texts:
I am not a pilot and have come to this site to ask a question about the measurement of height.  This is as a result of the comments made as a result of a question in the Physics Stack Exchange forum "Does barometer improve gps accuracy?"

I feel that there will be more of you on this site who have real time experience with flying and so can answer my question which is:

Which is more accurate for height measurement: GPS or barometer?

I have noted that those engaged in geocaching often have GPS units with built-in barometers to improve height accuracy.

One of my friends who is a pilot responded as follows:

  A light aircraft relies on a barometer that is set to the standard
  1013 millibars when in cruise at height (or the regional QNH when
  lower) but they set to the local reading for the airfield (QFE) when
  planning their decent. Commercial aircraft also have ground proximity
  radar but they also have a standard set of old fashioned flight
  instruments in case the electronics fail. My old aircraft GPS did
  indeed read out height as well but you were told never to rely on it!


texts: What is this part of an aircraft (looks like a long thick pole sticking out of the back)?

texts:
On the website of Kenn Borek Air (an airline specializing in Arctic / Antarctic operations), on this page at the bottom, you can see the following picture:

It looks like a long thick pole sticking out of the aircraft (likely from the back?)
What is it?


texts: Is it possible to balance a tail heavy plane with a vertical prop on its tail?

texts:
I've put together a model plane in the form of an angel, and the planform is quite tail heavy (please see pic).
I'm trying to balance the plane with a lifting tail prop that makes the "apparent" CG in the place where the CG should be.
I've launched the plane twice. The first time it seemed like there wasn't enough forward thrust. The second time the tail rotor didn't have enough thrust and it pitched upwards. (Please see video links).
Will this concept work if tweaked properly?


texts: Is it possible to totally override the flight computer on the Airbus A320-family (in simple non-technical terms)?

texts:
As I know, in the autopilot oriented airplanes like an A321 the plane doesn't let the pilots pitch down when the plane gets an over-speed warning.

So what if the pitot-static system isn't working properly and the plane is stalling but the flight management systems doesn't let the pilots pitch down?

What will happen? Will the plane crash or is there a button on the FMC that disables all the auto management and autopilot functions so the pilots can do whatever they want in an emergency?

How does it work without being too technical so someone like me can understand?


texts: What is the high pitched beep noise on A320s on startup?

texts:
Me and an engineer have been both breaking our heads over this, and no matter what we do we cannot figure this out. On certain A320 family aircraft, when the APU initializes/external power generator is turned on, there are a series of noises. First of course is the relay. Then there is the TR unit/alternator which makes a high pitched whine. But then there are a few differences which I do not understand.
In about half the videos of A320 startups, there is a high pitched single or double beep (videos attached below). I got told by some that it is the cockpit door lock/video system, others that it is the electrical system initializing, but nobody has a concrete answer to this.
Another thing, there are CIDS chimes when the aircraft gets powered. Strangely on some aircraft the CIDS chimes are slow and continuous once the battery is started. On others, once ext/apu power is on, there are two quick chimes and nothing when batteries are on
If someone knows for sure what this is, please do tell me, because me and the engineer would really appreciate knowing this, there are a few variations of the sounds I have heard.

             has a single beep double chime,

             has a double beep then continuous chime, and lastly

             (3:18) has double beep, double chime.


texts: An appropriate way to practice ATC communications

texts:
I'm a PPL trainee and I'm looking for a way to improve my radio communication.

https://www.liveatc.net/ is a great way to practice but I can't fully understand the conversation between the unit and the aerodrome. If it just had subtitles or general documentation about it, would be great.


texts:
If you have a plane like a Cub or Scout, is it legal to land on a beach, river bank, or other similar feature or will the FAA take your certificate if you do it? I can't find any info on this anywhere but see lots of YouTube videos of people doing it.

This question is not in reference to an airplane with an emergency, I'm talking about a voluntary, intentional landing on a beach with the purpose of fishing or camping, like is done with many bush planes.


texts: Help reading a FAA departure procedure chart

texts:
I was hoping to get a few answers regarding how to read a FAA departure procedure chart.  Let's take the JUDTH SEVEN DEPARTURE chart shown below:

From what I can tell, it seems that the diagram in the upper left indicates that those taking off from either runway 3 or runway 21 should make an appropriate turn to heading 335 degrees.  Is this correct?

Following the "thence...," it says to expect RADAR vectors to GBN VORTAC.  So does this mean ATC will guide the aircraft to the GBN VORTAC fix?

Can someone explain what MOHAK TRANSITION (JUDTH7.MOHAK) means?  Is this saying that the MOHAK fix represents a transition to en route airspace from terminal airspace?

How would one identify the departure fix in this chart and in general?  Is the departure fix MOHAK? JUDTH? GILA?  Additionally, what would be the departure procedure transition fix?

Thanks!


texts: What was the inflight entertainment in the early seventies?

texts:
In her 1970 song "This Flight Tonight", Joni Mitchell sings

  I'm drinking sweet champagne
  Got the headphones up high
  Can't numb you out
  Can't drum you out of my mind
  They're playing Goodbye baby, Baby Goodbye
  Ooh ooh love is blind

The Sony Walkman first came out near the end of that decade. So what was Joni listening to on that fateful flight?

I will award a 100 point bonus to anyone who can identify the plane she was on in the song based on the lyrics.


texts:
Takekoputa(タケコプター) is one of the most famous and common gadget in the Japanese manga series Doraemon.

Regardless the power issue, Can it be used to fly in real world, as like as in the animation?


texts: Is trimming for constant speed equal to trimming for constant angle of attack?

texts:
My understanding of trim:
When you say you have trimmed an aircraft for a constant speed, say 100 mph, you are actually trimming the horizontal stabilizer so that there are no forces on stick (or tail down force is balanced with nose weight) at that speed. To do that you either control the horizontal stabilizer/trim tabs until no force is felt on the stick.

My question is, (if my understanding is right), can I say that we are trimming for constant angle of attack instead of speed (and the constant angle of attack is represented in form of speed). By trimming the aircraft, aren't we making the aircraft fly  at constant angle of attack?

If so, can I make these following statements about trim: (ignoring the things like propeller blast etc..,)

When you are cruising in a trimmed condition and decrease( or increase) the engine power, the aircraft will pitch down (or up) until it finds the old angle of attack where all the forces are balanced and the trim is reestablished.
When you are cruising and closed (or opened) the throttle completely, the aircraft will descent (or climb) at the same trimmed angle of attack.


texts: Can I get a pilot's license following a vehicular homicide charge?

texts: I was wondering if a vehicular homicide charge that was not drug or alcohol related will prevent me from get a pilot's license?


texts: Why do most helicopter pilots sit on the right?

texts:
A follow up on this question, one answer mentioned that

  Please note that on many helicopters, captains sit on the right side.

Why is that?


texts: B777- In emergency mechanical back up how does the flight controls manage engine failure

texts:
In case of engine failure above the ocean with multiple electrical failures and after having exhausted the batteries the fly by wire mechanical backup with available hydraulics if left with the THS and one spoiler per wing under the control of the control wheel, How in these conditions the pilot will manage the asymmetrical thrust?

Basically thrust asymmetry is normally managed with the rudder, the schematic shows in mechanical backup the rudder is not Available, while the remaining spoilers 4 and 11 are rather for roll control, what can do the pilot?

N.B. June 17, 2019: if it is difficult to imagine one engine failure + total electrical failure, please imagine an engine failure + Total FBW computers and controllers failure, the most important is to go into the mechanical mode as described here below with an engine failure:


texts: Are there any plans, designs, or prototypes for an electric ground effect vehicle?

texts:
I have been searching around for any plans, designs, or prototypes for a small GEV. All I have found is a ground effect gas powered like this link:

or an all electric prototype for short distance travel (not ground effect) at this link (eviation alice):

Are there any ongoing plans to build an electric-powered ground effect vehicle?
Would it be any better or faster than the current water taxi or ferry services?


texts: Why do airlines park their planes out in the middle and ferry passengers to the terminal by bus, even during non-peak hours?

texts: There are numerous occasions, especially during late night flights, when hardly there is rush at the airport, the pilots park the airplane out there somewhere, and ferry the passengers by bus. Is it a big trouble to take the plane to the aerobridge and then take the plane to the parking spot?


texts: How can the effects of hot corrosion and salt deposits from sea water spray in gas turbine engines be negated/prevented?

texts:
In aircraft operating in a maritime environment, corrosive effects from salt water are common. Are there any specific coatings used in engines for such aircraft? If so, which are they? How frequently should they be washed?
I've looked for information on this but can't find any specific answer.


texts: Would the Gee Bee be allowed to fly today, with so little forward visibility?

texts:
When looking at the Gee Bee:

Source

I wonder what the pilot is actually able to see, when rolling on the runway, when flying level, or trying to locate a possible emergency landing place. It seems this aircraft puts the pilot and the people on the ground at risk.

