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1500 questions
25
votes
4 answers
How are VORs oriented near the magnetic poles?
I noticed on SkyVector that, for example, the Resolute Bay VOR (YRB) and Baker Lake VOR (YBK) seem to be oriented in such a way that the 360 radial is pointing in the direction of true north (and I don't think the variation is anywhere near zero…
falstro
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25
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3 answers
What is the purpose of the black paint below the cockpit windows?
Today I saw the following picture of the B747-400 SuperTanker, which shows a black painted region below the cockpit windows.
I have also seen vintage pictures of other aircraft that also had this black painted region.
What is the purpose of the…
codeaviator
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25
votes
1 answer
What kind of g-forces do birds experience and how does it compare to humans?
So bit of an odd one, but I was just looking at a sea-gull flying and wondering what kind of G-forces it could see in day to day flight?
There are probably very fast birds of prey that when pulling out of dives must experience fairly high G Force,…
andy-m
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25
votes
9 answers
How can a private pilot prepare for a long cross country flight in an unfamiliar area?
TL/DR: What are common preparation tips or techniques for low-hour private pilots planning long cross country flights in unfamiliar territory?
I got my private pilot's license in November 2016 in Hawaii. I've since moved back to the mainland to…
David DeVine
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25
votes
3 answers
Where can I find Boeing 777 safety records?
I have booked flights for our family to travel Australia - Europe return with EK. My nine year old son is an aviation geek and since learning some details of the EK B777 crash in DXB (and also the OZ 214 crash) he has become very concerned about…
Juliejewels
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25
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1 answer
What are the "lumps" in the A380 flight-deck?
In this photograph of the Airbus A830 flight-deck there are two large "lumps" sticking up and out from the centre console, next to the engine thrust levers and flight-computer keypads:
I think they're just meant to be wrist-support for when…
Dai
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25
votes
5 answers
Why do airlines retire the flight number after a crash?
Perhaps it seems obvious, but I couldn't find a plausible reason why they do so other than that it evokes negative emotions among passengers and crew. Could there be other reasons to do so?
For example, flight number MH370 was retired as a "mark of…
clueless007
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25
votes
3 answers
What happened to this airplane at Lombok Airport?
Last month I was in Indonesia and I had to take a flight from Lombok International Airport (IATA: LOP). While I was waiting for boarding I noticed an airplane (wreck) next to the runway that was somewhat burned down at the front (fire?).
The…
Roy
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25
votes
4 answers
Why did WWII prop aircraft have colored prop tips?
Why do propeller aircraft from World War II and similar planes sometimes have the tips of the props colored? I see it on single engine planes like the P-51 as well as bigger, multi-engine planes such as the B-17.
dalearn
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25
votes
5 answers
Can civilian aircraft fly through or land in restricted airspace in an emergency?
This is a super hypothetical question of mine. I was wondering if civilian pilots who happened to be faced with a severe emergency could fly through or possibly request to land in restricted airspace? Mainly I am referring to Area 51?
TBBT
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25
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3 answers
Why are airplanes parked at the gate with max rudder deflection?
Quite often I see aircraft parked at the gate with rudder deflected to the max. I see this either with Boeing and Airbus aircraft so it must have been done on purpose. I know that there are dampers connected to the yaw, or are those not powerful…
Brilsmurfffje
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25
votes
3 answers
Why do some helicopters have the tail rotor mounted higher than the tailboom?
Why do some helicopters have the tail rotor mounted high above the tailboom, whereas others have it at the end of the tail boom?
Above the tailboom:
Wiki Commons
At the end of the tailboom:
Boeing.com
I know the reason for having tail rotors,…
Hanky Panky
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25
votes
5 answers
Which aircraft have made notable use of lateral asymmetry?
I'm asking about functional asymmetry - doors on one side but not the other wouldn't count.
Examples
I can think of three examples:
experiments with oblique wing designs, such as NASA's utterly hideous AD-1, designed apparently by Burt…
Daniele Procida
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25
votes
7 answers
Which map projection is typically used on ATC radar screens?
Displaying a (roughly) spherical surface on a flat map turns out to be pretty difficult. There are many different map projections, each with their advantages and disadvantages. Some of the most common ones are cylindrical (Miller), conical (Lambert)…
60levelchange
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25
votes
2 answers
What is this runway marking on Kirkwall Airport's runway?
What are these markings on Kirkwall Airport's runway? From where they are on the runway, they seem like the touchdown markers, is that what they are?
SMS von der Tann
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