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1500 questions
24
votes
5 answers
Do I need to register my drone?
Recently the FAA released some new regulations that require drone operators, including hobbyist, to register drones with the FAA.
As I am a novice in both aviation and legalese, can someone please break down the regulations and give me a guideline…
David says Reinstate Monica
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To what degree do airline ops specs preclude hand flying?
I retired in 1999. I'm curious to what degree typical airline ops specs now discourage or prohibit doing what I used to do as a matter of course insofar as hand flying.
For example, I usually hand flew the aircraft until leveling at the first cruise…
Terry
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What are the consequences of flying GA without a license (certificate)?
As far as I can tell, in the U.S., 49 USC 46317(a) makes flying without a proper certificate a crime punishable by fine and/or imprisonment. However, the FAA is a regulatory agency, which means it can only assess civil penalties (e.g., civil fines…
feetwet
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Why is Hydrazine used to power the F-16's EPU?
Why does the military use hydrazine to power the F-16's Emergency Power Unit (EPU)? What is so unique about Hydrazine fuel that it's needed to power the EPU? Why not use a less volatile and less hazardous fuel?
garyv440
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24
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2 answers
Why can't armrests be raised on window and aisle seats?
I noticed that armrests on all the flight's I've taken recently can't be lifted on aisle and window seats (the edges of a row).
Last time I flew, I got lucky: I was alone on my row and as such I was able to lay down to sleep. However, it was hard to…
Florian Segginger
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24
votes
2 answers
How do aircraft differentiate between missile locks?
I have explored many similar questions such as:
How does a Missile Lock Work?
How is a missile lock detected?
In reading there respective answers, I have learnt about the multitude of detection mechanisms employed, but one question lingers and…
user4493605
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votes
4 answers
How does a flying wing keep from going into a flat spin when maneuvering?
How do flying wings, like the B-2 Stealth bomber, actually keep themselves from yawing out of control without a vertical stabilizer?
For the record, I assume this has to be a simple mechanics process. Why? Well flying wings go all the way back to…
Jae Carr
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24
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If an Osprey found itself unable to rotate its engines to vertical, what would be the emergency procedure for landing?
Let's say an Osprey appears to be flying normally in forward flight. In preparation for landing, the pilot tries to command the engines to begin tilting to vertical, but nothing happens. What now?
If there's a manual way to crank the engines up,…
Howard Miller
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4 answers
How do commercial pilots send distress signals?
If a commercial jet is in trouble, how does a pilot send a signal indicating distress? Does it take long?
For instance, behind reception desks in many institutions and executive offices, there's a hidden red button that, when pressed, calls security…
Matt
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votes
2 answers
How does this vortex form inside a jet engine?
I have seen this in a picture once online and thought it was very strange and wondered about the formation of this vortex and how could it happen.
Source
Not everyday do you see this happening. So how does this happen, and why does it not happen…
Ethan
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24
votes
3 answers
How does an A330 detect stall without airspeed?
On Air France 447 the crew had experienced complete failure of the pitot static system, which meant they lost their readings on their airspeed indicators, but according to the Mayday / Air Crash Investigations episode the aircraft had detected that…
shortstheory
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24
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3 answers
What is ADS-B and who needs it?
I read that ADS-B is required by the year 2020. What does this mean? What is ADS-B used for, and who needs it?
xpda
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24
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2 answers
Why can't most jets safely use reverse thrust while airborne?
According to Wikipedia:
Some aircraft are able to safely use reverse thrust in flight, though the majority of these are propeller-driven. Many commercial aircraft cannot use reverse thrust in flight
What are the repercussions to using reverse…
flyingfisch
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24
votes
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Why is the seat belt mechanism on airplanes so different from the the one on cars?
You pull a flap on airplane seatbelts, you push a button on car seatbelts. Why?
yippy_yay
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Could airliners' wings be thinner if no fuel were stored in them?
I ask this question because wings are pretty thin overall, but I am curious if you could make them more thin.
Ethan
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