NationStates Jolt Archive

Whoever can create the slowest aircraft which is powered(by an engine), can take off on its own and sustain flight without stalling, wins. Let the games begin!!!!!!
by the way blimps\zepplins\ballons\helicopters\gyrocopters\VTOL aircraft do not count, and the aircraft must hold 1 225lb person

The Phoenix Dynamix Powered Ejection Seat Mk5 Is our slowest aircraft at a maximum speed of only 26mph
http://www.skydive-in-virginia.com/Wayne_4c.jpg

My pedal powered airplane....
Albatross II
15 mph top speed.

mechanical power!!

LBE-001 'Walrus'
http://www.rcsail.com/display34.jpg

Function: Annoyance
Crew: 5
Length: 45 meters
Height: 23 meters
Wingspan: 67 meters
Engine: 17,000 Genetically Enhanced Hamsters, on exercise wheels
Empty Weight: None
Internal Fuel: None
Ceiling: 100 ft.
Max Speed: Mach 56 mph
Range: 130 Kilometers


Cost: 1.2 Million USD

In RL... Its the Gossamer Condor, the first successful human powered plane, only 10 MPH. It won 2, 100,000 Dollar prizes, and crossed the english channel.

http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/schools/MS/SCHDickerson/Benton/fun%20page/Can%20you%20guess/images%20for%20can%20you%20guess/Gossamer_Condor_4_close_up_of_crew_area.JPG

Uh, would it be the maximum speed which has to be the slowest? Just wondering as I would be interested in putting my VTOL aircraft up - speed of 0 mph while still flying.

OOC: Wouldn't that be gliding? You need force to move, so speed has to be higher than 0.

No Human OR HAMSTER Powered Aircraft It Has To Have An Engine Thank You

Uh... helicopters can hover in place.

Uh... helicopters can hover in place.
thats why as i have said before, helicopters are not eligible for the contest

I KNEW you HAD to have mentioned that, but I read the thread four times and somehow missed it each time. Don't I feel dumb now? :p

Technically, an aircraft can move at zero miles per hour relative to the ground and yet be sustained in powered flight- you just need a stiff, steady breeze and a slow aircraft.

Indeed; I'll submit a Cessna 172 (The pride of the Holy Suburbian Air Force) In a 150 kt headwind. That's about negative 100 knots. Do I win? Oh wait, what about a SR-71 with the pilot sitting backwards?

No it has to go foward!!!!!

The powered ejection seat is still the best ebntrant and has not been beaten yet!!!

It would be going foreword, just in a negative amount.
And if you insist on foreword, what about a Cessna going 115 kts into a 114 kt headwind?

We've got a blimp that goes 7 miles per hour which is the only thing actually commisioned in our airforce right now.

Any plane with a positive thrust to weight ratio traveling at an 89.0(ad infinitum)1 angle from the ground.

I think there would be stability issues.

I think there would be stability issues.

No worse than the early rocket program.

The Vickers Vimy stalls at around 20mph I believe.

The Wright Flyer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The first ever airplane has got to be slowest to ever take off.

So currently we have the Vickers Vimy and the Wright flyer vvieying to break the 26mph barrier, if anyone can provide proof, the prize will be awared, (to whoever has possesion of an actual aircraft)

We have an actual Vickers Vimy.

Alright, I have an airplane

It's just a regular VTOL fighter with 4 plasma thrusters, except 2 of them are facing backwards. Thus the "crosswind" effect is created, allowing the plane to go at oh... 1 mile per hour.

in theory you could build an aircraft that created lift, but the thrust waas cancelled out somehow, yet without rotor blades

with a high headwind and low setting the Storch can actually fly backwards

Indeed; I'll submit a Cessna 172 (The pride of the Holy Suburbian Air Force) In a 150 kt headwind. That's about negative 100 knots.

In terms of Velocity, which is a vector quanity, things can never move negatively. It is still moving forward, just in a different direction. It is not going - 100 knots, but rather 100 knots in the opposite direction - west instead of east, north instead of south, up instead of down, etc.

Just because something is flying backwards does not mean it is moving slower than something going forward.

this test is assuming you move forwards though, seeing as it isnt really flying if they fly backwards

of course if you flew backwards the instruments wouldnt measure it , as airspeed is measured when air runs through the tubes on the wings. as when you fly backwards no air would go through the tubes in the right way , the pilot wouldnt notice he was going backwards , he would think he's going at o mph

the eastern bloc would like to put out one antonov 225.
it may not be the slowest, but it can carry many many things, like motors for other planes, chase vehicles, troops or crews in its cargo hold, or the shuttle on its back..