Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

It doesn’t spin that fast (linear speed) close to the helicopter, and any fuel leaking out of the wings during flight will fly outwards so you would be safe inside ;-)

However, I expect they pump the fuel from the helicopter body into the wings, and I wonder how they guarantee the seal between the two. Helicopters must continuously adjust the angle of attack of the wings, so it isn’t even a matter of a single fixed axis, and the chemical properties of hydrogen peroxide won’t make things easier.



Once it's started up, it's a centrifugal pump all on its own. You don't need a positive pressure pump on the body, the fuel would be sucked out and along the blades like a siphon.

That doesn't make the seal problem much easier, but it at least does mean that if a seal were to fail, it would fail safe without spewing h2o2 everywhere.


> I expect they pump the fuel from the helicopter body into the wings, and I wonder how they guarantee the seal between the two.

I was wondering about that too. I haven't found a good explanation anywhere.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: