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1500 questions
38
votes
2 answers
Helicopters: why hasn't NOTAR been more popular?
NOTAR
No tail rotor: use of a ducted fan within the helicopter's body, and venting the air through the side of the tail boom to get the desired anti-torque.
One big advantage is simplicity and ruggedness: no tail rotor to get damaged, no tail rotor…
tj1000
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38
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2 answers
Why is jet fuel cheaper than piston fuel?
Why is Jet-A cheaper than 100LL? Shouldn't it be the other way around?
TayE
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38
votes
7 answers
How far can airplanes glide?
On an another question, an answer said:
You don't need an engine to fly as airplanes are designed to glide without it.
I suspect this heavily depends on the type of the aircraft, so lets assume we are considering a small airplane.
How far could…
Zavior
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38
votes
7 answers
How are wooden aircraft protected from lightning strikes?
A wooden aircraft is not conductive and if a lightning hits the wood it will instantaneously ignite. How would you protect a wooden aircraft from this occurrence?
Gianni Alessandro
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38
votes
4 answers
Can supersonic conditions be replicated on the ground?
In a previous question the P&W J 58 engine for the SR-71 was discussed. The engine was a new and innovative design combining the characteristics of a turbojet and a ramjet.
Before flying with such a new design I would think they would want to test…
TomMcW
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38
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3 answers
How, exactly, did US1549 land on the Hudson?
A comment by @AsheeshR says:
The Hudson River Landing was due to a combination of piloting skill and an autopilot system that was engaged right till impact and kept the plane in a controlled descent within a safe flight envelope.
It was an Airbus…
Danny Beckett
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38
votes
7 answers
Is gravity less on an airliner at cruise altitude?
Is the force of gravity less on an airliner at cruise speed and altitude? I'm not talking about a special reduced gravity flight with a parabolic flight path, just a typical long distance flight.
Seems to me there should be less as passengers are…
Ralph
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38
votes
1 answer
What is this star shaped symbol on the tarmac?
This symbol is on the tarmac at Ramona, CA airport. I've seen it at other small GA airports from Google Earth but I don't know what it is. Can someone please explain?
PJNoes
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38
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5 answers
How can a computer model yield two possible flight paths of MH370 in South Indian Ocean?
I am reading this article on the NY Times, where they show two possible flight paths of the missing flight MH370 in the South Indian Ocean:
I am wondering how they can come up with such specific paths, when the only information we have are those…
Martin Vegter
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38
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2 answers
How does an alpha (AoA) vane work?
The alpha vane (also called AoA vane) is an external probe used to measure the angle of attack. I have been trying to understand how exactly it works, but I can't find any clear explanation or simulation.
Is the vane static or dynamic i.e. does it…
asheeshr
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38
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6 answers
Why don't passenger aircraft use the trijet configuration anymore?
As a kid I distinctly remember seeing aircraft like the bright blue KLM MD-11 having the prominent third engine on the tail.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KLM_MD_11_AMS.jpg
However, I don't think I've seen a plane in the past few years…
codedude
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38
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6 answers
Is a pilot's instinctive reaction to a stall counter-intutive?
Is the correct stall recovery action somehow counter-intuitive? I've read about crashes like Colgan Air 3407 where pilots experiencing a stall have done the exact wrong thing and pitching the nose up. It makes me wonder if pitching down does not…
TomMcW
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38
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3 answers
What is the difference between "flight level" and "altitude"?
I have seen references to "FL180" and "FL300", and I know that they stand for Flight Level 180 and Flight Level 300. I've also seen references to "an altitude of 18000ft" or "an altitude of 30000ft".
What is the difference between flight level and…
FreeMan
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38
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3 answers
Why aren't planes loaded from both ends?
Related to this question about plane loading efficiency, if planes have multiple entrances (generally 6 or more) why are planes not loaded from both ends? I think I've seen it happen sometimes, but the majority of my flights are on 737s and are just…
David says Reinstate Monica
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Did the Space Shuttle really wait until 50 feet above the ground before they put the gear down?
I saw a sign at the Smithsonian about the Space Shuttle where it said that their gear was not extended until 50 feet above the ground. I've searched and searched for something definitive that had the actual procedures used, but can't find anything.…
Lnafziger
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