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Thread: Aviation

  1. #51
    STsFirstmate Guest
    Ok here is a question for folks. What is the oldest commercial aircraft you have flown on in past 10 years?
    I would have to say it was a small airline in Brazil and it was a 1972 Dehaviland Buffalo. They were a odd looking low center of gravity prop plane built for the military as a short take off profile plane but for whatever reason it was not popular. I am not sure if what I flew on was ex military or built for commercial use but man my shorts were around my neck on take off and landing it was wild. The only picture I could find was one operated as a SAR unit for Canada.
    I also got to go to a reception on the Cosmic Muffin down in Lauderdale. I will add a link to that here but it is cheating because it is a plane converted to a boat. It was Howard Hughes old plane. It is very cool but a lousy boat.
    http://www.planeboats.com/Other%20Pa...os/photos.html
    Regards,
    Mary
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  2. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerseysucks View Post
    I had no idea the 757 was stopped. WOW. I know they just rolled out a new 747.
    Here's a photo of the last, and thus newest, Boeing 757. It rolled off the line in 2004, I believe.

    http://www.airliners.net/photo/Shang...07862e89c3d249

  3. #53
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    One of my best friends was a pilot. He no longer flies but still works in the industry. I think he's one of the guys the pilots talk to while flying. Controller or something. He has lots of cool stories. I, on the other hand, do not fly.

  4. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by STsFirstmate View Post
    Ok here is a question for folks. What is the oldest commercial aircraft you have flown on in past 10 years?
    I would have to say it was a small airline in Brazil and it was a 1972 Dehaviland Buffalo. They were a odd looking low center of gravity prop plane built for the military as a short take off profile plane but for whatever reason it was not popular. I am not sure if what I flew on was ex military or built for commercial use but man my shorts were around my neck on take off and landing it was wild. The only picture I could find was one operated as a SAR unit for Canada.
    I also got to go to a reception on the Cosmic Muffin down in Lauderdale. I will add a link to that here but it is cheating because it is a plane converted to a boat. It was Howard Hughes old plane. It is very cool but a lousy boat.
    http://www.planeboats.com/Other%20Pa...os/photos.html
    Regards,
    Mary

    I love the Cosmic Muffin especially since it once belonged to Howard Hughes.
    Did you hear about the house (I think in Cali) built by using a 747 parts. I don't know if I said that right but I'll try and find a link, I'm pooped tonight.
    When you lose a parent you lose your past. When you lose a spouse you lose your present. When you lose a child you lose your future.
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  5. #55
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    *waves hands* Aircraft hag here!!!!!!!
    Everyone must die but not everyone has lived


  6. #56
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    http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010..._747_parts.php

    Even though I'm pooped here's the 747 house in Malibu along with other interesting "Homes"
    When you lose a parent you lose your past. When you lose a spouse you lose your present. When you lose a child you lose your future.
    R.I.P Kim: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...336317&df=all&
    R.I.P Dad http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&GRid=93315851
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  7. #57
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    I have two mates here in Singapore that fly for Singapore airlines (SA). One flies 777's (completed simulator training for the 380's) and the other flies 380's. Huge pay dispute going on as SA doesn't want to pay the 380 pilots anymore than they got flying 747's and 777's. Also, SA doesn't want to let the resting pilot on a long-haul flight use a first class seat to relax which they are entitled to under their award. Lots of other issues going on.
    I am a sick puppy....woof woof!!!
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  8. #58
    STsFirstmate Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by neilmpenny View Post
    I have two mates here in Singapore that fly for Singapore airlines (SA). One flies 777's (completed simulator training for the 380's) and the other flies 380's. Huge pay dispute going on as SA doesn't want to pay the 380 pilots anymore than they got flying 747's and 777's. Also, SA doesn't want to let the resting pilot on a long-haul flight use a first class seat to relax which they are entitled to under their award. Lots of other issues going on.
    In terms of pay scale and other items airline pilots as a profession have taken a realy beating in recent years.
    Used to be most pilot's were exmilitary. My late nephew flew for TWA until his death and he was an ex SAC pilot in the airforce. He choose SAC because they logged the most flight hours back then.
    Now you are seeing a proliferation on none military pilots. I am curious how the professional pilot's feel about military vs nonmilitary?
    regards,
    Mary

  9. #59
    Giada Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Jerseysucks View Post
    http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010..._747_parts.php

    Even though I'm pooped here's the 747 house in Malibu along with other interesting "Homes"
    Great photos Jersey ...

