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The Falcon Project - Launching Spring '2015


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Posted

I don't know what you guys are talking about...The title clearly reads 2015

 

Shouldn't it read, Launching 2013, nope, Launching 2014 and finally, maybe, in 2015?

Guest OntarioSquatch
Posted (edited)

It's possible that they'll get some footage while on the ground, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. This is a brand new research group and it can take a long time (many years) for them to refine their strategies to a point where they can start collecting actual data on the animal. William Barnes may go bankrupt by then. Their best hope might be the airship...

Edited by OntarioSquatch
Admin
Posted

Those two things are the two main aspects of the project.   If a technical project developer goes into a project with no knowledge of the technology and totally relies on vendors knowledge to define the technical objectives, you get what is best for the vendor and not best for the project.

 

That's true with large bureaucracies run by lazy, incompetent, usually  government workers. Smaller teams of practical, type A personalities learn on the go and adapt accordingly.

Clown Show

At least it's a show, much more than your lazy bones doing nothing and criticizing everyone else who else.

BFF Patron
Posted (edited)

 

 

 

That's true with large bureaucracies run by lazy, incompetent, usually  government workers. Smaller teams of practical, type A personalities learn on the go and adapt accordingly.

   

What he has is a technical aviation systems integration project with no background doing that.   People like that could have been pulled in and probably would have volunteered their time.    Why rely on type A personalities to with no background to pull things together?.    A project like this funded with donated funds should have a board of directors.   If it did, the board of directors  should look at this project and demand that technical expertise be brought in to protect the assets.      You don't learn to fly an airship on the go and adapt accordingly.   That sort of thing will splatter it all over the landscape.       He claims he is going to teach other pilots.    Has he ever selected and trained a pilot?    My questions like this go on and on and the only thing I can think of is that egos are getting in the way of a sound development program.     You may sense some sour grapes on my part and that is for good reason.     What do I know about this stuff?.   I was the Air Force program director for two different  development programs and flew functional test flights on two different military aircraft.    I also built, fight tested and currently fly my own 2 place experimental aircraft.     

 

Edited by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT
  • Upvote 1
Admin
Posted (edited)

Yeah, they're not developing aircraft... board of directors?

it's a BF expedition for crying out loud!

I do agree that the aircraft will gain them nothing, a waste of time IMO, but it's their time.

Edited by gigantor
Posted
At least it's a show, much more than your lazy bones doing nothing and criticizing everyone else who else.

 

Well, Im anti-exposure, so the lazier the better. Anyway, I'm in the ''Black'' with BF issues. Only a few people get to know what I do. You have to be in the Wag loop. When I get the one walking across the road, you'll never know it.

BFF Patron
Posted (edited)

.......   Oh sure they have Meldrum and other notables, but from talking to Meldrum personally about the project, it was evident to me,  that he and the other notables in the project knew nothing about aviation and cameras.     Those two things are the two main aspects of the project.   If a technical project developer goes into a project with no knowledge of the technology and totally relies on vendors knowledge to define the technical objectives, you get what is best for the vendor and not best for the project.      You should hear my NASA JPL engineer son talking about dealing with vendors for their projects.   Vendors will lie, cheat on testing,  and do anything they can to get paid for a project even when they know their product does not meet the project requirements.     In this case I suspect the vendors are defining the specifications which is like the tail wagging the dog.     But like the guy and girlfriend with the cell phone, Falcon might get lucky.   Although most cell phone cameras probably have better resolution than the Falcon cameras. 

 

Early on with William Dranginis on board this was not true  AT ALl.   He was a security expert in defense consulting was helping develop gyroscopic high resolution optics, high grade thermal optics and a flight platform for the project to beat the band, he had done security consulting and developed his own Eyegotcha underground camera system.  

 

Something happened and he bailed.  I tried to get William Barnes to comment and he would not.  It is what it WAS.  

 

Edited by bipedalist
Guest Crowlogic
Posted

Somebody is going to out a ton of money when this thing fails.  I suspect there will be a few "possibles" there always are but will it find/prove  bigfoot?  Not a chance.  If there is anything that comes from it the airship design might be incorporated into other  more legitimate purposes.  If not then it is the biggest bigfoot boondoggle of all time.

Guest WesT
Posted

If there is anything that comes from it the airship design might be incorporated into other  more legitimate purposes.

If I'm right,  you're getting warm....

BFF Patron
Posted (edited)

Early on with William Dranginis on board this was not true  AT ALl.   He was a security expert in defense consulting was helping develop gyroscopic high resolution optics, high grade thermal optics and a flight platform for the project to beat the band, he had done security consulting and developed his own Eyegotcha underground camera system.  

 

Something happened and he bailed.  I tried to get William Barnes to comment and he would not.  It is what it WAS.  

 

I based my comments on the background of the people listed on their website. So the only true technical expert involved in the program bailed? Could it be that he saw things he did not like with the program's technical issues and decided not to tie his name and reputation to the program?

Gigantor like it or not they are developing an aircraft and that is the focus of the project. The airship may be based on previous designs but when you integrate a fairly complicated camera platform you introduce all kinds of operational complexities that have to be addressed and resolved. It is simply not the same as having something just capable of flying around.

I mentioned board of directors because when you have a non profit like the Falcon Project it is very easy to run afoul of the IRS rules about non profit organizations. The IRS is very fussy about how money is collected and where it goes. Directors help prevent some of the problems that individuals running non profits often have.

Edited by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT
Posted

They are touting the blimp as a wildlife observation platform on the site, for places like Africa, etc...

 

This is sounding more like another year away before anything substantial happens, and that doesn't include finding BF.

 

No link to the daily update page? Can't find anything like that.

Posted

Early on with William Dranginis on board this was not true  AT ALl.   He was a security expert in defense consulting was helping develop gyroscopic high resolution optics, high grade thermal optics and a flight platform for the project to beat the band, he had done security consulting and developed his own Eyegotcha underground camera system.  

 

Something happened and he bailed.  I tried to get William Barnes to comment and he would not.  It is what it WAS.  

 

Why does that name ring a bell?

BFF Patron
Posted
Posted

Koodo's at a new avenue explored for research... how ever I feel like this is gonna flop. Too many holes in "plan" so to speak. Been interesting to say the least at what Dr. Meldrum has been attaching his name to recently. 

Admin
Posted (edited)

Gigantor like it or not they are developing an aircraft and that is the focus of the project.

 

I guess that's a fair perception based on their marketing and after reading thru their official website again, I agree that's the party line.

 

I think the aircraft is just a side-show and it's just a long term BF expedition, attempting to use new technology. Remote control drones, blimps or otherwise, are readily available including production quality video equipment that is gyro stabilized. Why reinvent the wheel?

 

We'll see what happens, I still wish them good luck.

Edited by gigantor
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