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Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

Posted August 16, 2012 9:40 AM

From Aero-News Network:

USAF Officials Point To A Faulty Control Fin On The Aircraft The X-51 Waverider hypersonic aircraft failed fairly spectacularly during a test flight Tuesday. The experimental unmanned aircraft reportedly broke apart over the Pacific ocean just 31 seconds after it launched from the wing of a B-52.

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Guru

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#1

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 10:05 AM

Perhaps the Air Force could 'fly' the craft in a hypersonic wind tunnel first before releasing it into the wild? You know, to test the control surfaces? Just sayin'

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#2
In reply to #1

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 10:11 AM

Worked several times before in actual test flights. We can only guess as to the true nature of the fault, but you can't just assume it is a design fault.

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 10:19 AM

Didn't assume a thing. Nothing like a final checkout to make sure everything's working.

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#4
In reply to #3

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 10:21 AM

At some point the training wheels have to come off.

In this case it was also a fin. :)

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#5
In reply to #4

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 10:42 AM

When my kid's training wheels came off there were a few crashes.

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#6
In reply to #5

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 10:44 AM

I am hoping you weren't the pilot in command. :)

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#8
In reply to #6

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 11:42 AM

Actually, the crashes were minor (1 each per child). They both did rather well. In my daughter's case, she crashed after I stopped running next to her (exhausted). My son's crash was similar although I didn't have to run next to him. He sort of took off on his own (till he found the light pole).

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#10
In reply to #8

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 12:11 PM

That's funny!

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#11
In reply to #8

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 12:36 PM

in risk managment, those are exceptable.

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#12
In reply to #11

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 1:25 PM

True. No one was hurt and no one lost a fin either.

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#7
In reply to #5

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 11:28 AM

You should have put it in one more wind tunnel test, before releasing it to your kid.

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#9
In reply to #7

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/16/2012 11:43 AM

They were tired of the testing.....wanted to get out and hit the road.

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#13
In reply to #9

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/17/2012 5:18 AM

That's called "Process Commissioning" or "Site Acceptance Testing".

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#14
In reply to #13

Re: Waverider Breaks Apart About A Half-Minute Into Test Flight

08/17/2012 1:31 PM

Not like Howard Hughes test flights over Burbank...

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Previous in Blog: Designing Tiny Molecules That Glow in Water to Shed Light on Biological Processes   Next in Blog: Toshiba Develops Dysprosium-Free Samarium-Cobalt Magnet to Replace Heat-Resistant Neodymium Magnet