------ Jet Fighter Canopy Test FIA Institute researchers recently tested the protective powers of a jet-fighter canopy for potential application in open-cockpit racing cars. These are the results: http://www.institutequarterly.com/06-Video.html ------- Very cool stuff, maybe the jet fighter canopy will be adopted for F1 cars?
Thanks for sharing this. I suppose there are other issues the drivers may be concerned with, such as visibility. You'd need a pretty big tear off strip and it would be a pain to remove, we've seen how the bodywork becomes plastered with bits of Pirelli rubbered over a race distance. Glare may be another concern (particularly at Abu Dhabi where they race at sunset), but I think they're capable of making non-glare plastics now, and the fighter pilots must get round it somehow. Another potential issue would be egress of the driver if the car caught fire for example, is it 7 seconds they have to exit the car in currently? It's good to see that the FIA aren't standing still over safety issues though.
For what it's worth, I first mentioned canopies for F1 a couple of years back. I believe it is only a matter of time. My vision is about 2020…
what is this about? Ejector seats? Ha Ha !!! A heads-up display would be good. Imagine Hamilton's 'there is a car in front - do take evasive action!' On Button's - 'there is a plonker coming up on your inside'
dunno if heidfeld would've enjoyed having a canopy when his car decided to catch fira and melt with him in it.
Whilst in principal it's an interesting thought, the investigation has not gone anywhere near far enough for the TWG to make an informed decision. Whilst the test shows how well the jet fighter canopy holds up to a large object, how does it deal with smaller metal items, like the spring that caused Massa's injury? The pressure exerted would be much greater, and it would be crucial to know how it holds up, and whether the deformation is still possible. Equally exiting the cockpit must be a concern, whether the driver is conscious or not. To deal with any incident, a device would be needed to remove the shield normally (at the end of sessions, etc), as well as a much more dramatic, single use mechanism to forcibly blow the shield off, so drivers can exit quickly. It would also need to be possible to activate this from the outside of the car too, for when the driver is unconscious. Another concern is temperature. Drivers are already subjected to high temperatures, but sealing off the cockpit from the flow of air outside the car will dramatically increase this. Either the driver needs to be prepared (physically possible?) to withstand temperatures 20-30C higher, or a cooling system will be needed in my opinion.
Some good points there Canary. I am pretty sure they are all being investigated and am absolutely certain that until all of your points have been properly addressed, it will not happen; and we are some time away from that being realised at the moment. As for coping with objects of a far smaller size, it is easy to see that some protection in addition to a helmet is better than none at all. I am equally convinced that it is more a question of 'when rather than 'if' but I reserve the right to modify my opinion if it has not happened by 2025!
They can make hydrophobic glass for cars now so you don't need wipers. Could actually improve visibility in the wet. [video=youtube;tn53QQErimI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn53QQErimI[/video]
What happens if it rains? Will they need a windscreen wiper? I can see people from the crowd dashing up to each car pitting offering to scrub!
Thanks for that AG, quite interesting and as you say could help visibility for the driver. So the only remaining problems I can think of are that it could cause high cockpit temperatures, obstruct drivers getting out of their cars quickly, and any visual disagreements.
unfortunatley, the good people of F1 have rejected the idea (again) after some tests carried out by the FIA
Have you ever tried one of the propriety windscreen treatments on your car, Mifune? If not, I swear that you'll be absolutely amazed at the result. http://www.rainx.com/Products/Windshield_Treatment/Original.aspx http://www.auto-unique.co.uk/auto_unique/moreinfosu/pid/2758978 http://kerona.co.uk/windscreen-treatment And here's a test comparing Rain X with a lesser known but potentially more effective brand: http://www.sports.autoblog.com/2006/04/17/rain-x-versus-ppg-aquapel-grudge-match%20/ I'll never forget the first time I used this solution on a road car. No matter how hard it rained, I did not need to use the wipers for at least six months!! Consequently, every car I have gets it these days. It's cheap and it really works incredibly well.
For those who play gran turismo, the red bull x2010 has a canopy for aerodynamic reasons. You just know that a clever designer could alter the canopy somewhat to give their team a performance boost. I'm glad the FIA gave it the thumbs down, i really wasn't looking forward to the row over RBR's flexing canopy.
I can't see it happening tbh, a big crash could easily jam the canopy closed, and the last thing F1 wants is a driver trapped in a car.
Well... Some cars in Le Mans are enclosed with a canope and some are open cockpit so its a prooven ground
Crashing a road car is safer with a roof and driving it is safer with a windscreen. A crash can also jam the doors shut but it's safer to drive with doors than without. A canopy's securing mechanism can easily be made to be opened from inside and out. The risks of being trapped are minimal when compared to the potential killer: a blow to the head. It will only happen when it can be proven beyond doubt that the benefits outweigh the negatives, just as with quick-release harnesses (and road car seat belts for that matter).
I'm farely confident that if the audi r18 le mans car didn't have a canopy, we would be paying our respects to the late alan mcnish, rather than thinking "god, alan, you were a lucky boy" Also, imagine if the 1994 williams had a canopy. I'm fairly certain that Ayrton Senna would have survived.
You'll not regret it Bergy. Make sure the windscreen is really clean first and apply it exactly as it says. It is amazing. Loads of us use it for racing. For maximum effect, if your car has automatically activated wipers, deactivate the auto-mechanism if possible. Windsreen-wipers will eventually reduce the effectiveness by gradually removing the microscopically thin film because of tiny dust particles, which collect on the wiper blade, so give them a good clean rag next time you wash your car. (Always start with the windscreen.) That said two or three applications per year should more than justify ten minutes of work in the sun (or under a roof) and see you hardly ever using the wipers!
