{"id":7506,"date":"2013-02-28T15:08:39","date_gmt":"2013-02-28T22:08:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=7506"},"modified":"2013-02-28T15:11:31","modified_gmt":"2013-02-28T22:11:31","slug":"could-this-be-the-ford-bi-motor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/could-this-be-the-ford-bi-motor\/","title":{"rendered":"Could This Be the Ford Bi-Motor?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The original Ford Tri-Motor had a body by Ford and three Pratt & Whitney radial engines arrayed across its nose and wings.\u00a0 The Phantom Eye has a body by Boeing, and two 2.3-liter Ford engines fueled by the hydrogen the airplane carries in its bulbous fuselage.<\/p>\n

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Multiply-turbocharged Ford 2.3 liter, four-cylinder engines can boost Phantom Eye to 65,000 feet<\/p><\/div>\n

It first flew last June, but hit a snag on landing, or at least dug in and twisted a landing skid, rendering it inoperable until this year. Boeing performed software and hardware upgrades, including strengthening the landing gear. \u00a0Its second flight<\/a> was a big success with a successful landing \u2013 a great one even, since the airplane is reuseable.\u00a0 This is particularly helpful for Boeing, which funded the project out of its own pocket.<\/p>\n

The company commented on the expectations raised by the flight: \u201cBoeing’s liquid hydrogen-powered Phantom Eye unmanned airborne system completed its second flight Feb. 25, demonstrating capabilities that will allow it to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions for up to four days without refueling.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Phantom Eye rests after second test flight. Note unstressed wing constraints and flexibility of wing<\/p><\/div>\n

Last June, Phantom Eye reached an altitude of 4,080 feet and stayed up for 48 minutes.\u00a0 On February 25, it went above 8,000 feet and flew for 66 minutes, cruising at 62 knots over Edwards Air Force Base in California.<\/p>\n