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1500 questions
29
votes
6 answers
Would an 8% reduction in drag outweigh the weight addition from this custom CFD-tested winglet?
I'm writing an essay at school about why there is so much variation in winglet design. I am analysing all the primary types of winglets used today in the aviation industry. I'm constructing them in Solidworks (CAD software) and then running them…
Harry Karmel
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29
votes
3 answers
What is this object in the cockpit of an ultralight?
This is a tool (probably) in on an ultralight airplane. Initially I guessed that it is a tilting meter (to level between right and left), but seems it is not as it just a vertical tube filled up with something like liquid.
So, what is that and how…
AirCraft Lover
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29
votes
3 answers
How can I tell how far I am from a cloud?
So the other day as I was flying, I started to wonder:
All pilots should be familiar with basic VFR cloud clearance requirements in 14 CFR 91.155 (and if not, then go study now!). When flying piston airplanes, we probably spend most of our time in…
Lnafziger
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29
votes
4 answers
Why would a flight from Frankfurt to Madrid fly over London?
While enjoying the sunshine at the bank of the river Main in Frankfurt (Germany) this evening, I saw a LATAM B787-9 depart over the city center towards the north. This was slightly surprising, as the only LATAM flight from Frankfurt is LAN705 to…
DeltaLima
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29
votes
2 answers
What are those hatches on the engines of a B-2 that are open during takeoff?
I just watched this drool-inducing video of Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, And noticed that there are a couple of hatches near each engine, which were open:
I initially thought they were open for some sort of maintenance. But the video features a…
sampathsris
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29
votes
5 answers
Why aren't 737s or A320s commonly used for transatlantic flights?
Despite newer models of the 737 and A320 families having more than enough range to cross the North Atlantic (and also most of the older models, if they refuel at Gander and\or Shannon along the way; the only one for which this isn't the case is the…
Vikki
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29
votes
5 answers
Why was the Concorde painted white and not black?
It's well-known that the stated reason the Concorde was painted predominantly white was to mitigate heating problems.
However, given that the source of the Concorde's thermal woes wasn't excessive exposure to solar radiation, but, rather, direct…
Vikki
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29
votes
7 answers
Why don't we treat all takeoffs as short field in GA?
Depending on the airframe, there are a number of techniques to reduce the Take Off Distance required. For example, deploying flaps.
What advantage is there to NOT using short field take offs, even when runway length is sufficient? Surely it's always…
Dan
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29
votes
2 answers
What happens when all electrical systems in a helicopter fail?
I was thinking of asking this question at Worldbuilding, because it is for a book I am writing, but I hope this site will fit better. You can migrate this question if you find Worldbuilding more appropriate.
Let's imagine a flying helicopter,…
vojta
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29
votes
3 answers
What kind of delay does the A320's fly-by-wire system add?
More precisely, I am wondering if there is any kind of data on how long it takes between moving the sidestick and observing a reaction on the ailerons or elevator. I know that the physical control surfaces take time to move and, thus, I am only…
JustSid
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29
votes
3 answers
Why don't we see business jets with wingtip fuel tanks anymore?
There is something I miss from the Learjet 35 (one from FS95/98) that I don't see any more:
Fuel tanks on the wingtips!
What happened to the wingtip integrated fuel tanks in the business jet industry?
Delta Oscar Uniform
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29
votes
2 answers
How much of an improvement would a 1% weight decrease on an airplane be to the industry?
Say I thought of a very easy and inexpensive way to reduce the takeoff weight of a commercial airplane (body, fuel and passengers) by 1%. How much would this mean to the industry? Would it make much of a difference, or would the savings be…
TheEnvironmentalist
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29
votes
3 answers
Why is Heraklion airport a 'captains only' airport?
I was recently watching "EasyJet: Inside The Cockpit" and it said pilots need 4 shoulder stripes to land at Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis” (IATA: HER, ICAO: LGIR), but it didn't explain why they need the extra experience. Could…
L.Halfpenny
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29
votes
4 answers
What is the maximum taxi speed and who defines it?
Which is the maximum speed that an airliner is limited to while taxiing?
I know that during 90 degree turns it is 10 knots, but what about long, straight taxiways? 20 knots? 25? 30?
More broadly, where I can find this information?
Would it be in…
Ygor Montenegro
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29
votes
1 answer
Does a Boeing 737-800 Have a Ram Air Turbine (RAT)?
I am travelling with Thomson on a Boeing 737-800 and wondered if it had a RAT?
L.Halfpenny
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