Mamba wrote:SR71 wrote:
Thanks for verifying your speculation.
I'm curious, why a canopy can be fitted with a detonation based release system yet a HALO system couldnt include similar features?
How much weight do you think an additional explosive system would add? What type of permanent damage could these systems do to a chassis? We all know the drivers are worth more than all the cars combined, but still, a car can roll over these days and be re-used. If your proposal adds too much stress to the chassis it could end up being unusable.
A jet being re-used after pilot ejection is not something they designed for... you considered that right?
Although, I'm just speculating
Cheers.
To be honest, I have no idea how much weight it will add so I will not throw random numbers. You are correct, the HALO system could be fitted with such a device that blows its hinges, but I still feel that the canopy's visibility is a big plus in its favour.
I doubt it will cause massive stress. The system can be used by pilots when they eject while still on the ground and after a service and most likely a refit of the electronics the aircraft can be used again - but most damage is done by the ejection seat rocket anyway. Most fighter aircraft are designed to be able to blow the canopy without ejecting the pilot (aircraft static on the ground although a pilot can eject while static on the ground) which will only need a new canopy. Thus I would say that the system would probably not cause that much damage. The modern cars are so strong the chassis would be reusable.
http://www.shockmansion.com/wp-content/ ... 6sled1.jpg
That is how the canopy shatters to pieces - see pieces of Perspex flying
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/109/27520 ... z.jpg?zz=1
The white lines are the explosive cords inside the canopy.
To conclude, I have no idea how much weight a explosive device will add, but the combination with a F1 canopy will weight wise not be much different to the HALO. The chassis should be reusable as the explosive device I am suggesting is aimed at small controlled explosions to break a canopy not destroy it and the canopy frame.
MAMBA
Weight was just something I wanted to bring up since it's being ignored. One could quickly research how much a fighter jet canopy with auxiliary explosive systems weighs or we could keep pretending like that doesnt matter.
So in your conclusion, are you purposely ignoring the fact that fighter jet canopies are roughly 4-8X larger than the canopy that would be fitted to an F1 car?
You think pulling a driver out through a Halo presents a problem but somehow pulling a driver out through a hole in poly-carbonate created by an explosion is going to be easier? Smooth surfaced HALO vs. jagged edged poly-carbonate against a drivers suit? Logical thinking!
Also, you cite 'visibility' as a bonus for the driver. NO system added to an F1 car will increase visibility - a drivers helmet with distortion reducing lens will be as good as it ever gets. When you factor in bad weather - nothing could be worse than a canopy.
*EDIT* To be fair, COATINGS could be used to provide the driver with decent vision, but these cars are filthy at the end of a race... tear away visors still provide a great solution. *EDIT*
Then let's talk about support structures for a canopy... what did you have in mind? Just a bubble? "A" pillars?
Have you considered that the HALO's central beam is there because thats actually less distracting than two beams coming down on the side? "A" pillars could create incredibly dangerous blind spots.
Also, what about distortion of the image through a canopy? When cars are as close together as they are in F1 - peripheral vision is massive tool for the driver, why does this not matter to you?
One more question, since we're trying to have an informed conversation, why do you keep ignoring Red Bull's modified HALO proposition? You know, the one favored by actual engineers on many teams?
CHEERS!