The Spirit of Butts Farm
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The Spirit of Butts Farm (also known as TAM 5) became the first model aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean on August 11, 2003. The aircraft was launched from Cape Spear near St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and landed at Mannin Beach near Clifden, Ireland 38.5 hours later. It was recognized by the FAI as a double world record[1] flight for its duration and straight line distance of 3,030 km. The aircraft was controlled by autopilot for >99% of the flight in a manner similar to that used by the Insitu Aerosonde UAV "Laima" that crossed the Atlantic in 1998.
The aircraft was named after Beecher Butts, an aviation enthusiast who allowed use of his farm for testing of the aircraft. The name echoes that of the Spirit of St. Louis, the aircraft used by Charles Lindbergh in his trans-Atlantic flight. The aircraft was a hybrid. The electric motor was only used during cruising, above 10,000 feet.
[edit] See also
- Maynard L. Hill
- Mike Perry
- Josip Katalinski