Wouldn't a mirror improve safety, or is there a hole in the bottom of the fuselage?

How could such an aircraft be allowed to fly at the time? Did flying it only require to hold a recreational private pilot license or additional qualifications? Would it be allowed today in Europe, or in the US, based on existing regulation?


texts: What is this quad-jet plane at El Paso Airport?

texts:
If you look at El Paso International Airport on Google Maps, on the south side apron and across from a hangar that is labeled "Sierra West Airlines" (west of the NASA facilities) there is a small quad-jet plane:

The aircraft is about 20 m long and has a wing span of about 18 m:

Any idea on what this is?


texts: Would increasing the number of wheels of a Jumbo reduce the braking distance?

texts:
If weight was not an issue, would increasing the number of main gear wheels on a jumbo such as the Airbus A380 from 20 to 40 wheels, each equipped with braking disks and braking equipment, considering their extra weight, reduce braking distance.

Would it be any different if the current set up was used but with longer wheelstuds and each wheel was paired with an extra wheel, as with most semi-truck's (articulated lorry's) rear wheels?


texts: Are converted airliners fitted with key-operated locks/switches for security?

texts: Light aircraft are commonly fitted with key-operated doors (cabin, cargo compartments) and key-operated switches (magneto/starter) in a manner very similar to most road vehicles. Airliners are not fitted with any such key-operated door latches or essential switches. The difference is due to the security environments in which they are operated/stored. A light aircraft such as a Cessna 172 might be parked in an unmonitored location readily accessible to almost anyone. Airliners are practically never left unattended and unmonitored. But what happens when an airliner is sold out of commercial service and refitted as a private jet? Would such an aircraft still be attended or monitored full time? Do they get fitted with security devices such as key locks on the doors and/or some sort of key operated interlock to deter unauthorized entry or engine starts?


texts: What is the time-lag between an airline's decision to serve a route and the starting of its service?

texts:
I was wondering whether there is any literature about the time-lag between the moment in which an airline decides to enter a given route and pays the associated fixed costs and the moment in which the airline starts to sell tickets and fly in that route.
Could you point out some common sense narrative and also some more formal studies (if any)? How does the time lag compare to other industries (e.g., car manufacturing)?


texts: How is a standard holding pattern flown?

texts: Unless otherwise specified, in what direction and what duration of leg should be flown if assigned a hold?


texts: What type is this aircraft with "inverted" wings?

texts:
A friend of mine saw this plane at Tampa Bay International Airport recently:

It has an odd combination of a negative dihedral and pylonless overwing engines, all traits I've seen individually but not together.

Does anyone know what this plane is, and what its purpose is?


texts: For an FAA commercial license, can I use EASA/ICAO 2nd class medical?

texts:
I have an FAA 3rd class and EASA 2nd class medical. On my EASA 2nd class medical it says "This medical certificate complies with ICAO standards".

To obtain an FAA commercial pilot license, will I need to re-take the 2nd class medical by FAA standards with a different AME or does the FAA accept an "ICAO compliant" medical?


texts: Does a METAR report variable wind direction in a clockwise direction?

texts:
Does the convention for reporting variable wind direction always use a clockwise (nautical) sense?

For example, if the wind varies between 340 degrees and 10 degrees, assuming a clockwise sense the METAR item would be 340V010, but is 010V340 also correct?


texts: How exactly should I understand the term "accidental hull loss"?

texts:
How can the IATA claim that the year 2015 saw no accidental hull losses, if we had the Germanwings Flight 9525 accident? Even if this one is not considered "an accident" then there are a few others (for instance Metrojet Flight 9268) that can be clearly taken as "accidental hull losses".

How should I understand "accidental hull loss" exactly, or what is it that I am missing?

EDIT: While I agree, that I may be missing some certain points and the general definition given in IATA article and while I agree with all answers and comments given here, I think that on contrary Carson Air Flight 66 fits pretty perfectly into "accidental hull loss" definition. It is from 2015 and it is a bit interesting, why IATA "forgot" about it in their report?


texts: Why does a banked aircraft create sideslip?

texts: Below is an excerpt from Raymer (Aircraft Design) where he explains the dihedral effect. He states that a banked aircraft (due to say a roll disturbance) will have a sideslip which leads to a restoring moment back to equilibrium. What is the physical explanation for why there is a sideslip?


texts: Why do hydraulic jack stalls result in pitch up and right roll?

texts:
Quoting from page 162 of the book "Fatal traps for helicopter pilots" by Greg Whyte:

Hydraulic jack stall (servo transparency) in (AS-350) helicopter is an aerodynamic phenomenon can occur when the helicopter is flown outside it is normal flight envelope and subjected to positive maneuvering (g-loading).
It results in uncommanded aft and right cyclic and down-collective motion accompanied by pitch up and right roll of the helicopter.

My question:
What is reason for uncommanded aft and right cyclic collective down pitch up and right roll?


texts: What is the difference between inboard and outboard engines on a Russian IL-18 turboprop?

texts:
I was looking at this picture of an Ilyushin IL-18 turboprop aircraft
Image hosted at https://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160630220221-north-korea-air-koryo-il-18-nose-super-169.jpg
 and noticed that the outboard engines look significantly smaller than the inboard engines. Wikipedia lists specifications for four identical engines but the outboard cowlings don't seem to have air intakes.

Can anyone explain why?


texts: What are the barriers to feasibility of stratospheric cruising for commercial air travel? (i.e. Concorde?)

texts:
In 2003, British Airways retired the Concorde for a few reasons.

Rising maintenance costs
Lack of demand due to safety concerns
Further decrease in demand due to 9/11 attacks

additionally, due to lack of competition, the Concorde was never properly maintained. Because no other airline had such a plane, British Airways kept the analog cockpit from 1970 up until the planes retirement.

Well, we live in a world where safety in aviation is continuing to increase, and the technology we have to utilize the world around us constantly gets better.

What engineering breakthroughs will allow commercial aviation to use the upper atmosphere and supersonic cruising speeds?

--EDIT--

I don't mind if you downvote my question, but it certainly annoys me if you downvote and you don't leave a comment telling my why. I've tried to make this question as objective as possible, if you're going to take the time to downvote, take the time to explain yourself, and I would be happy to try and mitigate your concerns.


texts: I took a couple of pictures of various aircraft and I would like to know which aircraft I photographed. I have no idea, expect that all of them took off from ZRH and should be commercial airliners:


texts: Has anyone used a 1/4" Y adapter and 3.5mm-to-1/4" converter to pipe in music into their aviation headset?

texts:
I have a standard aviation headset and would like to splice in some music for longer flights.  The aviation-specific adapters are overpriced at around $40.  Can i just use a 1/4" Y adapter and a 3.5mm to 1/4" converter, such as these?   Has anyone tried this with results?