  10. #60
    joS3ph Guest
    To answer your question, I am a former naval aviator and many of the pilots here at FedEx are ex-military. Labor/management problems is one of the reasons I left American Airlines.

  11. #61
    STsFirstmate Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by joS3ph View Post
    To answer your question, I am a former naval aviator and many of the pilots here at FedEx are ex-military. Labor/management problems is one of the reasons I left American Airlines.
    First thank you for your military service. I worked as a civilian technical rep with the Navy and Marines for years so I have a real soft spot for Navy and Marine fliers.
    I fly quite a bit for business sometimes just once a month and sometimes several times a month. A little mental game I try to play is spot the carrier pilot! It may be entirely my imagination but some pilots tend to make a harder landing and I always mentally tag them as former carrier Pilots but I am likely all wet about this one.
    I spent quite a bit of time on both the old JFK and the Eisenhower (both mothballed at this point) and I have a world of respect for Navy and Marine Pilots and the crews that keep you flying. What a potentially deadly ballet it always seemed to be to me.
    Regards,
    Mary

  12. #62
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    Hey joS3ph: of the aircraft you've flown, which ones were your favorites i.e. from a handling/performance etc. point of view?

  13. #63
    joS3ph Guest
    Thanks STsFirstmate. I enjoyed serving my country and I was compensated with some of the best flight training available. I would not be in the position I am today without my military service. BTW, are you in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary now?

    In regards to the carrier landings, they are quite rough! So, you may be correct in your observations.

    Terror time: Planting an F-14B on the deck of the Eisenhower at night during a squall event...very nerve wracking!

    In regards to your question Barbossa, the MD-11F handles nicely. As far as performance, I have not flown anything that beats the F-14 for performance!

  14. #64
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    I spent most of my childhood at airshows, Dad was/is a HUGE enthusiast. Ah, the smell of melting tarmac and jet fuel.

    We were at a show in Arkansas once, the runway was cut of out these small rolling hills. A MiG went up to to do his thing. He went up into a loop and came down too low and literally BOUNCED the plane off the ground. BOOM! He had to have just skimmed the ground, but there was a big poof of dirt and it was obvious he'd smacked it. He immediately turned and landed. When he rolled by there were weeds and flowers sticking out of the belly of the plane. He did not wave.

    The crazy thing? People were clapping. They thought it was part of his show.
    The most dangerous woman of all is the one who refuses to rely on your sword to save her because she carries her own.

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  15. #65
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    Quote Originally Posted by joS3ph View Post
    Terror time: Planting an F-14B on the deck of the Eisenhower at night during a squall event...very nerve wracking!
    And your hair isn't completely white yet...impressive!

  16. #66
    joS3ph Guest
    Here's a photograph taken on the flightdeck and I think it proves my MD-11F performance theory...almost 40,000 feet at .85 mach (approximately 647 MPH).

    Last edited by joS3ph; 02-18-2011 at 10:33 AM.

  17. #67
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    Quote Originally Posted by joS3ph View Post
    Here's a photograph taken on the flightdeck and I think it proves my MD-11F performance theory...almost 40,000 feet at .85 mach (approximately 647 MPH).
    Do you maintain the same cabin pressure as passenger planes? Or would you set the pressure lower? Your flying at 40,000 feet made me wonder about this, passenger planes usually fly at around 35,000 feet.

