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Flight Research with the MIT Daedalus Prototype
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Sector:
Event:
Aerospace Vehicle Conference
Language:
English
Abstract
The MIT Light Eagle human-powered aircraft underwent long-duration testing over Rogers Dry Lake in California during January, 1987. Designed as a prototype for the MIT Daedalus Project, the Light Eagle's forty-eight flights provided pilot training, established new distance records for human-powered flight, and provided quantitative data through a series of instrumented flight experiments. The experiments focused on: 1) evaluating physiological loads on the pilot, 2) determining airframe power requirements, and 3) developing an electronic flight control system. This paper discusses the flight test program, its results and their implications for the follow-on Daedalus aircraft, and the potential uses of the Light Eagle as a low Reynolds number testbed.
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Citation
Bussolari, S., Langford, J., and Youngren, H., "Flight Research with the MIT Daedalus Prototype," SAE Technical Paper 871350, 1987, https://doi.org/10.4271/871350.Also In
References
- Langford J.S. Bussolari S.R. Cruz J.R. Douglas D.G. Drela M. Finberg S.L. Korakianitis T.P. Nadel E.R. Parks R.W. Sullivan R.B. Wyss J. “The Feasibility of a Human-Powered Flight Between Crete and the Mainland of Greece” Phase I Final Report of the Daedalus Project Working Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology April 1986
- Drela M. “Low Reynolds Number Airfoil Design for the MIT Daedalus Prototype: A Case Study” submitted to AIAA Journal of Aircraft 1987
- Nadel E.R. “Physiological Adaptations to Aerobic Training” American Scientist 73 July-Aug 1985
- Wierwille W.W. “Physiological Measures of Aircrew Workload” Human Factors 1979 21 5 575 593
- Berne R.M. Levy M.M. Cardiovascular Physiology Third C.V. Mosby St. Louis 1977 253 255