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From: eder@ssc-vax.UUCP
Newsgroups: sci.research
Subject: Re: Microwave power beaming  (and airplanes).
Message-ID: <1276@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 4-Jun-87 15:31:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.1276
Posted: Thu Jun  4 15:31:32 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Jun-87 09:37:36 EDT
References: <6693@allegra.UUCP> <1115@oliveb.UUCP> <5893@brl-smoke.ARPA> <892@apple.UUCP>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Corp., Seattle WA
Lines: 32
Summary: controlled airspace ?

In article <892@apple.UUCP>, ems@apple.UUCP (Mike Smith) writes:
> In article <1266@ssc-vax.UUCP>, eder@ssc-vax.UUCP (Dani Eder) writes:
> > [...]  As for airplanes, the beam area
> > will probably be marked as a keep out zone, to prevent long-term low
> > level exposure to passengers and crew.  Of course, an airplane could
> > stray into the beam by accident, but the metal skin of the plane will
> > reduce the interior intensity to only a few watts per square meter, and
> > the plane will generally be through the beam in less than a minute.
> 
> I fly a glider.  It is metal tubing covered with cloth and paint.  There
> is a plexiglass bubble above me.  Gliders tend to do lazy circles in
> thermals and hang around an area for a long time.  They also wander
> cross country based on the wind and lift.  Please paint the power 
> recieving station in a skull and cross bones pattern with black and red
> paint.  And don't try to radio me, many gliders don't have radios or an
> electical system...
> E. Michael Smith  ...!sun!apple!ems

Do you fly into controlled airspace? Restricted areas (as in military
practice areas)? I assume even glider pilots have to follow the rules
of the air as to where they are allowed to fly.  For safety, the air
above a rectenna will most likely be designated some kind of restricted
airspace, and it is the responsibility of the pilot to stay out of the
way, just as ultralights are not allowed into the approach paths 
leading to big airports.

In my earlier posting, I was referring to commercial airliners, who
will have a conductive skin even if the main structure is non-metallic.
This is for lightning strike protection, and so that traffic control
radars can find them.

Dani Eder/Boeing/Advanced Space Transportation/ssc-vax!eder