  18. #68
    joS3ph Guest
    No change in cabin pressure Barbossa. For those that are interested, I have added quite a few photos to my aviation folder, including a few through the HUD.
    Last edited by joS3ph; 02-18-2011 at 11:08 AM.

  19. #69
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    Nessa brought up air shows, I used to go to them all the time. One year (1983) I went and I was waiting to go up in a helicopter at the far end of the field far away from the activities.
    A guy in a homebuilt does a low pass over the runway and he just starts doing these steep clibs and dives but the strange thing was the announcer wasn't saying anything.
    The pilot makes a low pass I'd say maybe 15 ft abouve the runway and the plane starts porpoiseing (sorry if that's not the correct term) the canopy flies off, the wings come off and this guy noses into the runway in a huge fireball.
    I was standing probobly a good 60 feet away and I could feel the heat from that fireball.
    From what I read in the papers this guy was a commercial airline pilot (PanAm?) and he wasn't even part of the show I guess he just saw one and final opportunity to hot dog in a plane that wasn't equiped to put all the stress he put on it.
    Keep posting joS3ph.
    When you lose a parent you lose your past. When you lose a spouse you lose your present. When you lose a child you lose your future.
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  20. #70
    STsFirstmate Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by joS3ph View Post
    Thanks STsFirstmate. I enjoyed serving my country and I was compensated with some of the best flight training available. I would not be in the position I am today without my military service. BTW, are you in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary now?

    In regards to the carrier landings, they are quite rough! So, you may be correct in your observations.

    Terror time: Planting an F-14B on the deck of the Eisenhower at night during a squall event...very nerve wracking!

    In regards to your question Barbossa, the MD-11F handles nicely. As far as performance, I have not flown anything that beats the F-14 for performance!
    Yes I am actively in the auxiliary and have been for over a decade. I am a member of Flotilla 12.5 out of Fort Totten right across from the Kings Point the US Merchant Marine Academy which my father attended in 1940.
    My specialty is helping the both the regular Coast Guard and the Auxiliary develop training materials and adult learning approaches and process refinement. That is what I do in my day job so it really makes me happy to do it. My better half is on the same flotilla so interestingly enough don't ask don't tell seems to not apply here because everyone from my Flotilla commander to the Commodore for the US District knows and works with both of us and it has never come up as an issue.
    My biggest love and interest is supporting the Navigational Aids maintenance program with the regular Coast Guard. We are just now coming into the busy season for that mission and with the winter we had resetting nav aids back on their watch should be interesting. It has made me very proficient learning from the regular coast guard navigation officers. One in particular who is an instructor at the Coast Guard facility in New London took the time to really teach me manual navigation, a dying art with today's GPs availability but a life saver when you need it. I can use a compass, dividers and parallels and even a sextant.
    I was shocked a few moment ago to see that I was wrong , the Eisenhower was still deployed. I thought she had been mothballed for sure. I guess the JFK went because it was the last non-nuclear carrier in the fleet. The first time I was on the JFK I got lost every time I left my quarters.
    I observed night landings several times and I held my breath on each trap I witnessed. MY specialty back then was the design and testing of infrared devices. I worked on the chin mounted IR systems like and including Lantern from concept through deployment qualification and testing the IR components for the Harpoon AGM which I am sure you are familiar with from your Navy days.
    Most of the time I spent in the air was on C130s to observe tests and test activities on various AWAC and AEW systems.
    I miss it terribly. The work I do now is really mundane compared to what I did back then. It was a young person's game though and I doubt I could keep up.
    I am really looking forward to seeing your posts going forward concerning what you flew then and what you are flying now.
    regards,
    Mary

  21. #71
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerseysucks View Post
    Nessa brought up air shows, I used to go to them all the time. One year (1983) I went and I was waiting to go up in a helicopter at the far end of the field far away from the activities.
    A guy in a homebuilt does a low pass over the runway and he just starts doing these steep clibs and dives but the strange thing was the announcer wasn't saying anything.
    The pilot makes a low pass I'd say maybe 15 ft abouve the runway and the plane starts porpoiseing (sorry if that's not the correct term) the canopy flies off, the wings come off and this guy noses into the runway in a huge fireball.
    I was standing probobly a good 60 feet away and I could feel the heat from that fireball.
    From what I read in the papers this guy was a commercial airline pilot (PanAm?) and he wasn't even part of the show I guess he just saw one and final opportunity to hot dog in a plane that wasn't equiped to put all the stress he put on it.
    Keep posting joS3ph.


    Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.

    â?? Captain A. G. Lamplugh, British Aviation Insurance Group, London. c. early 1930's.

  22. #72
    joS3ph Guest
    Mary, I think you should be commended for your service as well, so thank you! Interestingly, I still have all of my NATOPS training materials, including the F-14B/D flight manual. Things have definitely changed from those days!

  23. #73
    joS3ph Guest
    Aircrews typically used fleet air defense combat loads in those days that included the Hughes AIM-54C Phoenix, with a quoted range of nearly 100 miles. The AWG-9/Phoenix combination gave the F-14 a BVR (beyond visual range) capability.

    The trend toward multi-role aircraft during those days resulted in many modifications to the F-14. Air-to-ground capability was one of the first mods. "Bombcats" as they were called were cleared to carry the Mk 80 series of unguided iron bombs (and they did carry such ordnance packages over places like Iraq and Bosnia).

    The F-14 was also modified to carry LGBs and various air-to-ground missiles such as the AGM-84E SLAM and the AGM-88 HARM. I remember when they announced that F-14s would be equipped with the LANTIRN (Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infra-Red for Night) system. The LANTIRN pods were carried on the glove pylons.

    Interesting that you were involved in the development of the LANTIRN.
    Last edited by joS3ph; 02-18-2011 at 12:16 PM.

  24. #74
    STsFirstmate Guest
    [quote=joS3ph;1111129]Aircrews typically used fleet air defense combat loads in those days that included the Hughes AIM-54C Phoenix, with a quoted range of nearly 100 miles. The AWG-9/Phoenix combination gave the F-14 a BVR (beyond visual range) capability.

    The trend toward multi-role aircraft during those days resulted in many modifications to the F-14. Air-to-ground capability was one of the first mods. "Bombcats" as they were called were cleared to carry the Mk 80 series of unguided iron bombs (and they did carry such ordnance packages over places like Iraq and Bosnia).

    The F-14 was also modified to carry LGBs and various air-to-ground missiles such as the AGM-84E SLAM and the AGM-88 HARM. I remember when they announced that F-14s would be equipped with the LANTIRN (Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infra-Red for Night) system. The LANTIRN pods were carried on the glove pylons.

    Interesting that you were involved in the development of the LANTIRN.[/quote]
    I did the original reliability analysis and was responsible for all the prototype testing.
    Funny story ( not at the time) about one of the tests. In the very early concept qualification phase I only had 6 functioning systems to work with. Each one cost an ungodly amount of money. Between the tests I had to do and the need to have at least three systems still functioning at the end to dismantle and inspect I was seating bullets.
    We were doing gunfire shock simulation testing. That is where you are operating the system and monitoring the output and you drop a 40 pound lead shot from varying heights onto the fixture with the system to simulate the vibration from cannon and machine gun fire.
    During the test, which was being witnessed by a Lt. Commander I was allowed to set up the system but not to touch the test fixture or set-up. It had to be a person from the testing facility. The guy said we were ready and we said ok and powered up the equipment and he triggered the weight and he had forgotten to put the bottom shelf plate in place and the shot creamed the entire detector mount and cable unit. It was about a 150,000 boo boo.
    I wanted to scream and the Lt Commander looked like he was going to have a stroke. The poor test tech looked like he was also going to have a stroke.I was always surprised he kept his job but mistakes happen.
    Regards,
    Mary

  25. #75
    joS3ph Guest
    That is quite funny! Served 'em right...they should have let someone, like you (who KNEW what they were doing!), perform the test!