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/YPP118

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CMS103


texts: Can a pilot over the age of 65 exercise the privileges of a commercial pilot license under FAA Part 91 in the Bahamas?

texts: I am hearing there may be a problem with flying in the Bahamas over the age of 65 as a commercial pilot, even under 14 CFR 91. Because the pilots are being compensated they may consider this a commercial operation which then would be age limited to 65 as per ICAO regulations. Is there gray area here or is there no problem flying under 14 CFR 91 over the age of 65 in the Bahamas?


texts: What is a rudder or fin stall, how will the aircraft behave in that situation, and how should the pilot recognise it? What is the recovery procedure? And what is rudder reversal?


texts: Why does each part of span not produce equivalent downwash?

texts: I know that it is associated with Prandtl lifting-line theory and that ideal elliptical wing actually meets the condition of my question. Unfortunately I am not good at fluid dynamics and I would like a relatively simple explanation why downwash (and lift) differs along wingspan (of non-elliptical wings). I would like to understand at least the basics and satisfy my curiosity :)


texts: Is there a database of airport ceilometer raw data?

texts:
I am interested in obtaining raw ceilometer data, to test some cloud/aerosol layer identification algorithms.

Is this type of data freely available or will I need to ask for it directly from the airport?
Do airports keep an archive of raw data or simply of cloud heights as determined by manufacturers algorithm and provided in METAR reports?


texts: Do large aircraft have carbon monoxide detectors?

texts: Do big aircraft (e.g. Boeing 737 or Airbus 320) have carbon monoxide (CO) detectors installed in them? I don't know if the pressurized cabin means they aren't needed, but I do remember there are CO detectors in small planes and there are some reported accidents due to inhaling CO from engines.


texts: Why is the wing of large commercial jet aircraft usually located below the fuselage?

texts:
When the wing of an aircraft is located above the fuselage, the aircraft is generally considered more stable.

When the wing of an aircraft is located below the majority of the fuselage, the aircraft is generally considered more acrobatic.

Why then, do large commercial jumbojets generally have their wings located towards the center (from top to bottom) or bottom of the aircraft?  On first glance, this design seems odd since one of their primary goals is stability in flight.


texts: How is the required motor power calculated for a quadcopter?

texts:
I've been trying to find the required motor power for a quadcopter. I first calculated drag power and then I made a linear trend line for motor power against motor weight. I made the motor power 1.5 times the drag power and then used the trend line to find its weight but this seems to give numbers that are much too small. What am I doing wrong and how can I fix this?

What I did was take the altitude, the temperature, estimated weight including payloads, rotor radius and chord, and the speed to solve for drag using the drag equation. An example is alt: 400 ft, temperature: 65 F, estimated weight: 3 pounds, rotor radius: 6 inches, rotor chord: 1 inch, and speed: 20 kts. This would give a drag power of 16 watts and this is so small that the motor weight is negative according to the trendline.


texts: Can climbing above RVSM airspace cause temporary loss of separation with an aircraft in RVSM airspace?

texts:
Consider Aircraft A cruising at FL400 and Aircraft B cruising at FL410. Both in close proximity, heading in the same direction. Ignore altitude for direction of flight issue. When aircraft B requests to climb to FL430, would allowing him to do that cause a loss of separation?
I'm not sure if my understanding is correct. In the beginning, both aircraft are in RVSM airspace, have 1000ft vertical separation and are therefor correctly separated. When Aircraft B climbs above FL410, they enter non-RVSM airspace, requiring 2000ft. vertical separation and therefor loosing separation. When Aircraft B is between FL410 and FL420, there is less than 2000ft of separation between them (Aircraft B being in non-RVSM airspace).
It seems really counterintuitive that increasing vertical separation between two aircraft can cause a loss of separation.
I'd love to know the answer to this question for both ICAO and FAA land with 4444 and 7110.65 citations if anyone knows them.
Thanks!


texts: Is a fixed wing more efficient in reaching a certain altitude than rotary wing?

texts:
Given the limited amount of energy (battery or fuel) let's reach the maximum possible altitude!

Rotary wing aircraft pushes the air directly downwards and propels itself straight up.

Fixed wing, however, must gain forward speed to produce lift, so it wastes some energy for unnecessary circling and associated drag. Anyway, eventually, its wings must somehow push the air downwards to gain altitude (that's what Newton says), energy-wise is it really different from rotary wing? (especially when circling really tightly?)

Moreover, imagine our fixed might wants to pitch up really hard and has powerful engine - at some point this makes it similar to rotary wing, in that the thrust direction becomes more and more vertical. Oh, so the distinction might be not that obvious!

Anyway, the question is, for this specific requirement of going just up, is the fixed wing still more energy efficient to reach a certain altitude than a rotary wing and why?


texts: Will driving experience benefit flight training?

texts:
I think my question/situation is a little bit of rare so I start this question and want to hear from you experience pilots.

I'm a 30+ migrant from China working as a software engineer for 10 years. Now I use my weekends taking flight training for Private Pilot Licence in Sydney. Currently I don't see any big problem with my training and probably in next couple of weeks I will have my first Solo. What concerns me is my past experience. I can say I'm rather a good programmer and writing code for computer(iPhone) is really different from driving or flying. My flight instructor tend to say (and I agree) I always fly with the exact numbers rather than make necessary adjustment according to situation outside. So I guess with the past 10 years indoor in-front-of-keyboard office life/experience. The more you get your life/experience aligned with computer/coding, the harder you could get out of it.

What's worse is I don't have any driving experience until two months ago I started to practice for my Australian driver's licence. Now I have my licence issued for one month and I still only drove four or five times with rented car. Though I love public transportation and I'm not that declined to own a car, now I start to thinking about the benefit of driving experience for my flight training. At least driving skills are accumulated with "hours" (which is the same as flying) and it will get me out of computer world.

Do you have any suggestion or advice on this? Thanks for reading and replying. Cheers~

P.S. if possible, my target is CPL one day.


texts: Have there been any solo flights on airliners?

texts: As per subject has anyone flown an airliner (737, A319 etc etc or bigger) solo? (meaning only 1 pilot alone with no passengers?) Tried to google search but did not find any reference. Question applies to any of modern airliners era with and without flight engineer.


texts: Is there an aerodynamic force that would keep this experimental WW2 era prop from flying as fast as an early jet?

texts:
The XB-42 was an experimental bomber developed during WW2.  Its twin engines delivered a combined 3,800 HP and top speed of 410 mph at 23,440 ft.

It's an amazing aircraft.  But if an enormous aircraft is that fast why not use the same concept for smaller fighter-sized aircraft?  I assume there must be a good reason because it didn't happen.

I used a modified version of the drag equation found on NASA's website to estimate the speed increase if the front profile was reduced by 50% and everything else stayed identically the same.  The modified version can be found here.

By reducing the front profile by 50% the top speed increased by 25.99%.  That brought its top speed up from 410mph to an amazing 517mph.  That's almost as fast as a jet.
Is that possible or am I missing some other aerodynamic force that would stop the plane from approaching that speed?

I guess at the most basic level is this concept correct?

Smaller frontal area = faster top speed.

Is there some other aerodynamic force that would negate that?

Answer to comment below: Zeus answered that reducing the aircraft's profile wouldn't make a significant difference because most drag was produced by the wing.  Yes and no.  Wing lift does produce a lot of drag at low speed but that drops as the plane accelerates.  At high speed nearly all drag is parasitic (i.e. the shape of the aircraft) as evidenced by the chart below.  Moreover my question was theoretical.  If 50% of the plane's profile was removed the weight could be removed as well and with it the wing size.  Turning the XB-42 airframe into a small, fighter aircraft was the general point of the question.


texts: How were pilots selected and trained before the introduction of simulators?

texts:
I wonder, how were the pilots selected and trained before simulators were introduced.

The simulators allowed to test the coordination and reaction time of candidates. And they allowed the students to learn to manipulate the planes before they actually flew. And to train the pilots to work in different situations.

So how was it before the simulators?


texts: How to calculate lift and drag coeffecients for VTOL aircraft in the takeoff stage?

texts:
How would I calculate CL and CD for a VTOL aircraft while it is in it's takeoff/landing stage?

The particular aircraft is a fixed wing/quadcopter hybrid so I know that I can treat this as a thin rectangular plate problem. However, because the aircraft takes off vertically, I do not understand what formulas to use to calculate these coefficients.

If I use CL=2$\pi$$\alpha$, where $\alpha$=$\pi$/2, then I end up with CL=9.87, which just doesn't make sense.


texts: How to find TAS for given CAS, FL and OAT?

texts:
Here is another question for my PPL Exam. If anyone can illuminate me with explaining every step to achieve TAS with given parameters, it would be great.

