Most Popular
1500 questions
30
votes
3 answers
What is this gigantic dish at Ben Gurion airport?
As the title asks, what is this thing for? Have never seen anything like it at other airports I've been to.
Kirk Woll
- 535
- 1
- 4
- 13
30
votes
1 answer
What is the metal bit in the front of this propeller spinner?
What is that grey spirally bit in front of the propeller mounted on this Shvetsov ASh-62 radial engine?
Sclrx
- 403
- 4
- 6
30
votes
2 answers
I just saw a plane drop off online radar; should I do anything about it?
I was watching Flight Radar 24, positioned near my house, to see what planes I could spot, and noticed a Cessna 550's transponder just dropped off @ 5,325 ft in a high-speed descent!
Is there something I should do about it? Or do I assume somebody…
Danny Beckett
- 16,627
- 28
- 98
- 176
30
votes
5 answers
If your plane is out-of-control, why does military training instruct releasing the joystick to neutralize controls?
I quote from Sunday Night's June 3 2019 episode with Capt Kevin Sullivan. I ask about Capt Sullivan's remark with quotation marks below.
Releasing the joystick is undoubtedly counter-intuitive to me, as I haven't been trained in military aviation!…
user128
30
votes
3 answers
Why do most airliners have underwing engines, while business jets have rear-mounted engines?
Why have modern airliners converged on a configuration with two or occasionally four underwing engines, while modern business jets have converged on a configuration with two or occasionally three rear-mounted engines?
I am of course aware of the…
quiet flyer
- 22,598
- 5
- 45
- 129
30
votes
2 answers
Why would a propeller have blades of different lengths?
The Schempp-Hirth Duo Discus T powered glider has a five-bladed propeller, with blades of different lengths.
What is the purpose of such an arrangement?
Daniele Procida
- 12,858
- 2
- 51
- 94
30
votes
6 answers
Why cruise at 7000' in an A319?
I was on a flight from Philadelphia (KPHL) to Boston (KBOS), after some delay and some change of route due to weather, the captain announced that we will be cruising at 7000' due to delays in the area.
The history of the flight is here:…
Brice
- 452
- 4
- 9
30
votes
2 answers
Has a life raft ever been successfully deployed on a modern commercial flight?
Has a life rift ever been successfully deployed in the event of an air accident involving a commercial aircraft?
For the purposes of this question a "life raft" is an inflatable device designed specifically and only to be used as a life raft and…
user
- 681
- 6
- 12
30
votes
8 answers
Can the removal of a duty-free sales trolley result in a measurable reduction in emissions?
Recently, SAS announced that:
Withdrawing tax-free sales will reduce the overall weight of the aircraft, which in turn will reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
I could buy that this might be a polite way to say "we don't make any sales,…
Stelios Adamantidis
- 6,980
- 1
- 31
- 56
30
votes
8 answers
Why don't B747s start takeoffs with full throttle?
Why does the 747 start takeoff with partial power and increase to full throttle later down the runway, when the A380 for example starts on full?
Source
This is not the same question as:
Is it possible that derated thrust takeoffs are safer than…
jwzumwalt
- 11,461
- 8
- 52
- 91
30
votes
1 answer
What are the slash markings on Gatwick's 08R/26L?
Google Earth @ 51°08'52.24" N 0°11'35.71" W
The markings are at 100 m intervals, to one side only of the centerline. They're also lighted as seen below.
They are missing from the ICAO aerodrome chart, and are not mentioned in CAP 637 (Visual Aids…
user14897
30
votes
2 answers
What features enable the Su-25 Frogfoot to operate with such a wide variety of fuels?
It is widely attested* that the Su-25 Frogfoot's engines (the Turmansky R-95Sh and later the R-195) were designed to function using a wide variety of fuels, including diesel, gasoline, petrol, kerosene and avgas.
For a rough-field front-line attack…
Party Ark
- 13,006
- 4
- 59
- 94
30
votes
3 answers
Why would one plane in this picture not have gear down yet?
This image (as posted in another question) is a YouTube video's thumbnail:
I noticed that the lead twin (737?) has gear down, the 747 behind does not (appear to) have gear down, but the third plane in line (another twin) does have gear down as…
FreeMan
- 16,245
- 16
- 87
- 166
30
votes
4 answers
Why would the Pakistan airspace closure cancel flights not headed to Pakistan itself?
The India-Pakistan feud has heated up again, with Pakistan closing its airspace as a result.
I know many international routes fly over Pakistan, and that the closure would cause issues, but this report surprised me:
Thousands of people were also…
Machavity
- 5,993
- 2
- 28
- 57
30
votes
6 answers
Can a plane land on an aircraft carrier without support from its crew?
Imagine a scenario where a carrier was dead in the water. No-one inside. Could a plane land on the carrier? What would such a procedure look like potentially?
Rugnir
- 687
- 1
- 6
- 12