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PA-30 Twin Comanche - NASA 808 in hangar PA-30 Twin Comanche - NASA 808 in hangar

Photo Number: E-37135
Photo Date: May 5, 1980

Formats: 521x480 JPEG Image (115 KBytes)
1111x1023 JPEG Image (486 KBytes)
3000x2764 JPEG Image (3,307 KBytes)

Description: Technicians check instrumentation and systems on NASA 808, a PA-30 aircraft, prior to a research flight. The aircraft was used as the testbed in development of control systems for remotely piloted vehicles that were "flown" from the ground. The concept led to highly successful programs such as the HiMAT and the subscale F-15 remotely piloted vehicles.

Over the years, NASA 808 has also been used for spin and stall research related to general aviation aircraft and also research to alleviate wake vortices behind large jetliners.

This 1980 photograph taken inside a hangar shows technicians measuring moment of inertia.


Keywords: Piper Twin Comanche; PA-30; NASA 808; general aviation flight control research; serial number 30-1498; Remotely Piloted Research Vehicles; RPRV; wake vortices; B-727


Last Modified: February 6, 2002
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