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The Condor is powered by Teledyne Continental Voyager series liquid cooled engines, similar to those used by the Rutan Voyager on its round the world record flight.
Boeing Looking to Market Condor Potential
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Boeing’s High Altitude Condor In Need of Firm Customer
The Boeing Condor, the world’s largest unmanned air vehicle (UAV), demonstrated during its recent flight test program significant altitude and endurance capabilities. During a series of five flights last October, the Condor established a new altitude record for piston engined aircraft of 66,980ft (20,428. 9m) while in another flight it remained aloft for 29hrs 24mins. Boeing claim both figures are well below the aircraft’s operational capability, yet without either a firm customer or definite task to perform, the Condor faces an uncertain future. Boeing developed the Condor with support from the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as the air vehicle element of Project Fennel. Details of the project are unavailable, though it has been suggested that the Condor was initially developed as a platform for a large aperture, active array radar for use in the anti cruise missile air defence network. Its ability to carry an array of ECM equipment and stay aloft for long periods would make the Condor ideal for this task. In this new era of somewhat more peaceable international relations and decimated defence budgets, however, Boeing is also actively promoting the aircraft for use in other areas. Its value to scientific research has already been suggested, though so too has its utilisation for military surveillance and drug crop detection. Without firm customers,however, Boeing has been forced to slow development of the Condor.
The Condor is by no means a small aircraft. Its wings – pylon mounted above the fuselage to provide propeller ground clearance-span an incredible 61m (200ft), which is actually greater than that of a 747-300, and have an aspect ratio of 36. 7:1 with a cruise lift to drag ratio (UD) of 40:1; aerodynamic efficiency is in fact close to that of ahigh performance sailplane. The primary structure is all composite with much use of carbon fibre and Nomex honeycomb. This produces a very strong, flexible wing weighing just 21b per square foot (0. 9kg per square metre). This is particularly important given the fact that all fuel is carried in wing tanks, making up about 60% of gross weight at takeoff. The wingtips actually deflect 7. 6m (25 ft) upwards during flight and 4. 9m (16ft) downwards when static. Small wingtip wheels provide support when landing, while underwing outriggers support the fuel laden wings during takeoff, which is achieved with use of a dolly. The Condor’s fuselage has a length of 20. 7m (68ft) and a constant cross section measurement of 1. 3m (52in) height and 86cm (34in) width. It has been designed as a platform for mounting antennae and other sensors, and like the wings is relatively light and strongly constructed. A centre skid and nose wheel facilitate landing, which can be done within 305m (1,000ft) of touch down. The Condor is designed also to be transportable, and can be folded into a package small enough to be carried by such transports as the USAF C-5 Galaxy
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The aircraft is powered by two Teledyne Continental six cylinder, 175hp liquid cooled engines, similar to those used by the Rutan Voyager during its round the world flight. The surprisingly low powered engines drive three bladed composite propellers of 4. 9m (16ft) diameter designed with high aspect ratio for a very low fuel consumption. The props are fitted with a two speed gearbox which shifts gears at about 43,000ft (13,115m) from 4. 5:1 engine/ propeller rpm ratio to a very slow 3:1 ratio. This engine/propeller combination produces a very efficient cruise with a speed of more than 200kts (370km/h), which is exceptional given the aircraft’s gross weight of about 9 tonnes (20,000lb). All systems -engines, electrical and mechanical -are controlled either by in built computers or from the ground.
Boeing has identified several possible civil and military high altitude tasks for the aircraft. These include military surveillance, electronic intelligence gathering or electronic counter measures, weather monitoring, drug crop detection, and scientific data gathering such as examination of the ozone layer. Tests of the Condor have shown it could be useful in any of these fields, but with an estimated purchase price of $US20m (plus the additional $US20m UAV experts claim the installation of payload equipment would cost) the number of potential customers is limited. Few scientific organisations can afford the Condor, while the US military, faced with worsening financial constraints and improved superpower relations, could also find its purchase hard to justify, considering the cutbacks in more traditional aircraft funding. Other possible military users are either unable to afford the Condor or, like Israel for example, have their own, albeit smaller, UAVs. Problems exist also with operating the aircraft in civil airspace.
The Condor has no problems flying at its optimum operational altitude, but during the 4-6hrs it takes to transit this, the unmanned aircraft must fly through often busy airspace. During testing the Condor was allocated a chase plane at lower altitudes, but to optimise the aircraft’s usefulness the Condor really needs to be flown under FAA jurisdiction, or else the number of places where it can safely operate – particularly with civil operators – will be limited. Boeing then, has found itself with a high performing and potentially very useful UAV – but no firm customer. The company must continue rallying the US government to support use of the condo -which has so far cost the company at least $US100m in research -to keep the project alive. Testing of the Condor has been slowed down, and the project currently awaits a firm customer or a project to which it can be assigned to prove itself operationally, be it in the military or civil sectors. It would perhaps be a pity for the Condor not to be used successfully in its proper environment.
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