BeechTalk - BT - Did the value of my Bell 47 just plummet?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 05:30

http://www.cnn.com/videos/cnnmoney/2018/02/07/ehang-chinese-jumbo-drone-flies-humans-sje-lon-orig.cnn

No doubt they are severally load and range limited at this time but still VERY impressive.

Glenn

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 07:40

Username Protected wrote:

http://www.cnn.com/videos/cnnmoney/2018/02/07/ehang-chinese-jumbo-drone-flies-humans-sje-lon-orig.cnn

No doubt they are severally load and range limited at this time but still VERY impressive.

Glenn

Which begs the question ...

If it carries people, is it a drone?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 07:59

I imagine that your antique helicopter will hold its value. How come there are no antique/classic helicopter fly-in’s?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 08:01

Username Protected wrote:

http://www.cnn.com/videos/cnnmoney/2018/02/07/ehang-chinese-jumbo-drone-flies-humans-sje-lon-orig.cnn

No doubt they are severally load and range limited at this time but still VERY impressive.

Glenn

Which begs the question ...

If it carries people, is it a drone?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 08:07

It flies itself. No license required.

This goes back to the thread about why Private Pilots are becoming so scarce. Why would you trust a flying machine in the hands of a human when "Pilot Error" is the reason all planes crash?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 09:35

Computers crash too! Especially computers with Windows. They should not put windows in those drones...

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 09:38

Username Protected wrote:

What kind of license does one need to fly it?

A type certificate using a whole bunch of rules not yet written.

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 17:48

What happens when one controller to a motor, or the motor fails? You're toast.

There's something to say for variable pitch rotors and autorotation...

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 20:40

Username Protected wrote:

What happens when one controller to a motor, or the motor fails? You're toast.

Not if properly designed. The failure of any one rotor can be compensated by the others.

https://youtu.be/K0IMYVP-Mpo

The remaining motors may have to operate in slight overload, but you will get some time before they fail to land.

The inertial control system manages all the torque and attitude to remain stable.

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 21:30

Wonder what it feels like to be drilling along in that thing and having the "check engine" light comes on?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Feb 2018, 21:33

Username Protected wrote:

There's something to say for variable pitch rotors and autorotation... ;)

Not if a cyclic control rod breaks.

One of the elegant features of the multirotors is that the rotors are fixed pitch and uber simple. Just an electric motor turning a prop. Exceedingly little to go wrong.

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 09 Feb 2018, 00:00

Username Protected wrote:

There's something to say for variable pitch rotors and autorotation...

Not if a cyclic control rod breaks.

One of the elegant features of the multirotors is that the rotors are fixed pitch and uber simple. Just an electric motor turning a prop. Exceedingly little to go wrong.

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 09 Feb 2018, 00:27

Username Protected wrote:

But an electric helicopter will never come close to the cool factor of a '47

And neither will a Toyota be as cool as a 57 Chevy.

But I know which one I'd rather bet my life on...

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 09 Feb 2018, 01:11

What I wonder is how well these OctoCopter UPAS will do in an unexpected downpour. Maybe it is my years flying with the VietNam vets or flying in Iraq but I really trust the folks up front. They aren't just meatsacks and they have an investment in living, too! Actuaries will determine what acceptable losses are on the OctoTaxis.