Researchers To Build Underwater Airplane 263
coondoggie writes to tell us that DARPA seems to still be having fun with their funding and continues to aim for the "far out." The latest program, a submersible airplane, seems to have been pulled directly from science fiction. Hopefully this voyage to the bottom of the sea is of the non-permanent variety. "According to DARPA: 'The difficulty with developing such a craft come from the diametrically opposed requirements that exist for an airplane and a submarine. While the primary goal for airplane designers is to try and minimize weight, a submarine must be extremely heavy in order to submerge underwater. In addition, the flow conditions and the systems designed to control a submarine and an airplane are radically different, due to the order of magnitude difference in the densities of air and water.'"
Crazy DARPA (Score:5, Funny)
maybe it would be easier (Score:5, Funny)
Steve Fosset (Score:5, Funny)
I don't have anything to say, but everybody else is posting stuff with "Steve Fosset" as the title.
TPM (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Crazy DARPA (Score:5, Funny)
You're on the right track. Imagine a submersible aircraft carrier that launches flying submarines. Consider your mind blown.
Let's See. (Score:5, Funny)
Rocks sink, and Rocks Fly. Problem Solved!
I'm not sure (Score:4, Funny)
I'm not sure, but I believe those "underwater airplanes" already exist.. and are called "submarines".
Re:Crazy DARPA (Score:1, Funny)
Airplanes underwater??? This is crazy talk! Next they will wants subs that fly!
Don't worry, they won't make the same mistake twice.
After discovering that the "airplane underwater" idea failed due to the fact that there's no air underwater, they'll be sure to investigate whether or not there's water in the sky before investing heavily in that second project.
Steve Fosset (Score:5, Funny)
I don't have anything to say either.
Re:Steve Fossett (Score:5, Funny)
This was Fossett's project I believe. They already have a design and partial prototype yes?
I think they've built a prototype, yes. Unfortunately, the test of the prototype of Fossett's follow-on project, an airplane that can fly underground, ended in disaster.
Too soon?
Re:Steve Fossett (Score:2, Funny)
Yep. The first test pilots were John Denver and John F. Kennedy Jr. Apparantly the tricky part is coming back up...
Re:Water is 830 times more dense than air (Score:2, Funny)
Faster than the speed of sound (Score:3, Funny)
I'm waiting for the sonic boom.
Re:WTF? Why am I paying for this? (Score:5, Funny)
You gotta keep scientists off the streets and out of trouble somehow.
Re:Water is 830 times more dense than air (Score:5, Funny)
My disgust for it grows geometrically every time I read it.
Steve Fosset (Score:3, Funny)
Well, i have lots to say!
I just don't feel like saying it.
-Taylor
When I was in the Navy.... (Score:3, Funny)
These two guys didn't get along.
In one (of many) knock down drag 'em out verbal exchanges the two had, the Captain yelled at the XO,
"There are more helicopters at the bottom of the sea then there are submarines in the sky!!"
Re:Steve Fossett (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Crazy DARPA (Score:3, Funny)
The summary forgot to mention the requirement that the vehicle must also have a screen door.
Roger Penrose (Score:5, Funny)
What? Oh sorry, wrong door.
Yeah, that will fly.... (Score:3, Funny)