  26. #76
    joS3ph Guest
    I think you will be able to appreciate this:

    I'll always remember a certain radio exchange that occurred one day as Walt (my backseater) and I were screaming across Southern California. We were monitoring various radio transmissions from other aircraft as we entered Los Angeles airspace. Though they didn't really control us, they did monitor our movement.

    I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its groundspeed. "90 knots," Center replied. Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same. "120 knots," Center answered.

    We weren't the only ones proud of our groundspeed that day as almost instantly an F/A-18 transmitted, 'Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests groundspeed readout.' There was a slight pause, then the response, "525 knots on the ground, Dusty."

    Another silent pause. As I was thinking to myself how ripe a situation this was, I heard a familiar click of a radio transmission coming from my backseater. It was at that precise moment I realized Walt and I had become a real crew, for we were both thinking in unison.

    "Center, Aspen 20, you got a groundspeed readout for us?"

    There was a longer than normal pause.... "Aspen, I show 1,242 knots."

    No further inquiries were heard on that frequency.


    F-14 breaking the sound barrier:

    "Where is he?"

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igy_MYJpVcQ
    Last edited by joS3ph; 02-18-2011 at 01:22 PM.

  27. #77
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    Quote Originally Posted by joS3ph View Post
    I think you will be able to appreciate this:

    I'll always remember a certain radio exchange that occurred one day as Walt (my backseater) and I were screaming across Southern California. We were monitoring various radio transmissions from other aircraft as we entered Los Angeles airspace. Though they didn't really control us, they did monitor our movement.

    I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its groundspeed. "90 knots," Center replied. Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same. "120 knots," Center answered.

    We weren't the only ones proud of our groundspeed that day as almost instantly an F/A-18 transmitted, 'Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests groundspeed readout.' There was a slight pause, then the response, "525 knots on the ground, Dusty."

    Another silent pause. As I was thinking to myself how ripe a situation this was, I heard a familiar click of a radio transmission coming from my backseater. It was at that precise moment I realized Walt and I had become a real crew, for we were both thinking in unison.

    "Center, Aspen 20, you got a groundspeed readout for us?"

    There was a longer than normal pause.... "Aspen, I show 1,242 knots."

    No further inquiries were heard on that frequency.


    F-14 breaking the sound barrier:

    "Where is he?"

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igy_MYJpVcQ

    Holy cow! As someone who knows very little (ok, more like zilch) about aviation, I have a somewhat silly question about commercial jet speeds. Now, when the planes on 9/11 hit the Twin Towers, it was mentioned that planes were at that point flying over 500 mph. The reports said that if they had continued to fly at that rate of speed and not hit the towers, the planes would have broken up in midair due to the high speed. Could you shed some light on this? You mentioned going 1,242 knots. I'm assuming that this is well over 1200 mph. Maybe the report I read about 9/11 was wrong (or maybe my memory is getting bad in my old age).

    Sorry about the goofy question, but for some reason I had it in my pea brain that commercial jets weren't capable of flying that fast without a catastrophic failure. Educate me please joS3ph!
    Cindy

  28. #78
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    Quote Originally Posted by joS3ph View Post
    Dang, that thing was hauling!

  29. 02-18-2011, 06:50 PM

  30. #79
    joS3ph Guest
    Buttercup:

    Five hundred plus miles-per-hour is the norm for large commercial airliners. In the MD-10F/MD-11F, I regularly fly 600+ MPH.

    Structural limits are the allowed positive and negative g limits of an aircraft. Structural limits are based on the strength of the aircraft structure. Under any loading, even 1 g, the aircraft structure will flex. A large amount of airframe flexure will lead to permanent deformation (a bent airframe) or component failure. A lesser amount of flexure affects the lifetime of the airframe due to metal fatigue, etc. The aircraft structural limits are selected to ensure that g-loading induced flexure will not damage the airframe or shorten its design life. Structural limits are also referred to as acceleration limits or limit load factors. Exceeding the structural limits (overstress of aircraft) may or may not damage the aircraft. Numerous overstresses will shorten the service life of the aircraft.