Given:
Calibrated airspeed (CAS): 155 kt. Flight level (FL) 80.
Outside air temperature (OAT): -15° C.
The true airspeed (TAS) equals...

When seeing this question there is only one thing is coming up to my mind and which is: Temperature drops 2° C every 1000 ft but I cannot connect the dots to find TAS.


texts: How to locate the coordinates of the Center of Gravity of an airfoil?

texts: I am working on the inertial effects on a variable pitch propeller and i need to define the location of the center of gravity on the airfoil to calculate moments of Inertia and angular momentum. What is the best way to do it?


texts: What is currently the longest commercial flight in terms of distance?

texts:
Flightradar24 has announced few hours ago, that Qantas QF7 is taking off for its 13,804 km long flight and named it the longest commercial flight (by distance).

Is that correct? I was more than sure, that I heard few years ago, that current record belongs to Singapore Airlines, that has at least one commercial route of a little bit more than 14k kilometers.


texts: What is the phraseology when leaving a TRSA?

texts: When leaving TRSA what is the correct phraseology to tell ATC that radar service is no longer desired?


texts: Do any airlines hire "pilots" with no previous flying experience?

texts:
I've previously looked online for pilots jobs at airlines, from budget airlines to cargo carriers; and they always want you to have a ppl.

Do any airlines currently run programmes for applicants with no prior flying experience?


texts: Is the shape of the Bell X-1 wing on Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity's artwork correct?

texts:
This answer to the Space SE question What do these patterns on Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity represent, and how are they applied? indicates that one of the aerospacecraft representations on the Unity is the Bell X-1, and comments there suggest that the shape of the wing might not be completely accurate.

It may be possible that the shape evolved during development, but I'd like to ask;
What is the shape of the Bell X-1 wing, and is the representation of it in the artwork on Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity correct?

above: Screen shot from the Virgin Galactic YouTube video VSS Unity | Third Rocket Powered Flight.

above: from this answer and Virgin Galactic.


texts: What is this aircraft? It was parked at transient parking at the Southern California Logistics Airport.  It is a pusher prop driven plane with a conventional tail.  High aspect ratio un-swept wings.  Odd shaped fuselage.  Any ideas?


texts: What is this old US Army Air Corps plane?

texts: This photo was taken by my Grandfather in 1918 at Rich Field in Wako, TX.  I don't think that it is a Taube because of the front structure, engine type, 4 wheels, fuselage shape, etc.


texts: Does TSR (Time Since Repair) Need A Reset After A Clean/Inspect/Test Workscope?

texts:
So I am a little unclear on what the regulations recommend.

Say you have a component that has a Restoration (Ignore the nomenclature) workscope but it is strictly an Inspection/Cleaning/Testing process. The FAA/EASA tags would say Inspected/Tested.

Does that mean the TSR/CSR (Time Since Repair / Cycles Since Repair) need to be reset to zero? Or would the TSR/CSR continue as-is because there was no Repair work carried out? Any assistance would be appreciated.


texts: What is the FAA's source for the type designators they use in IACRA?

texts:
When using the FAA's IACRA system, an online portal used for creating applications for the issuance of a rating, you often have to choose an aircraft type to meet qualifications or to set which aircraft you'll be using during a practical test. When selecting aircraft in IACRA the type designators are different from what I'm used to. For example, a Cessna 172 K model's type designator in my experience is C172K, but in IACRA it's CE-172K. The Beechcraft Sierra would normally be B24R, but it's something like BE-23-BE24R in IACRA.

Where is the FAA coming up with these type designators they're using in IACRA?


texts: What exactly does "Commander" mean? Synonym of First Officer?

texts:
I know that in the navies of the Commonwealth and US, three full stripes (like those worn by FOs) denote Commander, 4 Captain. "Because Pan Am operated flying boats, the company decided to step away from the WWI military pilot look and dress its line pilots in an outfit closely resembling naval officer uniforms."
Why exactly does Cathay Pacific call their Relief Pilots Commanders? Do any other airlines do this? Does Commander merely synonymize Senior First Officer?

From there you will move on to become a Junior First Officer, First Officer, Senior First Officer (Relief commander) and then onto becoming a Captain.

A Day in the Life of a 747 Pilot - Cargo Clan

Two crew – one of whom must be a relief commander or another Captain – occupy the flying seats while other crew rest, usually splitting the rest period equally.

I screenshot some CX pilots' Linkedin profiles. Nick Papas.

Richard Stroud

Justin Wills.

Frankie Wong.

You can hear "Relief Commander" blazoned at 5:35, but Capt. Anthony Peterso?e?n's voice is too muffled. The first Relief Commander is Thomas TaTower? Second Relief CDR is Steve ZaHower?


texts: Is a cambered or symmetrical propeller airfoil more efficient?

texts: Is an cambered propeller more efficient than a symmetrical propeller for a low speed airplane?


texts: Can one become a CFI with a sport license?

texts:
Under FAA can a sport pilot get a cfi endorsement for LSA category only? If so do they need a medical?

Same questions for glider pilots.


texts: Is it possible to upgrade an old F-16 to the Block-60/62 standard?

texts:
Is it possible to upgrade an old F-16A/B Block-15 to the F-16D/E Block-60/62 standard?

What modifications should be made, and how?


texts: Why do some aircraft have wings that tend to bend up?

texts: I take regular visits to the Boeing website, and when I look at some pictures, the wings tend to edge/point up. Why is this?


texts: Is a degree from an overseas institution likely to be a barrier to employment with a major US airline?

texts: I'm currently enrolled at a university in Jamaica. However, on my school break I often come to the US for flight training. I would like to know if a major US airline would employ me after completing my degree, given that it is an overseas degree?


texts: What were the procedures to follow in US Airways Flight 1549 during descent?

texts:
In the documentaries, and in the texts about the US Airways Flight 1549, procedures and checklists are mentioned and shown as a good example.

What procedures were they following in that case, and what could have gone wrong if they were not followed?


texts: What are the CONT and FLT modes of the 737 start switches?

texts: I pilot the PMDG 737 in my simulator and I know that before takeoff and before landing, the start switches must be set to CONT mode and at high altitudes in FLT mode. But what exactly are CONT and FLT mode? What they do ?


texts: Is a hold in lieu of a procedure turn specifically one hold on an RNAV approach?

texts:
I was looking at RNAV (GPS) RWY 6. I considered that conceivably ATC could have me enter the hold at an altitude requiring a rapid descent to get to the initial approach altitude.

I know that unless NoPT is specified on the initial segment or from the TAA sector that you must do at least 1 hold, but what I wasn't sure was could you do more than one hold at your own discretion?

So, say, you were told to cross the IAF at 4000 and you felt like losing 2000 feet in half a hold would make your passengers uncomfortable, could you just make two laps?  Would you have to ask ATC for permission first?

It looks like crossing the hold fix is your initial approach fix and then it's subsequently an intermediate fix so it seems like the design is that you enter the hold and then cross the holding fix on your way into the approach, so it seems like it's designated that you cross the fix only twice, but I wanted to be sure.

Edit:

Certainly there are exceptions.  When directed by ATC to fly a straight in approach, the hold-in-lieu is not required.  If NoPT is designated for your TAA region or on your initial segment, then it is forbidden.

To rephrase my question, given that your hold-in-lieu is required then your lower bound is 1 hold.  Is there a designated upper bound of 1 hold as well?

I.e., if a hold -in-lieu-of-procedure turn is required, is it 1 and only 1 hold?

Sorry for the confusion.


texts: How do I mount an iPhone X in the cockpit to record flights, as a student pilot?

texts:
I'm a student pilot and would like to mount my iPhone X in the cockpit to record my flights. Don't want to get an extra GoPro. However all the mounts I've seen online are designed for iPhone 6 or lower, and the RAM mount seems slightly troublesome to set up, in an aircraft that I'm only spending two hours in every day (and that too not the same aircraft every day).
Any suggestions as to how I can mount my phone? Any help would be appreciated!


texts: Does NASA use T-38's to train all crew members of a space flight as pilots?

texts:
Did all NASA flight crew recruits learn to fly when preparing for Space Shuttle missions?

