Check out this video:
http://www.kvoa.com/news/raw-video-disc ... -science-/
My understanding is the Discovery Channel will televise the events leading up to the crash sometime this summer.
One of my coworkers has been working with the Discovery Channel team to make this happen during weekends and while on "vacation". He designed the interface between the command link and the servos linking them up to the aircrafts controls. There is a mechanical engagement that the pilot would initiate allowing the remote system to take over. They conducted a series of tests prior to the hot run including him (coworker) flying the aircraft from the ground to validate the remote system.
For the crash event there were a crew of three on board, two skydivers for a tandum jump (co-pilot and navigator) and a jump master. They flew at an altitude of 5k feet and conducted a cold run allowing the chase aircraft to remotely fly the 727 with the crew onboard. On the last turn coming into the final leg the two crew members and jumpers went out the back end of the aircraft (same aircraft style DB Cooper jumped from). The pilot later said he's never been in a cockpit without other crew members. He said it was a very long ten minutes before he engaged the remote mechanisim. He was a seasoned jumper so he went out after walking the length of the aircraft to meet up with the jump master. The jump master was the last to bail - he must have a pair.
On board the aircraft were three fully instrumented crash dummies and more uninstrumented dummies. Apparently they had a butt ton of cameras on board and many cameras on the ground. This should be fun to watch.
During the filming the camera members were all over the aircraft and of course they weren't as careful as the guys wiring up the systems. They accidently broke one wire for the command and control system that included the flight termination system and guess what wire that was. The ground reference of course. Fortunatly the test procedure was extensive and this was caught prior to the flight.
I'm not sure how long it will take for the Discovery Channel to put the show together but when I hear something I'll post back with the date and time.
http://www.kvoa.com/news/raw-video-disc ... -science-/
My understanding is the Discovery Channel will televise the events leading up to the crash sometime this summer.
One of my coworkers has been working with the Discovery Channel team to make this happen during weekends and while on "vacation". He designed the interface between the command link and the servos linking them up to the aircrafts controls. There is a mechanical engagement that the pilot would initiate allowing the remote system to take over. They conducted a series of tests prior to the hot run including him (coworker) flying the aircraft from the ground to validate the remote system.
For the crash event there were a crew of three on board, two skydivers for a tandum jump (co-pilot and navigator) and a jump master. They flew at an altitude of 5k feet and conducted a cold run allowing the chase aircraft to remotely fly the 727 with the crew onboard. On the last turn coming into the final leg the two crew members and jumpers went out the back end of the aircraft (same aircraft style DB Cooper jumped from). The pilot later said he's never been in a cockpit without other crew members. He said it was a very long ten minutes before he engaged the remote mechanisim. He was a seasoned jumper so he went out after walking the length of the aircraft to meet up with the jump master. The jump master was the last to bail - he must have a pair.
On board the aircraft were three fully instrumented crash dummies and more uninstrumented dummies. Apparently they had a butt ton of cameras on board and many cameras on the ground. This should be fun to watch.
During the filming the camera members were all over the aircraft and of course they weren't as careful as the guys wiring up the systems. They accidently broke one wire for the command and control system that included the flight termination system and guess what wire that was. The ground reference of course. Fortunatly the test procedure was extensive and this was caught prior to the flight.
I'm not sure how long it will take for the Discovery Channel to put the show together but when I hear something I'll post back with the date and time.
