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02/05/2005. Remarks by Howard Rundberg: "We had a great project with some F9F drones used in a Regulus-1 Missile training program. We upgraded some F9F-2KD’s we acquired for the purpose, designed the installation and converted some F9F-5P’s to improved drones for the same program. I designed the instrument panel controls and layout, radio command system and antenna installations. A. D. Peterson designed the autopilot coupler. As a new conversion, the prototype aircraft required flight testing to adjust the autopilot coupler gains for proper control responses which I conducted from a radio command trailer parked along the taxiway. One pilot who came to pick up an F9F-5KD asked to have the system flight tested. After I ran the drone through the procedure, the pilot had enough confidence to let me land him. We switched to tower frequency and I was doing what the tower instructed. The drone had a pulsating smoke trail which could be turned on for visual tracking and this got attention -- especially in the pattern. The drone couldn't be stalled because it had an airspeed controller. If power was added it climbed and if power was reduced it nosed down to maintain the preset airspeed. I had him coming around the pattern and turning on final when some F4D’s making a simulated flameout approach cut him out and he took over manually. They were great drones and many were produced." |
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