Obviously, the pilot — and I am guessing the commander, too — would be USAF / USN / USMC pilots, but what about the specialists, engineers, etc? Do these have to learn to fly a jet?

Was this flight training used to simply train all crew members on the effects of traveling in a rocket into space? Or did (do?) all crew members have to learn how to fly a Northrop T-38?

These questions are based on documentaries I have watched where NASA uses the T-38 for flight training. I have wondered about this for a long time and could never get a satisfactory answer.

I have no idea if NASA still uses the T-38. Again, I am basing that on what I have seen and read.


texts: Why do we often have more than one method of slowing down (retarding) aircraft on the ground?

texts: Why do we often have more than (thrust reversers and brake chute) one method of slowing down (retarding) aircraft on the ground?


texts: How do blow holes compare to other means of tripping the boundary layer?

texts:
The DG-300 glider has wing holes to delay flow separation.

How do they compare to vortex generators and other means?

  This wing is 'blown' on the underside by 900 small holes to achieve a controlled transition from laminar to turbulent flow without additional drag.—Glaser-Dirks DG-300

(Image borrowed from another post.)


texts: What does the "T" on sectional charts mean in reference to airspace altitude?

texts: These are present in the San Francisco class bravo / Oakland class charlie and O'Hare class bravo / Midway class charlie.


texts: Do runways need to be repaired after gear up landings?

texts:
There have been may cases of civilian, commercial, and military flights that have either been forced to or accidentally landed gear up.

When this happens I imagine that it can do serious damage to the runway it's landing on (assuming it's landing on a paved runway).

Does the runway need to be repaired after such a landing, if so, how long does it take, and how extensive are the repairs?

These are some of the different scenarios that come to mind:

Civilian aircraft doing a gear up landing, maybe about 1500-5000lb or so.
Commercial airliner doing a full gear up landing.
Commercial airliner with a single broken wheel.

How would runway repair be conduced in these scenarios?


texts: Is there possibility to Survive without brain damage at 30/35,000 feet?

texts:
I just read Mayday by Nelson Demille. I won't get into many details but the book talks about an airliner (similar to the Concorde) which operates at an altitude of ~60,000 ft (~18Km). Suddenly, due to a mistaken missile launch, there are holes on both sides of the plane. All the passengers become brain-damaged except 5 people who are trapped in lavatories at that time.

Now while this is fiction, could we go crazy due to lack of oxygen in case something goes wrong? How much oxygen would be needed to land safely and how much oxygen is usually kept on an airliner in case of emergencies.

A second and related question: in case of a fire or other incident, how quickly can a plane safely descend? I know and have experienced losing altitude the last 30 minutes or so of flight, probably lining up to the airport. In an emergency, how quickly can the pilot land? Is it 5-10 minutes or more? I am talking about descending from cruise altitude and come to a dead-stop.


texts: How does engine geometry affect flight stability?

texts:
News items around the recent aviation accidents involving Boing 737 MAX 8 aircraft suggest, that bigger engine diameter demanded for a different (longer) nacelle strut for proper ground clearance which in the end had a negative effect on flight characteristics, necessitating an additional control system MCAS. This reasoning may be correct but it is not self evident IMHO.

One would think that a different engine mount point primarily shifts center of gravity, which can be statically counteracted by shifting other masses. The attack point of thrust, which also generates angular momentum if not coincident with the center of aerodynamic drag, should not be significantly affected by this geometry change.

So how does this geometry change adversely affect margins of inherent static stability and impede return from increased angle of attack to equilibrium?


texts: Do pilot uniforms always include a shirt with stripes?

texts:
On airliners, pilot's uniform usually include a shirt with stripes on shoulder. I cannot find examples of pilot without this kind of uniform while in service (either in the airport before departure/after landing or on the flight deck). It seems that during long break they can wear T shirts but use their formal uniform when working.

I fail to see why they should wear such a uniform (wearing a shirt with stripes don't make you a better pilot).

For flight attendants, the uniform reflects the image the company wants to convey. Flight attendant uniforms are thus diverse and different for different airlines. But a pilot's uniform is more uniform from one airline to another.

Do airline uniforms for pilots, which do not use shirts with stripes on the shoulder, exist?


texts: Is it ever permissible to takeoff on an aircraft heavier than its MTOW?

texts: I'm thinking in terms of the Concorde accident in 2000 having just read part of the report which states that they were in effect several tonnes heavier than they should of been factoring in the tailwind and tyre speed restriction imposed for that reason. The crew took 3 tonnes of taxi fuel of which they only burned 800kg and that put them at least a tonne above MTOW not taking the tailwind into consideration which the report states would have been negligible. So I was wondering, is there any margin for takeoffs with weights marginally higher than MTOW? (obviously in this case they were ridiculously heavy amongst a whole host of other poor decisions taken by the crew)


texts: Is there any limit by FAA on the age of aircraft to be operational?

texts:
Is there any restriction by FAA that one can not fly a plane older than 'X' years?

If someone is maintaining an older plane (e.g. from 1990s), are there any regulations which prevents or restricts that person to fly that airplane?

I am interested in finding out both for commercial and smaller general aviation airplanes.


texts: How to ignore faulty instrument readings in glass cockpits?

texts:
When an instrument fails in the cockpit, it is better cover it with something, either a dollar bill or a gauge cover (if you happen to have one of those), so we won't accidentally process the information from the faulty reading. My instructor taught me to literally smash the gauge, so the status of that instrument is not in question.

This works well in cockpits with rounded gauges. Nowadays, more and more GA aircrafts are fitted with glass cockpits. Obviously I can't just smash the screen, or else everything will be gone! What are the steps that one can take to avoid reacting to the faulty reading?


texts: Are solid fuel rocket engines designed differently and how?

texts:
How do solid fuel (Hydrazine, UDMH) and oxidizer (N2O4) differ in design from cryogenic rocket engines such as LH2 and LOX?
Are there differences related to temperature, material design, turbopumps, turbopump bearing seals, etc?


texts: Do aircraft manufacturers produce their own black boxes?

texts:
Do the manufacturers who build airplanes use their own "black boxes" in the planes, or are there companies whose sole purpose is to develop black boxes?

For example, in 2010 in the Airblue Flight 202 incident, the black box had to be sent to France for data recovery:

  He stated that the box would be examined by "foreign experts" in
  Germany or France as Pakistan does not possess the equipment to decode
  the flight recorders. He also stated that the process of extracting
  information may take six months to a year. The Pakistani
  authorities decided to send the CVR and FDR to the Bureau d'Enquêtes
  et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (BEA) in
  France.

It is not clear who developed that black box. Was it the same company that manufactured the airplane?

Also, can the buying airline use their own black box or their own security protocols for data encryption or encoding, to avoid having to send the black box out for analysis?


texts: How does an FBO refer to the parking spots on the ramp? What is the official term? And is there some sort of an identifier, a "ramp number"? Is this standardized, like runway numbers, or does it vary from FBO to FBO? Are there numbers painted on the ramp?


texts: Is there any clear picture or drawing, of a Wright brothers' plane, published before August 12, 1908?

texts:
Based on a video and two articles, one form May 1904, and the other from December 1951, both of them quoting people who personally knew the Wright brothers (see the explanations below), I have reached the conclusion that the oldest clear published photos of a Wright powered flying machine appeared in French newspapers on August 12, 1908, and the oldest unclear pictures in the Scientific American, on May 30, 1908. Another conclusion would be that the Wright brothers could not have taken any picture, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, of one of their airplanes in flight, before April-May 1908.
Question: Are there newspapers, magazines, etc., older than Aug, 12, 1908, that show a Wright airplane on the ground or flying? I am looking for them in archives but I can not find anything.

Video link: The Wright brothers and their imaginary 1903-1905 flights
The Wright brothers did not even finish the 1903 plane at Kitty Hawk, NC. Flyer 1 never flew as can be seen in the following 1904 article:
The Wilmington Messenger, Wilmington, North Carolina, May 26, 1904, col. 1, p. 6.

