Predator crashed

I read in Avweb that a predator crashed, recently.

Anyone wanna make a bet, that it's Rotax puked? g

Sorry, everyone. I couldn't pass up the opportunity! :-)
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:

I read in Avweb that a predator crashed, recently.

Anyone wanna make a bet, that it's Rotax puked? g

Sorry, everyone. I couldn't pass up the opportunity! :-)
--
Jim in NC


I heard rumor it was shot down...

Richard Lamb wrote:
Morgans wrote:

I read in Avweb that a predator crashed, recently.

Anyone wanna make a bet, that it's Rotax puked? g

Sorry, everyone. I couldn't pass up the opportunity! :-)
--
Jim in NC


I heard rumor it was shot down...

A lttle discussed issue about RPVs is that they do not survive
ordinary use that well. I read somewhere that 1000 hours has rarely
been exceeded before some glitch or other stuffs them into a hillside
or cornfield even without being shot at.
..

wrote

A lttle discussed issue about RPVs is that they do not survive
ordinary use that well. I read somewhere that 1000 hours has rarely
been exceeded before some glitch or other stuffs them into a hillside
or cornfield even without being shot at.

That seems a little strange. With a reported price of 6.8 MILLION Dollars,
I would think reliability would rival the best of small aircraft.

Which begs another question. Why are they using a relatively cheap engine,
like a Rotax, in such an expensive vehicle?
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:

wrote

A lttle discussed issue about RPVs is that they do not survive
ordinary use that well. I read somewhere that 1000 hours has rarely
been exceeded before some glitch or other stuffs them into a hillside
or cornfield even without being shot at.

That seems a little strange. With a reported price of 6.8 MILLION Dollars,
I would think reliability would rival the best of small aircraft.

Oh, it probably does.

But, there is a whole lot of other crap, in addition to 'normal'
airplane stuff that has to work in order for it not to fly into the
ground.

And even really stupid pilots are not prone to not notice the ground
approaching.

And even really stupid pilots are not prone to not notice the ground
approaching.

Lessee...

"one good man, fighting for his life, is worth 10 overgrown children playing
a video game."

or was that

"No better bilge pump has ever been invented than a scared man with a
bucket."

A lttle discussed issue about RPVs is that they do not survive
ordinary use that well. I read somewhere that 1000 hours has rarely
been exceeded before some glitch or other stuffs them into a hillside
or cornfield even without being shot at.

The Predator has a lot of landing mishaps, but class A accidents are
close to predicted rates.

"Richard Lamb" wrote

I heard rumor it was shot down...

That's one hell of a good shot, if it really was at 12,000 feet, as it was
reported to be! g
--
Jim in NC

On Tue, 2 May 2006 00:36:12 -0400, "Morgans" wrote:


"Richard Lamb" wrote

I heard rumor it was shot down...

That's one hell of a good shot, if it really was at 12,000 feet, as it was
reported to be! g

Reminds me about the story about the Fed pouncing on a rancher who'd fired a
rifle at a military fighter that he claimed had been buzzing his cattle. The
fighter pilot denied it, claiming he'd been in straight-and-level flight several
thousand feet up.

Fighter pilot, however, could NOT explain why the rifle bullet's exit hole was
only slightly higher on the left side of the fuselage than the entry hole in the
right....

Ron Wanttaja

On Mon, 01 May 2006 22:23:50 -0700, Ron Wanttaja
wrote:

On Tue, 2 May 2006 00:36:12 -0400, "Morgans" wrote:


"Richard Lamb" wrote

I heard rumor it was shot down...

That's one hell of a good shot, if it really was at 12,000 feet, as it was
reported to be! g

Reminds me about the story about the Fed pouncing on a rancher who'd fired a
rifle at a military fighter that he claimed had been buzzing his cattle. The
fighter pilot denied it, claiming he'd been in straight-and-level flight several
thousand feet up.

Fighter pilot, however, could NOT explain why the rifle bullet's exit hole was
only slightly higher on the left side of the fuselage than the entry hole in the
right....

Ron Wanttaja

turning while shot.
a steep turn would make the situation easily achieved.

Stealth pilot