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Graham Nutt asked about a type of attitude sensor that was developed
about 25 years ago by some of the model airplane crowd. If I remember
correctly, it was developed by a couple of fellows in the Washington,
DC area and, judging from how abruptly they disappeared from view,
I'm betting they were immediately sucked into the black hole of
secrecy. Either that or the concepts just didn't work out - though I'm
sure I remember them reporting successfully flying a model using the
sensors for autopilot input. (I believe they were actually from
Silver Springs, MD (?) but it's been quite a while.)

If anyone can dig up the information about those tests, it would
probably be the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) at their offices
in (I think) Wash., DC. You could pick up a copy of their magazine at
a bookstore or from a member and the get the contact info there. I'm
sure they could search their magazine data base for the article.

One thing that might help the search however; the sensors you mention
detected the vertical voltage gradient in the atmosphere and it's
differential from widely spaced sensors (like wing-tip to wing-tip or
nose to tail) to sense roll and pitch rather than a magnetic
parameter.

Hope you have success in your efforts.

Dan Schaefer
N235SP

(Note:
AMA Headquarters
5151 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, IN  47302
(765)-287-1256
http://www.modelaircraft.org

<Marv>)