[PSUBS-MAILIST] Gliding (was: Telling Terrorist stories around the national campfire)

["Michael B. Holt" <mholt@richmond.edu>]

"Thomas A. Rowe" wrote:
> 
>  One thing I don't talk too much about is the tests I did flying
> on ballast alone back in '95. It can cruise like a glider with
> the right ballasting.

Ha!  I knew it!  I've been talking about that sort of thing, and
trying to work out the numbers, for years.  Thanks.  I'll go back
to planning it.

> I got about a third of a mile with a cycle of 35 feet in depth
> in the lake and cruised ffshore flying on the currents for
> several hours without a sound other than my own bubbles and a
> rebreather would fix that.

What is the section of the fins?  Is there an airfoil shape
to them?  Do you create real lift?

>  My intent was to be able to run along side whales without
> disturbing them so we could do some filming.

I never thought of that, biut it's a great idea.  All I wanted
to do was to travel without using fuel.

> Up to now, only my crew and the Navy knew about this capability,
> so Shhhhhhhh,,, don't tell Osama.

Remember that the USN did some design work for such a craft, in
the 60s. Usaing hydrazine as ballast and buouyancy, they were 
going to drift up and down over 6000 feet from San Diego to
Hawaii.  Never happened ....



Mike