Added 31-12-19
Cranefly is designed to be launched from modified, commonly used airliner designs such as the 747, 737 and A320. The launch vehicle substitutes for a commercial flight, flying the same route at the usual speed and altitude. Cranefly is therefore designed to be released at speeds of around 600 mph and altitudes of around 35,000 feet. The passenger compartment of the glider will probably need to be pressurized and have other features appropriate for operation at these altitudes.
Initially the released Cranefly flies by body lift, guided by an INS/ GPS system. The glider is constructed with radar absorbent materials and architecture.
As the glider’s speed decreases a wing of oblique configuration, as used on the NASA AD-1 is deployed, its angle controlled by the automated piloting systems.
The passengers of the glider can deploy by conventional parachute or wingsuit, or may land with the glider. In the former case the empty glider can be programmed follow a course to crash in a remote area, preferably in a large body of water.
For a soft landing, the scissor wing of the glider converts to an unpowered rotor, allowing the aircraft to land in a limited distance by autorotation. The fuselage of the aircraft is also fitted with alarge emergency parachute that can also be used for braking when landing. Landing in the glider reduces the chances of the unit being scattered and permits the carrying of heavier equipment, such as electric bikes.
The glider is skid-equipped for landing on a wide variety of terrains. The glider is also designed to float, allowing the passengers to boat or swim to shore. The glider can then be scuttled to sink beneath the waters.
A glider that lands on land can be broken up, the components being utilized for shelter construction. In certain circumstances, such as training exercises, a glider could be recovered by skyhook and tow-rope.
The basic technology of the Cranefly can be adapted to a number of useful variants.
One of these would be a resupply glider (DCG) that can carry materials to isolated or remotely situated units. For covert missions these would be released from airliner-based transports. The resupply glider may also be deployed by military transports and tactical aircraft, which suggests at least one variant of the DCG be compatible with 2,000lb bomb mountings.
A variant model of glider could also be used for reconnaissance missions or to deliver more lethal payloads.
By the Author of the Scrapboard : | |
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 | Attack, Avoid, Survive: Essential Principles of Self Defence Available in Handy A5 and US Trade Formats. |
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 | Crash Combat Second Edition with additional content. Epub edition Second Edition with additional content. Crash Combat Third Edition Epub edition Third Edition. |
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