Don,
I don't know ao any form of motorsport where moveable aerodynamic aids
(wings etc.) are allowed - the nearest you'd get would be some kind of
active suspension like F1 used to use before they banned it. Thrust SSC used
an active system on the rear wheels only to keep the car at an attitude
where it wouldn't fly. It might be possible to do something on the cheap
because there is an self-leveling autopilot system available in the UK for
model aircraft which costs around £60.00 (about $100). You could possibly
use this as the sensor & control system for a car.
Mike Jenkins
----- Original Message -----
From: Don Kerr <dkveuro@pop.flash.net>
To: <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2000 12:39 AM
Subject: Re: Spoiler/Wing
> ...Hallo people, hope you are all doin' OK.
> Just been watchin' video of old land and water speed attempts, lots
> of spills!!!.....Question....Is it allowable to use a dynamic wing or
> stabilizer on a vehicle of any type or a particular type to try for a
> record in any category ? The reason I ask is because the instability
> observed during most runs especially on water craft .When I was nuts
> enough to run high speed on motorcycles,(200+ mph) the speed wobble on
> some bikes was so powerful even a knee(s) against the bars wouldn't hold
> it. Dampers only increased the frequency, in the order of from 4 to 10
> cycles per second.
> What I had in mind was a computer controlled wing somewhat like the
> system used in fighter aircraft,
> to allow the pilot to fly an otherwise inherently unstable
> aeroplanes.Does anyone foresee a potential problem here? Power to
> operate the ram(s) from a small hydraulic pump, accumulator, kinda like
> the Lotus F1 car suspension. Obviously some parasitic power loss or
> weight penalty, but nothing comes free.
> Your thoughts?....................DK
>
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