Elizabeth City Economist: A gentleman visiting this city whose home is
in Kitty Hawk, is responsible for the assertion that the Wright
brothers, of airship fame, will return to Kitty Hawk in the near
future and resume work on their aerial monster. According to this
gentleman the airship has never been removed from Kitty Hawk and
nearly all the interviews published in the papers of Norfolk have been
erroneous in this respect. This gentleman has assisted the Wrights in
all their work and has a general supervision of their property during
their absence. He says that they have not completed the ship and
that they will return some time within the next month and resume their
work. A story is current that they will complete the ship and make
the trip from here to St. Louis sometime this fall.

The text says that, according to a man that worked for the Wrights and took care of their things left behind at Kitty Hawk, the two inventors hadn't finished Flyer I as of May 26, 1904. In conclusion, this machine did not fly on December 17, 1903!

The true date of the above picture is May 1908 not December 17, 1903.
The fact that the photo was taken in May 1908 is also supported by the 1951 declaration of Alpheus W. Drinkwater, a man who knew the Wright brothers.

Wilbur and Orville Wright are credited with making their first powered
flight in a heavier-than-air machine on Dec. 17, 1903. But Alpheus W.
Drinkwater, 76 years old, who sent the telegraph message ushering in
the air age, said the brothers only “glided” off Kill Devil Hill that
day. Their ﬁrst real flight came on May 6, 1908, he said. (Source: New York Times, Dec. 17, 1951.)

As a note: The Wrights left Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in December 1903 and only came back in April 1908.


texts: Would a 767-300 be considered FANS-1 capable without SATCOM?

texts:
It is known that aircraft flying in Europe above FL285 will be mandated to be capable of PM-CPDLC data link communication. Our 767-300 has ACARS CMU, Pegasus FMC, MCDU and VHF radios (three). The ACARS system works fine, but there is no SATCOM.

As indicated on COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 29/2009, aircraft with an individual airworthiness certificate issued before 1 January 2014 that are equipped with Future Air Navigation System (FANS-1) are exempt from the requirement of the PM-CPDLC for the lifetime of the aircraft.

My question is, would our 767-300 aircraft with the above avionics be considered FANS-1 capable and qualify for the exemption? Any suggestions on how I can confirm that?


texts: Why paint a British roundel on a non-British Lynx?

texts:
In recent years, some of the Westland Lynx helicopters of the Portuguese Navy have undergone some form of mid-life update (MLU) in order to have their engines and avionics upgraded. Also, allegedly, a few Portuguese naval aviators have undergone training and qualification on these updated Lynx helicopters.  Allegedly, such work took place at Leonardo's site in Yeovil, Somerset, England, United Kingdom.
Interestingly, articles on the aforementioned events do display photographs that show a British roundel alongside a Portuguese roundel on Lynx helicopters of the Portuguese Navy. The following photograph shall corroborate my claim.

Question
Why would one paint a British roundel on a non-British Lynx?
At the moment, only two hypotheses occur to me:

Though the aircraft being upgraded do belong to the Portuguese Navy, the test pilots are British.

If a trigger-happy fighter pilot in his pretty Typhoon passed by, he would know that the Portuguese Lynx is in British airspace with the permission of Her Majesty's Government and that Albion's oldest ally is not actually invading Old Blighty. Thus, it should not be shot down.

References
On Portuguese Lynx helicopters with British roundels:

Marinha Portuguesa, Helicóptero da Marinha Portuguesa realiza primeiro voo após processo de modernização, 18 de fevereiro de 2020. [Google's Portuguese-to-English translation]

First flight for upgraded Portuguese Lynx (2020)

Portuguese pilots in UK for Lynx Mk95A (2020)

On Brazilian Lynx helicopters with British roundels:

Leonardo: upgraded Brazilian Navy Super Lynx makes successful maiden flight (2017)

Third Wild Lynx for Brazilian Navy (2019)

Brazilian Navy completes Super Lynx Mk21B acceptance (2021)


texts: Where do flaps and elevators get input from?

texts:
How are flaps and elevators controlled in both a fly-by-wire or manual airliners? Is it from the yoke or the joystick as in Airbus or military aircraft?

For how long and in what stage of the flight are flaps kept down? E.g. at takeoff, are flaps down until the aircraft reaches the required altitude or do aircraft rely on just elevators-down-nose up position to change altitude or raise the nose?


texts: Does a vortex/wake turbulence reach ground level nearby?

texts:
Where I live not many houses are built under the immediate approach/takeoff line of airports. Instead, they use the area for, say, sports fields.

Is it possible, in otherwise no-wind conditions, for a vortex/wake turbulence caused by a landing/taking-off aeroplane to dislodge a cricket bail on a nearby sports field? How close would the sports field have to be to the runway for this to possibly happen?

In the case at hand the (horizontal) distance is about 1.5 km and the plane (737?) was landing (directly overhead) some time before.


texts: Why fluids are forbidden in flights, while nitrate- and peroxide compounds aren't?

texts:
As I know, passangers on most international airports aren't allowed to take any fluid with them into the deck.

But, for example, I can't remember for any deeper examination for nitrate- or peroxide compounds. Although they had been much dangerous, as a glass of water.

Why is it so?


texts: Why did most WWII Allied piston engines not use fuel injection?

texts: One would think that given the huge push for ever more performance and reliability on piston engines during the heat of WWII would push the designs to their absolute limits, however, most American engines seem to be comfortable with the old carburetor technology which is prone to icing, hiccups and perform poorly under high Gs. Reading the literature of how Pratt & Whitney optimized the Double Wasp to an extreme (to the extent that the crankshaft is taking so much force that it needs a pair of torsional dampers even after forging) is quite jarring when one comes to realize it still uses the good old carbs to suck in fuel, when at the other side fuel injection was adopted eagerly.


texts: Can anyone tell what kind or even which airplane this is?

texts:
As stated in this post on the Dutch Police website (Google Translate English version) this morning (12th june 2018), they are looking for all available information concerning the image below. All help is appreciated!

[Update] Additional information: the picture was presumably made on the 16th of January 2018 at 20:57 local time. They are looking for any information about airplane type, carrier or maybe even flight number.


texts: What license will one need to fly the Aeromobil flying car in 2022?

texts:
Aeromobil are launching their "flying car" in 2022, after successful test flights.
What kind of license / certification will be required to own / fly one of these? Presumably something less than a PPL, otherwise the barrier to entry will be too high.


texts: Can anyone identify what appears to be a crashed WWII German plane?

texts: This photograph is in my family's photo collection.  The only information with the photo is, "Cousin Bud Kohl - aircraft wreck."   If anyone can identify the make and model it is greatly appreciated.


texts: What's a few of the first things you look at before flying an aircraft you're unfamiliar with. Do you look at emergency procedures, V speeds, or weight and balance. I'm just curious on what other experienced pilots have done in the past when approaching a new aircraft. Do you have your own system on what you look at first? I'm sure some guys and gals have made mistakes and have learned from it, so I'm just wondering if there was something you do particularly when in a new frame.


texts: Why are thrust reversers not used to slow down to taxi speeds?

texts:
In reading this question (Would more throttle when using reverse thrust reduce stopping distance?), it prompted me to remember that on many of my flights (typically on 737s or CRJ type aircraft), it seems that thrust reversers are used for a few seconds after landing, but then are deactivated while the aircraft is still rolling at high speed.  The pilot then utilizes the regular brakes to slow down to taxi speeds.

I am wondering why the pilot does not continue to use thrust reversers down to approximately taxi speeds, to reduce the amount of brake usage (and heating of the brakes) needed.  My only guess would be to possibly avoid the reversers kicking up FOD back into the engine inlets at lower ground speeds, but not sure if that's the real reason or not.


texts: How long is a clearance void time valid?

texts:
You're picking up your IFR clearance on the ground and you get a 10 minute void time from now.

What phase of flight is that 10 minute void time clearance good until?

