MacCreadyGossamer Penguin
| Gossamer Penguin | |
|---|---|
| |
| Test flight of theGossamer Penguin | |
| Role | experimental aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | AeroVironment |
| Designer | Paul MacCready |
| First flight | May 18, 1979 |
| Status | Sole example in possession of The Science Place Foundation[1] |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Gossamer Albatross |
| Developed into | Solar Challenger |
TheGossamer Penguinwas a solar-powered experimental aircraft created byPaul MacCready'sAeroVironment.[1]MacCready, whoseGossamer Condorin 1977 won theKremer prizefor human-powered flight, told reporters in June, 1980 that "The first solar-powered flight ever made took place on May 18."[2]The testing ground was atMinter Fieldoutside ofShafter, California.[2]
ThePenguinwas a three-quarter scale version of theGossamer Albatross II;it had a 71-foot (22 m) wingspan and a weight, without pilot, of 68 pounds (31 kg). The propeller was driven by anAstroFlightAstro-40 electric motor, powered by a 541 watt solar panel, consisting of 3920 solar cells.[3]
Initial test flights were performed using a 28–cell, NiCad battery pack instead of a solar panel. The test pilot for these flights was MacCready's 13-year-old son Marshall, who weighed 80 lb (36 kg).
The official pilot for the project was Janice Brown, a charter pilot with commercial, instrument, and glider ratings who weighed slightly less than 100 lb (45 kg). She flew thePenguinapproximately 40 times before a 1.95-mile (3.14 km) public demonstration flight atNASA'sDryden Flight Research Centeron August 7, 1980.[4]
Specifications
[edit]Data fromMacCready, Lissaman, Morgan, and Burke 1983[1]
General characteristics
- Crew:1
- Wingspan:71 ft 0 in (21.64 m)
- Wing area:297 sq ft (27.6 m2)
- Empty weight:68 lb (30.8 kg)
- Fuel capacity:28 x D type Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) cellsor3920 solar cells
- Powerplant:1 × Astro-Flight Astro-40 double brush DC electric motor with 133:1 reduction
See also
[edit]
Related development
References
[edit]- ^abP.B. MacCready; P.B.S. Lissaman; W.R. Morgan; J.D. Burke (June 1983). "Sun-Powered Aircraft Designs".Journal of Aircraft.20(6): 487–493.doi:10.2514/3.44898.ISSN0021-8669.
- ^ab"Plane flies on sun power", by Terrance W. McGarry, United Press International report in theSpokane (WA) Chronicle,June 5, 1980, p12
- ^Boucher, Robert, J. (June 11–13, 1984).History of Solar Flight (AIAA-84-1429).20th Joint Propulsion Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.doi:10.2514/6.1984-1429.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Solar-powered Gossamer Penguin in flight,USA: NASA.
