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From: tkogoma%triton.unm.edu@ariel.unm.edu (Gym Z. Quirk)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: F-117A performance?
Message-ID: <1991Feb5.043703.6484@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 5 Feb 91 04:37:03 GMT
References: <1991Jan23.043709.7563@cbnews.att.com> <1991Feb4.065635.21784@cbnews.att.com>
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From: tkogoma%triton.unm.edu@ariel.unm.edu (Gym Z. Quirk)
In article <1991Feb4.065635.21784@cbnews.att.com> smpod@venus.lerc.nasa.gov (Stefan) writes:
>In article brooksp@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Peter Brooks) writes...
>/I've heard that the nickname for the
>/117 is the Wobblin' Goblin, but hey, why *should* it be easy
>/to fly?  The pilots seem pretty happy with its performance..

According to a recent NOVA show on camoflage and stealth technology,
the F-117 is "...an inherrently unstable aircraft."  Apperantly, the
on-board computer is required to make the necessary corrections to
keep the thing flying.  This takes the "fly by wire" concept one step
further: You tell the computer what you want the plane to do, the
computer tells the plane how to do it.

>I like the name that the Iraqis are using for the F-117A: the Ghost or
>the Devil.

What *is* the 'official' name for the F-117?  I've heard the name
"Ghostrider" somewhwere (maybe a Tom Clancy book), but I don't recall
a more 'official source for it...

--
Capt. Gym Z. Quirk  net.terrorist (reformed) | THIS SPACE FOR RENT
tkogoma@triton.cirt.unm.edu                  | (until I can find
(Known to some as Taki Kogoma)               |  a decent quote.)