..your wheels are up?
..a certain altitude?
..on course?
..your initial call to ATC?
..or is it from when ATC gives your position report and says "radar contact"?


texts: Why is it still mandatory to land a plane without autopilot?

texts: I know that there are runways in the world that operate CAT III where the pilot can land with autopilot. But why do most airports with ILS not allow automatic landing?


texts: What is the approximate thrust at sea level for a C-130J Hercules?

texts:
I am looking for the approximate thrust of a C-130J Hercules under ISA sea level conditions. Also the efficiency of its propeller would be of help.
An answer to this question would really help my calculations for an assignment, so I don't have to guess values. If you could direct me to your sources as well, that would be highly appreciated.
The C-130J is equipped with  Rolls Royce AE-2100 D3 engines and the propellers would be the 6-bladed Dowty R391.


texts: Could I hold both an EASA license and a UK CAA license?

texts:
With all the ongoing mess with Brexit at the moment, I'm trying to figure out the wood from the trees so to speak. However there seems to me a bit of mass confusion with it all.
I'm just wondering if I could hold two licences at the same time? If the CAA go ahead and leave EASA, could I hold an EASA ATPL (CPL ME IR)and CAA ATPL (CPL ME IR) together?
If I can, I suspect this is in ICAO somewhere within licensing? And how would I go about it? Can I apply to on authority based on my results with the other (e.g. CAA with EASA results) or would I have to duplicate and thus spend more money to get a CAA one?


texts:
Carrying on from "Why does flying IFR require a rating?" How can a non-IFR rated pilot file and fly SVFR without visual contact with the horizon?

For the U.S., Wikipedia says 1 mile visibility is the limit. Isn't that too low even in daylight?

Having only the surface in-sight, be it a calm lake or urban area, without seeing the horizon, must be a huge workload for a VFR pilot.


texts: Can I use a 150mw green laser to scare pigeons and not interfere with air traffic?

texts:
Pigeons are annoying since they make aggressive cooing noises near my house. Considering many options for their dispersal, it seems lasers are one options since for some reason the lasers drive the pigeons crazy. In one video pigeons are completely dispersed by a 150mw green laser, making it appear to be an attractive option for dispersing my pigeon problem.

However I am concerned that maybe the lasers will continue into the atmosphere past the pigeons, and will affect air traffic....Obviously this is not worth the benefit of dispersing pigeons.

Is this totally out of the question? Are there any rules of thumb one should follow here to be on the safe side to not affect aircraft?


texts: In WW2 aircraft, where were gun cameras mounted, and did they suffer performance penalties?

texts:
During WW2, some aircraft had gun cameras that activated whenever the guns fired, so that people on the ground could evaluate performance and help with kill ratios and other statistics. These were actual video cameras, using film.

I want to know, where were the guns cameras mounted? And how much performance penalty did they incur, in terms of weight and drag added? I cannot imagine that they were actually inside the cockpit, because video cameras back then were big things.


texts: Are tail strike landings preferable for an emergency landing on water?

texts: In this video, would it have been better if the pilot had attempted a tail-strike landing instead of a normal flare?


texts: Are municipal airports in the U.S. treated differently than most public places in regards to legal, holstered, loaded firearm carry?

texts:
Is a municipal airport treated like a normal public place which requires signage or registration with a no-carry list to ban firearms from being carried on the premises, or...

... is a municipal airport treated like a government facility such as a courthouse, post office, or DMV office?

Or is there some other rule regarding guns that are loaded, holstered or otherwise carried on or about a person?

Airport terminals designed primarily for part 121 airline operations which are actively screened by the Transportation Security Administration are beyond the scope of this question.

Laws vary from state-to-state, so if carry is not legal in those states, then this question is not being asked in regards to those states, obviously.

Related: Are US pilots permitted to carry & use their firearm in countries where guns are illegal?


texts:
With the exception of cruise missiles, most missiles don't have any obvious lifting device.

If you watch a missile being fired, prior to its rocket firing it does exactly what you'd expect: momentarily plummet toward the earth. And yet the moment it ignites, it stops falling completely, but without any pitch that you'd expect to counteract gravity; even big missiles like the Phoenix or HARM seem to have gravity-defying characteristics.

Missiles that fire on the rail seems to experience no drop at all.

AIM-9M launch from an FA-18F source

There's a good slow-motion video of the firing of an AMRAAM here.

Now this isn't magic, so I presume either a) the little fins make adjustments so that the rocket is, despite appearances, pointing a little downwards or b) the fins are smart enough to configure themselves to provide the lift needed to keep the missile in the air. But it might be neither.

The question is - generally, how do conventional missiles fly?


texts: Why don't we simulate similarity parameters simultaneously in the same wind tunnel?

texts:
As 'Fundamentals of Aerodynamics' by JD Anderson suggest

Today, for the most part, we do not attempt to simulate all the
parameters simultaneously; rather, Mach number simulation is achieved
in one wind tunnel, and Reynolds number simulation in another tunnel.

Is it done for accuracy? Or Does it need an extra big wind tunnel to do that?


texts: As we know that outflow valve normally closes during climb and cabin altitude also increase but why does outflow valve open if we have selected manual pressurisation and increasing cabin altitude !


texts: What does Lion Air faking the repair of the AoA vane mean for the Florida repair shop that ceased operations?

texts:
This is a lengthy read, but worth it. I'll quote the main piece I am speaking of.

  At the Bali airport, a vane, known as an angle of attack sensor, was replaced. Crash investigators were presented with photographs supposedly showing that a mandatory test was done after the vane had been replaced. But upon further inspection, investigators concluded the photos were from a different aircraft. “This is a test that Lion Air was required to do, and they didn’t,” said John Cox, an aviation safety consultant. If the test had been done, engineers likely would have realized the vane was calibrated incorrectly by 21 degrees

Source: nytimes.com

On Friday, October 25th, 2019, the FAA revoked the repair station certificate of the Florida repair shop that had sold the second-hand part to Lion Air.

  The FAA revocation order said Xtra “recklessly and systemically” failed to comply with federal safety requirements.

Source: Seattle Times

Would the finding in the first article imply the Florida repair shop can reopen for business? Or, did they sell Lion Air the AoA and was miscalibrated by them, and therefore the business will remain closed?

AoA = angle-of-attack


texts: What is the reason of having an Angle of Incidence on an airplane?

texts:
I know that the angle of incidence is the angle between the chord line of the wing and the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. I know that it doesn't change in flight because it is fixed.

And usually, there is a positive angle of incidence on airplanes, which means that the wing kinda looks like this:

credits: Naval Aviation Schools Command aerostudentguide(dot)pdf

My question is, why is there a need to incline the wing like that? Why is there a need for Angle of Incidence?


texts: How are naval jets moved around below the deck of a carrier?

texts:
There are many kinds of jets on an aircraft carrier. I'm curious how they're moved around below deck. They have to be moved around for storage and to get to and from the large elevator that takes them up to and down from the flight deck.

So how are they moved? Is there some tug? Or something powering their wheels? I really hope they don't have to use their jet engines below deck, as that seems very dangerous to me.


texts: How to calculate outside air temperature at a certain altitude?

texts:
I am a PPL student and working on the cross-country planning.
Let's say the OAT is -13º @ 6000', how to calculate the OAT @ 7000'?


texts: What is flight inspection, as provided by Cobham Aviation Services?

texts:
At about midnight, I saw a small plane (a Diamond Twin Star) take off from Heathrow, on flightradar24. It then proceeded to fly in irregular loops around North London, at low altitude, 1700ft. The plane had registration G-COBS, and seems to be owned by "Cobham Flight Services", which provides "flight inspection services". Their web page advertises how good they are, without explaining what they do.

It seemed unusual, as such small planes don't normally use Heathrow, and flying low over a city at night also seems unusual. What was the purpose of a flight like this?


texts: Heard on LiveATC that ATC wants to "cancel" something. What did the ATC mean by that?

texts:
Just heard this on LiveATC:

ATC has cleared the pilot for an ILS approach
ATC then said something to the pilot, to which the pilot replied, "Roger, will cancel with you on the ground, call sign."

What did ATC say to the pilot? What are they cancelling? I didn't catch what ATC said because the audio quality was pretty bad.

