On Mon, 25 Jun 2001, David VanHorn wrote:

> At 09:00 AM 6/25/01 -0700, Martin Baker wrote:
> >I am just starting to read this thread, but you might want to look up the
> >Intoya Firebird, a one man helicopter powered by Hydrogen peroxide which is
> >fed to a platinum coated mesh catalyst. No electrical system. Water and
> >oxygen as the ehaust, high thrust, very cheap to build.
>
> In case of a crash, did they mention that concentrated peroxide dissolves
> skin quite nicely?

I think any propellant used in aviation will do a number on you after a
crash.  I had occasion to be in a Cessna 172 when, immediately after
takeoff, the aircraft decided that it really, really wanted to do a steep
banked climbing right turn.  Steep like a snap roll.  As the pilot (thank
God I was not the one flying that day) fought to try to keep it airborne,
I contemplated the effects of the 80 or so gallons of 110 octane avgas
directly overhead.  I did not find it to be a terribly comforting thought
considering the lack of soft or flat places to land ahead of us.

Turned out to be a poorly wired autopilot disengage button on the yoke.
The moral of the story: Always ask if the aircraft has recently had
avionics work done.  If it's just come out of the shop rent something
else.

Dale
--
A train stops at a train station.  A bus stops at a bus station.
On my desk I have a workstation...

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