Autoblog

R/C F16 jet with swiveling pilot's view blows our tiny little minds

Zach Bowman — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:27:00 EST

Toys are infinitely cooler these days than they were when we were kids. While we had to subside on crappy Lego houses and weak Nerf guns, youngsters now get to craft accurate models of the Millennium Falcon and play with a foam arsenal that would make the CIA blush with envy.

The same goes for remote-controlled vehicles. We've already seen exactly how much fun can be had with a point-of-view camera, an RC Jeep and a little time. Now another crafty RC aficionado has applied the same camera tech to a remote-controlled F16 fighter jet.

There aren't words to describe how awesome this is.

By using a live feed from the camera, the pilot effectively gets the same view out of the cockpit that an actual pilot would enjoy. The creator even wired up an altimeter so the pilot can tell exactly how far off the ground the plane is at any given moment. Hit the jump to check it out. Bonus points for the Kenny Loggins soundtrack.

Continue reading R/C F16 jet with swiveling pilot's view blows our tiny little minds

R/C F16 jet with swiveling pilot's view blows our tiny little minds originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FIA tests fighter-jet canopy for use in Formula 1

Noah Joseph — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:33:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Safety, Technology, Videos

F1 cars keep getting safer every year. Their carbon-fiber tubs have been strengthened to the point that they're nearly indestructible. Helmets and the HANS neck supports they're attached keep improving. Despite all this, there's still one principal weak point inherent to the design of a grand prix racer: the open cockpit.

If you've ever sat back and wondered why F1 cars stick with open-cockpit designs when drivers are injured - or narrowly escape injury - by airborne cars (or parts thereof) striking their helmets, you're not alone.

The FIA Institute is testing designs to potentially outfit future F1 racers with closed cockpits. The question is, what kind? Many Le Mans prototypes (like the Audi R18 and Peugeot 908) use curved polycarbonate windshields, but in its research, the FIA Institute also looked to fighter jets for their canopy designs. Follow the jump to see what they discovered.

Continue reading FIA tests fighter-jet canopy for use in Formula 1

FIA tests fighter-jet canopy for use in Formula 1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab and Tata form joint venture to build... a fighter jet?!

Michael Harley — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Saab, Tata

The Swedish Airplane Company, or Saab AB, has been building aircraft since 1937. To diversify its business, the company started making cars in the late 1940s. Whether we cringe or not, Saab Automobile (the car division) has always reminded the public that its cars have fighter jet DNA (e.g., "Born from Jets"). Now comes word that the Swedish aeronautics manufacturer is partnering with India's Tata Group to build a variant of the Gripen fighter designed to go head-to-head with the some of the world's top military aircraft for some billion-dollar contracts.

Tata brings quite a bit to the relationship. India's largest business group not only builds a vast amount of vehicles, but it has steel manufacturing divisions, electric companies, and IT businesses. Tata also brings cash to the table. Whether the new bedfellows can get it together and knock such heavy-hitters as the F-16, F-18, and MiG-29 out of the sky has yet to be determined, but it should be an interesting battle.

[Source: Google/AFP]

Saab and Tata form joint venture to build... a fighter jet?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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