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1500 questions
30
votes
3 answers
Would a flight consisting of solely first-class passengers be cancelled due to center-of-gravity issues?
Consider any modern jetliner (narrow-body and widebody separately) in a standard 2 or 3 class configuration. If somehow only first-class or business-class passengers bought seats, would that plane be impossible to fly because all the weight is…
mike
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Was the transatlantic crossing for Concorde too short to reach optimal cruising altitude?
When listening to Gander/Shannon ATC on shortwave, you could hear Concorde communicate its planned flight levels at longitudes from 20 West till 50 West. What I remember is that it would continue climbing to, say, flight level 570 at 30 West and…
Count Iblis
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3 answers
Why is 0 ft a valid target altitude for an autopilot?
Inspired by this story;
The pilot of a Flybe plane that dropped 500 ft (152m) in 18 seconds had
selected the wrong autopilot setting shortly after take-off, an
inquiry has found...
...The plane climbed to 1,500 ft, but then pitched and…
Darren
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1 answer
What is this fighter-like plane with huge wings?
Can anyone identify this strange plane? It looks like they took wings from a bomber and put them on a fighter body...
What was its purpose?
steloe
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3 answers
Why does Martin-Baker use a Gloster Meteor as a testbed for ejection seats?
Martin-Baker uses a Gloster Meteor for testing ejection seats, according to their website.
While it's a stylish plane, and a true delight that there are still airworthy fuselages of this plane left, it seems strange to use such an old aircraft as a…
vidarlo
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votes
5 answers
In the early days of flight, were there any cockpit control schemes other than the modern one?
Back in the early days, what kind of control schemes were invented for aircraft, other than the modern one? (pedals to yaw, yoke to pitch and roll).
I'm only interested in control schemes that can be done from the cockpit and control relatively…
DrZ214
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30
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4 answers
When can I request flight following?
I'm a student pilot doing all VFR flying and making flight plans for training. I've heard that most people don't file a flight plan for VFR outside of training though, and instead request "flight following" from nearby ATC.
When can I do this in…
Nick
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1 answer
Why did my IAH-SYD flight avoid Mexican airspace?
I'm on UA101 tonight, the very long IAH-SYD nonstop operated by United. If we look at Flightaware's routing for the flight (verified by the seatback moving map display) it's clear that we departed IAH, flew over El Paso and into southern…
ljwobker
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3 answers
Has there ever been an aircraft with three sets of flight controls?
On every aircraft I know, there is either one set of flight controls if it is single-pilot operated, or two sets of flight controls allowing either the pilot or copilot full control.
Has there ever been an aircraft that has three or more sets of…
kevin
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30
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2 answers
Why does Turkish Airlines avoid Israel when going to Amman, but not on the return leg?
(flightaware.com)
Last week I was browsing Flight Aware when I came across a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul (Turkey) to Amman (Jordan). I noticed that the flight path clearly makes an effort to avoid Israeli airspace. My instinct was that…
Sam Creamer
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4 answers
How do I explain what makes an airplane fly to a non-technical person?
As an engineer I can explain in very technical terms exactly what makes an airplane fly, however, it isn't easily understood by non-technical people. How can I explain it to a non-technical person, or a nine year old, in a way that isn't really…
Lnafziger
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30
votes
2 answers
What is this "No Hand Hold" thing in the P-51 Mustang cockpit?
Does Anybody remember Combat Flight Simulator WW2 Europe Series ?
In the P-51, there is a "something" with "No hand hold" text on top of it
What is that ?
Image source
Delta Oscar Uniform
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2 answers
How do tugs push back the Antonov 225?
How do tugs push back aircraft with 2 nose gears such as the Antonov 225?
TayE
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8 answers
Why might an airliner fly a large U-turn before landing?
I was on a flight1 from San Antonio, TX to Toronto and, when arriving in Toronto, the plane went quite a way past the airport, made a big U-turn, and then landed. We were coming from the west.
I thought it might have been a need to adjust for the…
Juliana Moscoso
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30
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3 answers
What is this radar-like thing?
A friend of mine sent me this picture, which Is somewhere in Miami. But I don't seem to recognize it
user22659
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