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1500 questions
30
votes
5 answers
Can a Boeing 777 be hacked?
All this confusion over flight 370 has me wondering if it would be possible to hack into an airplane and control the autopilot or other on-board systems in a way that the pilots couldn't regain control.
I know some basic searching reveals some…
teynon
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11 answers
Why can gliders fly for so long?
When you throw a paper airplane, it flies for a couple of seconds before losing speed and stalling. With a glider, it has a very long wingspan, but you take off with another plane or winch tow pulling it and then it is released on its own. Shouldn't…
Ethan
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30
votes
3 answers
Do some airplanes have weighing scales on the landing gear?
It seems to me that takeoff weight is an important piece of data, and if one had weighing scales between the wheels and the aircraft body, one could precisely determine it. However, searching the internet, there seem to be no scales and…
yippy_yay
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30
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5 answers
If I have a float plane, can I land on any body of water?
What are the rules with regards to landing a float plane on a body of water? Can I land anywhere (non-emergency, obviously) that would also accommodate the take-off? If not, how do I determine which bodies of water would allow it and which would…
Canuk
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30
votes
5 answers
Why does the 747 have 4 engines instead of 2?
If the 747 can fly with two engines, why does it have four engines?
What is gained by adding another 2 engines?
Flights over the ocean?
Fuel savings?
Safety?
goln
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30
votes
1 answer
Why are most cockpits gray?
Russian cockpits were often painted turquoise to reduce pilot fatigue. So my question is why most non-Russian cockpits are painted gray, or in the 777's case, tan?
flyingfisch
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30
votes
7 answers
Could a SR-71 be shot down today?
I've read that the SR-71 had no missile defenses because it could simply outrun any adversary. Is this still true? Or is it unlikely that the SR-71 could operate unimpeded in the face of modern technology?
rookie
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3 answers
How do Ram Air Turbines get deployed?
I understand that most larger jets have a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) in case of total electrical failure (for instance, when you run out of fuel) in order to at least have some hydraulics and a couple of instruments. The RAT gets deployed automatically…
falstro
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votes
2 answers
What's the functional difference between PAPI and VASI?
PAPI and VASI seem to be very similar in the the information they provide - i.e. are you on the glide slope or off it. Is there a functional difference between the two? If there is a difference, and one is superior to the other, is there a…
Jeff B
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30
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1 answer
How does a constant-speed propeller work?
My explanation of how a constant speed propeller works has always been a little shaky. I know about the "speeder spring," "counter-weights," and how it utilizes the engine oil pressure, but I'd love to know of a simple and easy-to-understand diagram…
Canuk
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30
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6 answers
For large jets, what is the primary means of slowing down after landing?
I understand that a large(r) commercial jet slows down after landing using the following methods:
Wheel brakes
Reverse thrust
Spoilers/flaps/airbrakes
What is the effectiveness of each compared to the others? What if one of the first 2 fails? Can…
Philippe Leybaert
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30
votes
9 answers
Can a large passenger aircraft recover from a stall?
In fighter aircraft, we know that they have good enough of maneuverability. But in case of a passenger airplane, if a stall happens is the aircraft maneuverable enough to recover from it?
Thangaraj Sundaramoorthy
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30
votes
3 answers
Why are propeller engines uncommon on airliners?
My experience in aviation is essentially zero, but looking at Wikipedia it seems like the Tu-95 Bear offers high subsonic speed and extreme range.
I assume that turboprop engines are more fuel efficient than jet engines. If all the above are true…
blended
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30
votes
1 answer
Why would a pilot request that ATC dim the runway lights?
In this clip, the pilot requests dimmed runway lights.
Tower, you able to reduce the runway lights, please?
[Tower dims runway lights]
Thank you much
This seems like a somewhat unusual request.
Why might a pilot request that? Is it because they…
cocomac
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29
votes
3 answers
Is the aircraft in this image real?
(Image source)
At first, it appeared to be a freighter conversion of an Airbus A320 (known as the A320P2F). But upon having a closer look at the engine, it looks like a PW1100G, which would imply that this is an Airbus A320neo. However, to the best…
Aditya Sharma
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