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Jet dance

undy

New member
Are we sure that's not R/C? The perspective looks off, because those people look awfully big compared to the plane. (Wiki lists an X-31 as over 43' long.) Plus, the flag doesn't even wave from the jet wash, nor do you see evidence of it on the grass or bystanders. An X31 dates back to 1990 at least, from what I read.

????

Still, cool to watch!
 

Blackfoot Tucker

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I'm calling BS too! Undy is right it's an RC model.

Let's think about this:

There were only two X-31 aircraft made, by a joint team from Rockwell and MBB (Messerschmidt-Bolkow-Blohm) and the project was funded by NASA and DARPA. The aircraft had an unusual exhaust nozzle with three "paddles" and the idea was to test the concept of thrust vectoring to enhance maneuverability. During testing the X-31 achieved controlled flight at 70º angle of attack (basically the difference between the where the aircraft is pointed and its flight path).

We're supposed to believe the one remaining aircraft, costing tens of millions of dollars, and owned by the US government is now in Russia...doing private airshows?

And, from the video:

Look at how close the nozzle (which doesn't have the signature three paddles) is to the ground. The airplane's empty weight is about 11,500 lb. For it to "hover" the engine's thrust must equal the aircraft's weight, so a minimum of say 13,000 lbs of thrust (you'd have a pilot and fuel in the aircraft). To get 13,000 lbs of thrust the engine would be in afterburner. That amount of thrust that close to the ground would be blowing grass and dirt everywhere, and you'd see the afterburner's glow out the nozzle. Not to mention jet engines in afterburner don't sound like the video. And if the actual aircraft reached 70º angle of attack in testing (at a safe altitude, by the way) now it's fooling around at 90º or so a couple of feet off the ground?

It's a cool video, but it's an RC airplane.
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Yup on second look, it is indeed a R/C plane..

But :wow: that is an impressive R/C plane! :brows:

The pilot must have nerves of steal, doing this maneuver. Lots of time and money down the drain if one were to make a mistake, especially since the spectators are so relatively close to it! :ermm: The liability is huge...

Regards, Kirk
 
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