01-08-2003 02:49									#1
	Man skydives across English channel Enter the AD-FREE zone

This is just way cool!

The guy dropped out of the plane at 30,000 ft and succesfully glided across the English channel, with the aid of special wings atached on his back.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/946434.asp?0ql=c7p

	01-08-2003 04:00									#2
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Interesting...I wonder if there are any military applications?

	01-08-2003 04:05									#3
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i don't think so; the apparatus is quite heavy and not really useful; you need special clothes to protect you against the cold (-40 degrees Celsius) so soldiers won't have their proper equipment; also a simple rocket or AA gun could pinch him out of the air

	01-08-2003 04:08									#4
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Yes, but if decending from a plane at high altitude and thirty miles away...would said gunners even know where to look?

	01-08-2003 04:09									#5
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quote: Originally posted by The Mad Monk Interesting...I wonder if there are any military applications?

I think there definitely are. This could work great for delivering spec ops behind enemy lines. You could drop them at a safe distance, and let them glide fast and far behind enemy lines.

	01-08-2003 04:13									#6
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quote: Originally posted by Trajanus i don't think so; the apparatus is quite heavy and not really useful; you need special clothes to protect you against the cold (-40 degrees Celsius) so soldiers won't have their proper equipment; also a simple rocket or AA gun could pinch him out of the air

You could drop the equipment separately.

I doubt it would be very easy to hit them. They would be a fairly small radar target, especially if thw wings were painted with radar absorbing material. Also, since there is no engine, there would be no noise or IR signature. So, overall, if the drop occurred at night, I doubt they would be detectable.

	01-08-2003 12:31									#7
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I'm pretty sure they have that kind of equipement already -- for HALO drops.

	01-08-2003 14:28									#8
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Yes that was interesting from 30,000 feet up. That was amazing for Dover to the French coast.

	01-08-2003 14:38									#9
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The only thing I have an issue about with this (and I know it's picky) is that some of the UK media made out he is the first man to fly unaided across the English Channel. So the aircraft that took him up to 30,000ft isn't assistance, right?

Other than that to this guy for doing something he wanted to do.

	01-08-2003 14:50									#10
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Yup, he had a speed of 20 mph I think, if i heard correctly.

	01-08-2003 14:58									#11
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quote: Originally posted by WRangler Rhymer Yup, he had a speed of 20 mph I think, if i heard correctly.

I think you missed a zero there.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3112095.stm

	01-08-2003 15:01									#12
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opps I did not mean to put 20 I mean to put 200 mph sorry.

	01-08-2003 16:07									#13
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The video is impressive
39 km in a minute is an impressive feat, that's surprising someone may actually survive such a cold (the protecting gear sure did its job well )

	01-08-2003 16:17									#14
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interesting angle with the military applications. didn't think of that.

	02-08-2003 08:13									#15
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I'm wondering if the military dosen't already have something like this.

	02-08-2003 09:00									#16
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quote: Originally posted by Azazel interesting angle with the military applications. didn't think of that.

The military implications...

Hmm, no, the enemy will never be able to spot a slow moving transport plane at 30k feet...

Against a competent enemy with good systems, unlikely to work, against an enemy with not much, why do something so expensive and risky when you can deliver more for cheaper from lower down?

This has all the military implications of that plane that circumnavigated the earth without ever landing.

	02-08-2003 09:37									#17
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GePap, would you now like to discuss the uselessness of HALO drops?

	02-08-2003 09:46									#18
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quote: Originally posted by The Mad Monk GePap, would you now like to discuss the uselessness of HALO drops?

So if these sort of jump already exist, then there is nothing new to learn from this guy, ergo, what military applications?

	02-08-2003 09:56									#19
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These would be less detectable, ergo, less risky.