Flying High
Rotary wing aircraft, including helicopter, are more flexible in their flight envelope than traditional fixed-wing
aircraft. Helicopter have the ability to hover in place, take off and lander vertically, as well as fly in any
orientation of the body of the aircraft relative to the direction of motion.
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AirRay Unveiled
CIRA is in the initial steps of changing the way the world looks at airborne recreational activities.
AirRay, a maneuverable and custom developed downhill glider, is currently being developed and
tested at the Center. This aircraft design is new and significant because it will be capable of
year round use on ski slopes.
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Two US Patents Granted
The "Non-Circular, Mechanically Variable
Optical Attenuator" U.S. Patent of Franz
Pertl, Fredrick Nassauer, and James
Smith, was granted on January 9, 2007.
U.S. Patent No. 7,162,136 defines the optical
attenuator that allows uniform gradual
dimming of an optical element through two
special polarizers that can linearly translate
with respect to one another. This new
design is unlike conventional polarizers
that require rotation with respect to one
another.
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Cooling in the Desert
Azimuth, Inc., of Fairmont, West Virginia, has
teamed with CIRA to develop a modular, durable,
add-on roof system for military shelters such as
those currently being used in the Middle East.
This device is being designed to alleviate the overwhelmingly
high cost associated with sufficiently
cooling these portable offices/shelters in the extreme
climates found in the Middle East, where
temperatures remain upwards of 110 F during the
day.
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