"MINI SNIFFER"

 

 

 

 



OVERVIEW        (Specifications at bottom of page)

This unmanned, small aircraft, was designed as a proof of concept for a “ MARS BOUND MISSION”
For funding reasons, it was also going to be capable to “SNIFF” atmospheric particles and pollutants at around 100.000 ft. (one hundred thousand). An altitude density similar to that, near the surface of Mars.

This task was one of our first NASA contracts and the first vehicle was designed , built and delivered in just five  weeks. The only information provided to us, was on three sheets of note paper, representing the airfoil, plan form and front view of the proposed craft. We were given the payload and structural requirements to meet and were left to our own resources to design and build them.
Subsequent requirements, changes as well as "add ons" like the winglets, Kevlar empenage and the custom propeller, were accomplished later.


THE SUCCESS COMPLETION OF THESE TASKS, LED TO MANY FURTHER CONTRACTS FOR NASA DRYDEN RESEARCH CENTER, KEEPING US INTERESTED FOR YEARS.

 

 

                                        

 

 

                                         

          The early versions                                                           fuselage and center section                                      glider like wing attachments

 

 

 

SPECIFICATIONS                          BUILT BY FRED JIRAN GLIDER REPAIRS


WING SPAN                                 21.275     Ft.
WING AREA                                 42         Sq.Ft.
FUSELAGE LENGTH                     9             Ft.
OVER ALL LENGTH                    18.8          Ft.
HORIZONTAL STABILIZER        1 4         Sq.Ft.
VERTICAL STABILIZER                 5         Sq.Ft.


Vehicle No. 1 was constructed from a three view drawing and finished in 35 days. It was fabricated out of foam and fiberglass, and was completed in April of 1974. This vehicle was test flown with a 12 HP McCulloch engine and a 22" Sench propeller. The MINI—SNIFFER was flown from 125 pounds to 167 pounds gross weight, rate of climb at 160 pounds was 535 ft/mm. The propeller efficiency, 50% at 8 brake horse power at 6500 RPM.

We fabricated Vehicle No. 2 out of a set of molds we made from vehic1e No. 1. The modified horizontal and verticals on Vehicle No. 2 were manufactured by our company out of Dupont Kevlar (c) and carbon fiber.

The light weight propeller on the MINI SNIFFER Vehicle No. 2, was manufactured by our firm out of Kevlar (c) and carbon fiber. The propeller as shown in the picture was designed for high altitude flying. The span of the propeller is approximately 6 feet and weighed 1.5 pounds. The engine is an experimental 15 H.P. Hydrazene engine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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