing else, but full combat gear with weapons and all? Hello major drag and weight penalty.

4. How do you navigate to the insertion point?

and finally,

5. Unlike coming down on a silk chute, modern radars capable of tracking low-flying cruise missiles will easily spot some guy coming in on a flying wing from 9km up- MANPADS wouldn't be a threat but radar/laser guided air-to-air missiles will own you, not to mention you'll be detected either way.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-08-01 09:36am

Vympel wrote:1. How high does the transport have to fly to allow for enough altitude to make the distance?

a few KM

Vympel wrote:2. Are weather conditions favorable?

how is that any diferent from a normal jump?

Vympel wrote:3. This may work fine for some bored Austrian guy dressed in spandex, a helmet, and nothing else, but full combat gear with weapons and all? Hello major drag and weight penalty.

true, modifications will have to be made. wingspan, materials etc.

Vympel wrote:4. How do you navigate to the insertion point?

a simple flap and rudder system

Vympel wrote:and finally,

5. Unlike coming down on a silk chute, modern radars capable of tracking low-flying cruise missiles will easily spot some guy coming in on a flying wing from 9km up- MANPADS wouldn't be a threat but radar/laser guided air-to-air missiles will own you, not to mention you'll be detected either way.

[/quote]

It could be constructed from radar absorbing material.

Just let me say, i'm not advocating equiping the entire 82nd Airborne with these, i just think it has potential to be a fantastic special ops gadget.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-08-01 09:48am

Vympel wrote:
how is that any diferent from a normal jump?

Longer travel distance, more margin for error. You're not coming down virtually on top of it.

Vympel wrote:
true, modifications will have to be made. wingspan, materials etc.

It'd get much bulkier and heavier than normal. It might not even be doable, as in cost effective.

Vympel wrote: a simple flap and rudder system

I think you mean ailerons/rudder (ka-ching) but what I meant was that your erstwhile paratrooper will have to have some equipment on him that will allow him to check that he's coming in on the right spot (GPS), controls to get him there (mentioned) and the training to make it happen.

Vympel wrote: It could be constructed from radar absorbing material.

You can't make a person radar absorbent.- unless you cover them in some sort of capsule, in which case the entire purpose is defeated anyway and you might as well stick landing gear on them and call it a plane.

Just let me say, i'm not advocating equiping the entire 82nd Airborne with these, i just think it has potential to be a fantastic special ops gadget.

It's just not efficient, even when used in relatively small numbers- not only does your average special forces now have to be a rifleman, diplomat, trainer, demolitions, etc and other specialites, now he has to learn how to fly that there glider thang. Nope. Low-flying powered aircraft with their own comprehensive ECM and optronic fit outs are superior (spec ops versions of the C-130, the MH-53J, etc. etc.)

Hasler · Post by **Hasler** » 2003-08-02 03:41am

Right now with the mc-5 parachute they can already traval up to 50 miles to their target undetected.