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May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
How the North American Eagle works
By
Marshall Brain
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT)
On October 15, 1997, Andy Green set the Land Speed Record of 763 MPH. It was an amazing feat - the first time ever that a car had officially broken the sound barrier. Since then, no one has come close.
In 2007 there are at least two teams that are going to try to break the record. One is led by Steve Fossett, who in January of 2007 purchased the Spirit of America car from Craig Breedlove. The other team is led by Ed Shadle and Keith Zanghi. They have built a jet-powered car named the North American Eagle.
The thing that makes the North American Eagle interesting is the fact that it started life as a Mach 2 jet fighter. The team purchased a decommissioned F-104 Starfighter and used it as a starting point. By removing the wings, covering over the mounting points for the wings and then adding wheels and a parachute braking system, the team created what could become the fastest car in the world.
The North American Eagle uses a GE LM-1500 jet engine as its power plant. The LM-1500 is an extremely powerful engine that can generate up to 52,000 horsepower and 20,000 pounds of thrust. The operation of this engine is nothing like the operation of a normal piston engine like the one in your car. Along the side of the North American Eagle are the F-104's original air intakes. The engine compresses air from these intakes in its 17-stage compressor section, adds fuel, lights the fuel and then sends the thrust straight out the back of the engine. At full throttle, the engine burns over a gallon of fuel every second, and the afterburners add another 10 gallons per minute of gas to that.
To turn the F-104 into a car, a team of engineers first stiffened the frame of the jet. Then they added three wheels. The single front wheel provides steering, and the two back wheels are mounted on a 10-foot wide metal triangular frame to provide stability. To date, the North American Eagle has been running on rubber tires. But for the speed record, where the goal is 800 MPH, rubber tires would disintegrate. So the team will use large, solid aluminum wheels. Each wheel is machined out of a massive billet of aluminum for strength.
The engine weighs almost two tons. Add to that the F-104's fuselage, the wheels and the wheel's frame and you have a vehicle that weighs in at approximately 13,000 pounds. There is also likely to be approximately a ton of fuel onboard.
So, how do you bring 13,000 pounds of car traveling at 800 MPH to a stop? It is a five-step process that goes something like this. The first step is to use the speed brakes built into the original airframe. Two large doors near the tail open using hydraulic cylinders. They are able to cut the speed from 800 to 650 MPH. Then a small drogue chute pops out to bring the speed down to about 500 MPH. Then the two main parachutes deploy and bring the car down to about 125 MPH. Since the wheels are solid aluminum, there is also a magnetic braking system that generates eddy currents in the wheels to create drag.
And then there is the last 100 MPH of velocity that needs to go away. Some cars have used normal disc brakes to come to a complete stop. But at 13,000 pounds, disc brakes have their limits. The North American Eagle will probably use a hydraulically activated pad that pushes into the ground. The best part of this approach is the fact that it is fool-proof.
Right now the North American Eagle team is at an interesting crossroads. The car is done, and the car has been tested on rubber tires to speeds up to 300 MPH or so. But now the team needs to find a major sponsor to make an attempt at the Land Speed Record. Steve Fossett has indicated that his team may make an attempt in October of 2007. With luck, the North American Eagle team will be able to get there first.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment by clicking here.
Previously:
Why aren't we flying to work?
How tofu and soy milk work
How Colony Collapse Disorder works
How airbags work
How the U.S. income tax works
How gum works
How caffeine works
How Daylight Saving Time works
How a cruise missile works
How snow making works
© 2007, How Stuff Works Inc. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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