    Aeroelastic limits define the maximum operating speeds in both knots indicated airspeed (KIAS) and indicated mach number (IMN) of the aircraft. Above the aeroelastic limits, structural damage or failure may occur as well as a loss of stability and/or control authority. The aeroelastic limit is frequently referred to as the “Redline Airspeed."

    Flight operations beyond the ultimate structural limits will result in structural failure of some component of the aircraft. It should be noted that the ultimate structural limits are outside the normal operating envelope of the aircraft.

    Hope this helps.
    Last edited by joS3ph; 02-18-2011 at 06:54 PM.

  31. #80
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    Quote Originally Posted by joS3ph View Post
    Buttercup:

    Five hundred plus miles-per-hour is the norm for large commercial airliners. In the MD-10F/MD-11F, I regularly fly 600+ MPH.

    Structural limits are the allowed positive and negative g limits of an aircraft. Structural limits are based on the strength of the aircraft structure. Under any loading, even 1 g, the aircraft structure will flex. A large amount of airframe flexure will lead to permanent deformation (a bent airframe) or component failure. A lesser amount of flexure affects the lifetime of the airframe due to metal fatigue, etc. The aircraft structural limits are selected to ensure that g-loading induced flexure will not damage the airframe or shorten its design life. Structural limits are also referred to as acceleration limits or limit load factors. Exceeding the structural limits (overstress of aircraft) may or may not damage the aircraft. Numerous overstresses will shorten the service life of the aircraft.

    Aeroelastic limits define the maximum operating speeds in both knots indicated airspeed (KIAS) and indicated mach number (IMN) of the aircraft. Above the aeroelastic limits, structural damage or failure may occur as well as a loss of stability and/or control authority. The aeroelastic limit is frequently referred to as the â??Redline Airspeed."

    Flight operations beyond the ultimate structural limits will result in structural failure of some component of the aircraft. It should be noted that the ultimate structural limits are outside the normal operating envelope of the aircraft.

    Hope this helps.
    Yes it does. Thank you!
    Cindy

  32. #81
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    Quote Originally Posted by joS3ph View Post
    Flight operations beyond the ultimate structural limits will result in structural failure of some component of the aircraft. It should be noted that the ultimate structural limits are outside the normal operating envelope of the aircraft.
    As is illustrated by this video of a Boeing 777 wing test. It finally broke at 154% of the designed load limit (the wing deflection at failure is incredible):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai2HmvAXcU0

  33. #82
    jaylene Guest
    Fascinated with airplanes myself. I think that airplane graveyard
    in Arizonia looks so neat on Google Earth. Would love to go there
    someday. Wish I understood all this technical stuff y'all are talking
    about.

  34. #83
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buttercup View Post
    Holy cow! As someone who knows very little (ok, more like zilch) about aviation, I have a somewhat silly question about commercial jet speeds. Now, when the planes on 9/11 hit the Twin Towers, it was mentioned that planes were at that point flying over 500 mph. The reports said that if they had continued to fly at that rate of speed and not hit the towers, the planes would have broken up in midair due to the high speed. Could you shed some light on this? You mentioned going 1,242 knots. I'm assuming that this is well over 1200 mph. Maybe the report I read about 9/11 was wrong (or maybe my memory is getting bad in my old age).

    Sorry about the goofy question, but for some reason I had it in my pea brain that commercial jets weren't capable of flying that fast without a catastrophic failure. Educate me please joS3ph!
    A knot is roughly 1.15 mph, so 1242 would be 1428 mph.
    If I remember correctly it was an SR-71 that just happened to be in there area in that story.
    The cruel, uneventful state
    of apathy releases me
    I value them but I won't cry every time one's wiped out

  35. #84
    joS3ph Guest
    Well Jaylene, if you don't understand something, please ask. I will be more than happy to break it down for you.

