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for information contact:
Anita C. Infante, 309 853-5328
For Immediate Release 6/05
The CarterCopter Breaks the μ-1 Barrier!
Olney, TX - At 7:40 AM on June 17, 2005, while flight-testing for a U.S. Army contract out of Olney Airport in Texas, the CarterCopter, unofficially, broke the μ-1 (Mu-1) Barrier*. This is the first time in history that any rotorcraft has exceeded μ-1. The barrier was breached during normal flight-testing while collecting data on a newly developed speed controller for the rotor. The milestone attempt was not planned but evolved as flight-testing proved the rotor to be very stable as the rpm was decreased. Test pilot, Larry Neal, was decreasing rotor rpm in small increments when he neared μ-1. With all systems stable the decision was made to proceed above μ-1. Initial data from the flight shows that the airspeed was 170 mph and the rotor was slowed to 107 rpm giving a μ value of 1.02. Previously, the lowest rotor speed achieved was 115 rpm. The higher than μ-1 flight time was just 1.5 seconds before Neal reduced the throttle to slow the aircraft, but the high μ flight was accomplished without incident.
The CarterCopter is the prototype aircraft of Carter Aviation Technologies (Carter). The prototype is the technology demonstrator of Carter's Slowed Rotor/Compound (SR/C) Aircraft Technology and has been in flight-testing since 1998. Today's historic flight culminates more than 12 years of research and development and continues to validate Carter's revolutionary technology. Jay Carter, Jr., Carter's President and Chief Development Engineer, was nearly speechless as the data reports came in from the flight. The μ-1 milestone has eluded Carter for more than three years after achieving a flight of μ-.87 in 2002. According to Jay Carter, "This (breaking μ-1) has been our goal since we first began flight-testing in 1998. To prove our technology we needed to do something that no one else had ever done. We have had several setbacks, but no one on the team has ever lost faith. This is amazing!"
The significance of high μ flight has long been understood but the design of conventional rotorcraft made it impossible. Carter's design is definitely unconventional and includes 16 patented technologies. Carter's flight data has proven to be very accurate in the past, however, as an element of the current U.S. Army contract the Army is scheduled to verify the calibration and accuracy of Carter's data retrieval system in the next few weeks. This corroboration will provide a more official determination of this milestone flight. Until then, the Carter team will anxiously wait to secure its place as having achieved one of the most significant milestones in aviation history.
Photos:
Tail Cam
Taxiing Back
Jay Carter
Greeting Pilots
Chief Test Pilot
Larry Neal
Co-pilot,
Brad King
The Crew
Strip Chart
Recording
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For high resolution photos suitable for print, vist the:
Carter Aviation Technologies Media Archive
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*Why is μ-1 important:
μ is the ratio of the forward speed of an aircraft to the tip speed of its rotor. Normal helicopters fly at a μ of approximately 0.3. This means that the rotor tip speed is roughly three times greater than the forward speed of the aircraft. In order to keep a rotor stable each blade of a rotor has to provide the same amount of lift. In forward flight the retreating blade of the rotor moves in a direction opposite that of the aircraft. This results in less airspeed on that blade. Therefore, as the forward speed of the aircraft increases the airspeed on the retreating blade decreases. At a μ of 1 the forward speed of the aircraft and the tip speed of the retreating blade are equal, therefore, the air velocity at the tip of the retreating blade is zero and there is reversed airflow over the entire length of the blade. At this point, the retreating blade can provide very little lift and because its airflow is reversed this blade and the rotor become very unstable. For this reason, sustained flight at μ-1 or higher was previously thought to be impossible. Carter technology should allow flight speeds up to a ratio of μ-5 (where the aircraft is traveling at speeds up to 500 mph and the tip speed of the advancing rotor blade remains under mach 0.9). For more information, read our Frequently Asked Questions.
Important Notification:
From exhilaration to devastation -
Unfortunately, we have to report that in a second flight on June 17th at about 10:00 AM the CarterCopter reported mechanical problems and was coming in for an emergency landing. The aircraft was descending at an above average speed and appeared to drop to the ground. The landing gear was down and absorbed enough of the impact of the aircraft to protect the pilot and co-pilot who were uninjured. Initial reports, however, are that while the fuselage is intact the CarterCopter sustained extensive damage and will be unrepairable for future flight-testing. A further release will be sent as soon as more information is known.
Carter Aviation Technologies
Anita C. Infante, GA Marketing & Licensing
9729 E. 3000th Street, Kewanee, IL 61443
Phone or Fax 309 853-5328
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