How Disney Designed The Military's Electromagnetic Launch System

[Swank]

http://jalopnik.com/5716980/how-disney-designed-the-militarys-electromagnetic-launch-system

 

[mikelan6]

http://jalopnik.com/5716980/how-disney-designed-the-militarys-electromagnetic-launch-system

Next thing you know, the fighter jets will be covered in LED lights just like on the Main Street Electrical Parade ...

 

[doconeill]

I've got serious doubts as to the accuracy of the article - linear motors have been around well before RNRC, and even TTA, although mostly in experimental situations. Disney did come up with some practical demonstrations of them. To my knowledge they Navy has been working on such systems for many years, as I've heard of it before RNRC existed. Heck, I've got a book from 1969 that talks about electromagnetic launch systems...

 

[OKW Lover]

...now if the new system incorporated pixie dust...

 

[Magicbus]

Linear motors have been around for a long time and not just for experimental usage. They're are dozens of suppliers. Factory automation/roboticis, my area, has many applications where linear electric motors are a perfect solution. I've never used one to launch a plane though. There are some good features and some very bad features about linear electric motors. The worst, system cost, is why they're not used more than they are for linear motion in industrial automation. There are less expensive and simpler devices to achieve the same thing. But when you have the right application and budget, they do a nice job. I'm confused on why the Navy is using Disney as Disney's name never came up when I needed experts on linear electric actuation.