  36. #85
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    Quote Originally Posted by jaylene View Post
    Fascinated with airplanes myself. I think that airplane graveyard
    in Arizonia looks so neat on Google Earth. Would love to go there
    someday. Wish I understood all this technical stuff y'all are talking
    about.
    I think Scott Michaels should organize an airplane graveyard tour, I'd sign up in heartbeat. After all, Scott Michaels knows where the airframes are buried.

  37. #86
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    Just wanted to add a thank you to all who served in the military. My husband was in the Air Force for 8 years as a fire fighter. He and everyone else who served are real heroes to me.
    Cindy

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    Quote Originally Posted by jaylene View Post
    Fascinated with airplanes myself. I think that airplane graveyard
    in Arizonia looks so neat on Google Earth. Would love to go there
    someday. Wish I understood all this technical stuff y'all are talking
    about.
    Going to look that up on Google Earth. Everytime I see that place on TV, I'm blown away on how much is there. Looks like a very cool place to hang out for a day or two.
    Cindy

  39. #88
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Disgusting state of NJ
    Posts
    3,340
    In 1983 I flew to Las Vegas on Eastern Airlines on a 727. The weather was rotten the pilot came on and said that because of the winds and the 727 only having 4 1/2 hours of fuel and it being a 4 hour 15 min flight the plane was going to make a stop in Texas.
    They brought in some customers for Texas and they kicked them off because Eastern got permission to overfill the wings with fuel.
    They refuled with a full plane of passengers and then when we took off the pilot kept on making comments about how we can't fly that high right now because we were too heavy.
    That had to be more of the uncomfortable flights I've ever had.
    When you lose a parent you lose your past. When you lose a spouse you lose your present. When you lose a child you lose your future.
    R.I.P Kim: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...336317&df=all&
    R.I.P Dad http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&GRid=93315851
    R.I.P Mom http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&GRid=97780420

  40. #89
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
    Posts
    8,055
    My boss was dropping a passenger off at San Francisco Airport yesterday and got to see Air Force One take off.
    John Trim On Face Book
    On the internet you can be anything you want.
    It is strange that so many people choose to be stupid.


    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  41. #90
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    1,860
    Cool! I'd love to see that!
    Everyone must die but not everyone has lived


  42. #91
    Giada Guest
    I love to fly ... everything from open cockpit small aircraft to hot air balloons, two prop aircraft, helicopters.

    My favorite airport is local, Palomar Airport. Wonderful flying in and out.

    http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/dpw/airports/palomar.html

    Like many, the problem I have is being stuck on tarmacs, flights overbooked, etc.

  43. #92
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    5,245
    Quote Originally Posted by Giada View Post
    I love to fly ... everything from open cockpit small aircraft to hot air balloons, two prop aircraft, helicopters.

    My favorite airport is local, Palomar Airport. Wonderful flying in and out.

    http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/dpw/airports/palomar.html

    Like many, the problem I have is being stuck on tarmacs, flights overbooked, etc.
    I used to live in Vista, CA, which was a stone's throw from Palomar Airport. I've flown United Express from there before, even though it wasn't that reliable (one time I was flying to LAX on the way to the UK and the flight was cancelled. They drove me to Lindbergh to catch a flight there.).

  44. #93
    joS3ph Guest
    I appreciate everyone participating in this thread. After consulting with Barbossa, I made my decision to start this thread. I hope it continues to be successful.

    My vacation ends tonight at midnight, so I will most likely be making a flight to either Oakland or San Jose after midnight or first thing tomorrow. With that being said, I always carry my notebook computer with me so I will still check this thread from the hotel/motel.

    If you have a question in regards to airplanes or aviation, please do not hesitate to ask. There are other pilots that view this thread as well, so someone will be more than happy to answer your questions. Thanks again for your participation!

    Joseph
    Last edited by joS3ph; 02-19-2011 at 10:17 AM.

  45. #94
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    5,245
    Quote Originally Posted by joS3ph View Post
    I appreciate everyone participating in this thread. After consulting with Barbossa, I made my decision to start this thread. I hope it continues to be successful.

