Who is up to the challenge?

[reg2putt]

How high can an RC airplane fly? I had heard that the operator had to maintain eye contact with his/her plane to maintain control of it and
RC flying fields located near airports have height limitations. I found a group in England who have mounted an RC Flight Challenge (http://www.scale-modelers-handbook.com/rc-flight-challenge.html) trying to
eclipse the 30,000 foot level. I don't know who they are challenging. Is anyone else trying to reach such height with a radio controlled plane?
What is the highest you've reached? Let me know here (http://www.scale-modelers-handbook.com/contact.html).

[Sparky Paul]

Go to the FAI records site for r/c (and other model) records.. speed, distance, altitude, endurance...

[JetPlaneFlyer]

NASA have already set a record of close to 97,000 ft with their R/C solar power 'Helios' aircraft. This is also an outright prop driven altitude record by a massive margin.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/history/pastprojects/Helios/index.html

I'm not sure the UK modellers have the resources to compete with this particular record :rolleyes:

Steve

[JetPlaneFlyer]

I notice on the web site 'blog' they are talking about using Lipo batteries as a power source... I'd have thought that this was the very worst option to take for the simple reason that the battery 'fuel' load (weight) remains constant throughout the flight. Maximum altitude is about generating enough lift in the thin high altitude air to counter the weight of the aircraft, so weight is the biggest enemy. To gain the necessary endurance to climb to such a height most of the take of weight of the aircraft will be in it's 'fuel' so it makes sense to have an energy source that reduces in weight as energy is used... i.e. I.C. power of some description ;) (I guess you could drop the LiPo's as they became exhausted but that would prove rather expensive and unnecessarily complex)
A turbine would be preferable to piston engine as turbine performance is much better at altitude, or at least it is in full size aircraft, so I'd expect the same to be true in smaller scale.

If it were me I'd go for a large, high efficiency, high aspect ratio, sailplane type design with a turbine for power and every possible cubic centimetre of the aircraft full of fuel .... I think I just described a Lockheed U2 :D

Steve

[Tom Harper]

Could go up piggy back on an IC powered lifting craft. Then release it to go the rest of the way on solar.

Solar may not be practical so how about something huge and flimsy like an indoor model. It's protected by the lifting craft until it gets to altitude. When the lifter maxes out the craft unfolds it's wings and takes off on lipos.

I got his idea this morning. See, my wife is in Albuquerque taking care of her mother. So, now I drink the whole pot of coffee instead of just half.

Tom

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Maybe I'm just getting too cynical in my old age but a web site that makes great play of soliciting donations (to the tune of $14,500) to a nameless entity, without sign of any financial commitment, quantifiable progress or even evidence of serious intent or competence on the part of the project originators make me a suspect the worst :rolleyes:

Is it just me?

Steve

[Tom Harper]

Steve,

C'mon Steve, the're gonna need money for airline tickets so they can go after the model when it reaches the jet stream.

Tom

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Steve,

C'mon Steve, the're gonna need money for airline tickets so they can go after the model when it reaches the jet stream.

Tom

Or maybe they will decide it's easier to use the sponsor money to buy a five star holiday in the Seychelles and stick a Cheapo RTF model in their luggage thereby achieving the 30,000ft challenge in the process.

Come to think of it this is a great plan… Anyone want to sponsor me?... Donations by Paypal please ;)

Steve

[JetPlaneFlyer]

Looks like my suspicions were right on this one. It appears to have been a scam. They ask for donations (and apparently raised over $1100) they offered a prize which apparently never got given out: http://www.rcairplanechallenge.com/win-rc-plane.html ... They have not posted any photos of any model being built or parts that have been purchased. And it's over a year since anything was added to the blog: http://www.rcairplanechallenge.com/rc-airplane-blog.html

It's a shame these individuals pollute our hobby.

Steve

[Brandano]

Electric has a great advantage against IC, when flying at high altitude. It isn't affected by the lack of oxygen or carburettor icing.

[coosbaylumber]

I got a big article on how one attempt at height record was to be set back in the 1960's and it requires one of those telescopic optical trucks with dual operators jsut to kep things in sight. Takes a long time to get to altitude too.

It ain't cheap either. And wonder today as to where you would find one of those telescopic trucks like once used for spotting aircraft for artillery firing.

Wm.

[HugePanic]

Electric has a great advantage against IC, when flying at high altitude. It isn't affected by the lack of oxygen or carburettor icing.

lipos's get worse a low temerpature, don't they??