Boeing Condor

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=Condor


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type=Research UAV
national origin=United States
manufacturer=Boeing
designer=
first flight=9 October avyear|1988
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The Boeing Condor was a high tech test bed reconnaissance drone aircraft. It had a wingspan of over 200 feet, longer than that of a Boeing B-52.Fact|date=November 2007 Powered by two 175 hp, six cylinder opposed, twin super-charged liquid cooled Continental TSOL-300-2 engines it had a top speed of 230 mph.

Carbon fiber composite materials made up the bulk of the Condor's fuselage and wings. Although the Condor had a very low radar and heat signature, it was not a very stealthy aircraft, to the point that Boeing itself has referred to its "lack of stealth."Boeing, " [http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/condor.html Condor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] "] This characteristic, coupled with its large size and slow speed, made it too vulnerable for use in military operations. The Condor was completely robotic, with an on board computer to communicate with the computers on the ground via satellite to control all facets of the Condor's missions. The Condors frame was made of mainly carbon fiber composite, as it gives off very low radar and heat signatures.

In 1989, the Condor set the world piston powered aircraft altitude record of 66,980 feet and was the first aircraft to fly a fully automated flight from takeoff to landing.

On-board computers communicated with the computers on the ground via satellite to control all facets of the Condor's missions.

During its evaluations, the Condor logged over 300 hours of mission flying over Moses Lake, Washington. It is now on a display in the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Mateo, California. [ [http://www.hiller.org/condor.shtml The Condor] , Hiller Aviation Museum]

pecifications

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length m=16.59
length ft=54
length in=5
span m=59.16
span ft=194
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empty weight kg=3,600
empty weight lb=8,000
gross weight kg=9,100
gross weight lb=20,000
lift kg=
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eng1 number=2
eng1 type=Continental TSOL-300-2
eng1 kw= 130
eng1 hp= 175
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max speed kmh=370
max speed mph=230
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endurance h= 80
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ceiling m=20,500
ceiling ft=67,000
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climb rate ms=10.2
climb rate ftmin=2,000
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References

External links

* [http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/condor.html Condor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] , Boeing
* [http://www.hiller.org/condor.shtml The Condor] , Hiller Aviation Museum
* [http://aviationtrivia.info/Boeing-Condor.php Aviation Trivia]