    My vacation ends tonight at midnight, so I will most likely be making a flight to either Oakland or San Jose after midnight or first thing tomorrow. With that being said, I always carry my notebook computer with me so I will still check this thread from the hotel/motel.

    If you have a question in regards to airplanes or aviation, please do not hesitate to ask. There are other pilots that view this thread as well, so someone will be more than happy to answer your questions. Thanks again for your participation!

    Joseph
    Thanks for doing this thread, it's a great forum for us aviation fans. It's also cool having you, a commercial pilot, to drive the thread and answer any questions we have. Have a smooth flight this evening!

  46. #95
    joS3ph Guest
    Quite a few people have sent me messages wanting to know what the typical flight time is from Memphis, TN to Oakland, CA. Typically, it is less than a five hour flight. The last flight I made to Oakland departed Memphis at 7:49 AM and we arrived at Oakland at 12:17 PM. Our airplane for this flight was a MD-10-30F.

  47. #96
    jaylene Guest
    I was wondering do airplanes have an expiration date or are the retired on
    their performance and equipment? I'm sure aviation is changing every year
    as everything does but was just wondering how fast that they are
    put out to farm to chase bunnies?

  48. #97
    Pat MaGroin Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by jaylene View Post
    I was wondering do airplanes have an expiration date or are the retired on
    their performance and equipment? I'm sure aviation is changing every year
    as everything does but was just wondering how fast that they are
    put out to farm to chase bunnies?
    Abandoned Airplanes






    When U.S. military airplanes need to be repaired or are just too old to fly, many of them end up in the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, or AMARC, in Tucson, Arizona. Some of these planes are restored to operational status while others are broken down for parts. Seen from above, the planes make beautiful patterns in blue and white against the earthy brown backdrop.

  49. #98
    joS3ph Guest
    An aircraft's lifespan is measured not in years but in pressurization cycles. Each time an aircraft is pressurized during flight, its fuselage and wings are stressed. Both are made of large, plate-like parts connected with fasteners and rivets, and over time, cracks develop around the fastener holes due to metal fatigue.

    Aircraft lifespan is established by the manufacturer and is usually based on takeoff and landing cycles. The fuselage is most susceptible to fatigue, but the wings are too, especially on short hauls where an aircraft goes through pressurization cycles every day. Aircraft used on longer flights experience fewer pressurization cycles, and can last more than 20 years. Of course, there are commercial airplanes flying daily that are older than the projected 20 year life span.

    Airlines reply on the manufacturer's maintenance programs. The manufacturers design the aircraft to be trouble-free for a certain period of time. There are maintenance actions to preclude any catastrophic failures, but that's not to say that the aircraft might not experience metal fatigue before those times. When you get to a certain point in the aircraft's lifespan, you need to inspect or replace certain parts.

    Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) inspections are used both during production (to ensure that components start out free of defects) and during an aircraft's service life to detect cracks as small as 0.04 inch. Inspectors might, for example, take a close look at fastener holes located at the wing and spar junction.

    One commonly used method of NDE is ultrasonic phased-array testing, which analyzes the echoes from ultrasonic waves to reveal imperfections inside a material. By using several ultrasonic beams instead of just one, then varying the time delays between the beams, inspectors can look inside a material at different locations and depths, thereby determining the size and shape of any defects.


    Aircraft skin inspection with phased-array lateral scanning:

    http://www.olympus-ims.com/en/ndt-ap...209715295.html
    Last edited by joS3ph; 02-19-2011 at 11:18 AM. Reason: Link Added

  50. #99
    joS3ph Guest
    Memphis flight line as seen from the flightdeck of FedEx 757-2B7 (SF) N109FD during preflight.

    Last edited by joS3ph; 02-19-2011 at 12:24 PM.

  51. 02-19-2011, 11:52 AM

  52. #100
    joS3ph Guest
    Atlantic sunset with beautiful cloud cover.


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