The only possible "cancellation" I can think of is the flight plan, but I don't see why they would want to cancel the flight plan if the aircraft has already landed at the destination airport. Any thoughts will be appreciated.


texts: Why shouldn't you use HF radio while refueling?

texts:
FCOM limitations for many aircraft state:

  DO NOT USE HF RADIO WHILE REFUELING

Why is this? I have heard from people that it's because most of the big airliners have a 'notch' antenna for HF; it's a small notch cut at the base of the vertical stabiliser. HF transmission power is fed to this notch and the whole fuselage acts as an antenna,
radiating the power.

Can someone explain in detail and in simple terms?


texts: What is this transport aircraft, and why does it sometimes cary an air data boom when the Soviet Buran Space Shuttle is on top of it?

texts:
This comment in chat points to a "google search of the day" which was for Buran the Soviet version of the Space Shuttle. Looking there I saw images of a large transport aircraft with the Buran shuttle on top. What caught my eye were some photos of  the transport aircraft with what looks like a large, orange air data boom at the end.

My understanding from Quora answers is that these are used for supersonic flight, and I wouldn't expect this shuttle to be transported supersonically.

Question: What is this transport aircraft, and why does it sometimes cary an air data boom when the Buran shuttle is on top of it?

According to this blog it is an Antonov AN-225 but I don't think that is a supersonic aircraft.

above: From thelivingmoon.com. Click for full size views.

below: I believe this is Buran itself, According to @Hobbes' correction/comment, this is the "OK-GLI: a Buran analog (shape is correct, systems are not identical to the orbital vehicle) with 4 jet engines that was used for flight testing in the atmosphere", also with an air data boom. I've kept this here because it's actually pretty cool. From pinterest.


texts: How meaningful is the total number of flight hours?

texts:
What hours count towards the total number of flight hours?

In a long haul flight, do all the hours of the flight count towards the total? Even if the pilot is resting?

Do 10 short flights of 1 hour (that is, 10 times take-off and 10 times landing) count the same as 1 flight of 10 hours (1 take-off, 1 landing)?

Is it possible that two pilots with 1,000 hour have a totally different real flight experience on their back?


texts: What are the wings and fuselage of an airliner made of?

texts: Which materials are used to make the wings and the fuselage of an airliner, for example the Boeing 767 or the Airbus A320?


texts: What distance can you see aircraft lights from?

texts: My parents bought a house and it's approximately 50-60 km from the nearest airport and one day when it was dark I've noticed lights on the sky and because I live in a big city close to the airport I came to the conclusion that this have to be airplane lights. Is it possible to see them from that far?


texts: How able were pilots of three-person cockpits at running the normal FE work?

texts:
This question is about whether a FE could fly solo.

I'd like to know to what degree the pilots could operate the FE console, e.g. if the FE was incapacitated. How much was covered as part of the type rating, and how much did they just pick up while flying?


texts: Does the "Maintenance Indicator" sign on a METAR imply we can't trust it?

texts:
As explained in this Q/A:

What does a dollar sign mean in a METAR?

The presence of a Dollar Sign ($) at the end of a METAR is

  included when an ASOS/AWSS detects that maintenance is needed on the
  system.

Does this therefore imply we should not trust this METAR? If so - why do they even continue to publish it? If not, why are pilots informed that the system requires maintenence?


texts: What did the "gear warning horn" on the North American P-51 sound like?

texts: I'm working on a sound project for a P51 simulation and I'm having real trouble trying to find a reference on how the P51 gear warning horn sounded like. What mechanisms were used in the '40s to make these kind of sounds?


texts: What is a circling approach and why is it necessary? I know that if a runway is not suitable for an instrument approach, the pilots should execute landing on a runway which has an instrument approach available.


texts: How does chord length affect wing design?

texts:
In comments on the answer to a question about transonic speeds and control surfaces I came across this comment and I'm having a hard time understanding it.

  If you increase the chord, lift goes up almost linearly and stability
  decreases, because now the wing's lift force has a longer lever arm in
  flow direction. By increasing chord, you decrease aspect ratio...

There are a few things I am not understanding, but I think they probably relate quite heavily, so I'm going to ask them together.

Firstly, what is the aspect ratio of the wing?  Is that a reference to the incidence of the wing and how a longer wing would mean a larger percentage of the side of the fuselage is covered by the wing (as seen from the front)?  Or am I way off the mark?

Secondly, why does increasing the chord length decrease the stability of the wing? In my mind a longer wing would mean that the craft is more stable because the airflow is being forced into line for a longer period of time.

Lastly, this all relates to how chord length is considered during wing design.  Are there other factors centered on the chord length that should be considered when designing a wing?  And do those factors change depending on the mission of the craft in consideration (eg., trainer v. cargo plane v. jumbo v. Mach 3 spy plane, etc.)?


texts: Why is Transition Altitude fixed but Transition Level is not?

texts: In Jeppesen approach plates we see that the Transition Altitude of the aerodrome is fixed but the Transition Level is not fixed and is given by ATC. What is the reason for this?


texts: Can a pilot transition from a localizer approach to an ILS approach?

texts:
I was recently looking at the approach to RWY 8L at Honolulu, Hawaii (PHNL).

Looking at the approach IAFs, I see the LOC RWY 8L approach has many different options, and has an intercept altitude at 2,300 ft. The ILS RWY 8L approach has three IAFs but none are south of the airport, and the glide slope intercept altitude is 2,700 ft.

In the scenario where a visual approach isn't appropriate and an ILS may be necessary, are there procedures/rules in place for a pilot to transition from the LOC approach to the ILS with glide slope once they are lined up? I know the LOC intercept is at a lower altitude, so can a pilot just intercept the glide slope from that altitude or are the two procedures incompatible and radar vectors are required to line the pilot up for the ILS?

I'm looking specifically at the JULLE5 STAR into the LOC 8L approach. JULLE5 ends at ALANA. The LOC has a IAF from ALANA, while the ILS doesn't (only BOOKE).


texts: How to calculate CL with the use of MTOW?

texts:
I have a problem that it gives us the MTOW of a UAV (200 kg), the speed and the reference area.
So its probably easy to find the CL knowing that it flights at steady level flight (L = W). I'm confused about the use of MTOW. Should we multiply it by the g? (gravity acceleration)

I've done some exercises in the past using lbs as the unit of MTOW and we didnt multiply it with the g. (John Anderson. Aicraft performance and design)
Is it different when using lbs and kgs? I'm confused with the different metric/imperial systems.


texts: Are there regulations for unmanned aerial systems avionics?

texts:
I know that there are documents such as DO-178B, DO-178C and DO-254 that provide guidance and requirements for the development of avionics in general.

In my opinion it's hard to believe that avionics developed for unmanned aerial systems (left) are subject to the same technical requirements than those on board manned aircraft (right).

Therefore I ask:

Are there any specific regulations for avionics on board unmanned aerial systems?
If so, how do they differ from those specified in documents such as DO-178B, DO-178C and DO-254?


texts: What is the take off and landing performance of the MQ-9?

texts:
At maximum takeoff weight (listed on wikipedia as 10,494 lb (4,760 kg), 11,700 pounds (5,300 kg) with upgraded landing gear), what is the minimum runway distance required (not including safety margin) for an MQ-9 takeoff at sea level on a standard day?

It is also stated (same reference), that the improved landing gear provides a 30% improvement in landing max weight.  What is the landing max weight and the corresponding minimum runway distance (again, without safety margin and on a sea level standard day)?


texts:
Most aircraft contain systems which are used to mitigate problems which could be caused by ice. This includes everything from a heated pitot tube to a wing leading edge heated by bleed air. These systems are usually referred to as either deice or anti-ice systems.

What is the difference between deice and anti-ice?


texts: what are the advantages and disadvantages of conventional tail configuration?

texts: I amd a student and I dont know much. So,I need the pros and cons of having a conventional tail configuration over other configuration.


texts: What steps can pilots take to mitigate the risk of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT)?

texts:
One of the inherent risks in flying an aircraft is a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) incident. CFIT occurs when a flight impacts terrain while under positive control. Aside from incidents of suicide, this means the terrain impact came as a surprise to the pilot.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain Awareness is a special emphasis area in the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) practical test standards (PTS). The FAA felt it necessary to include this as a special emphasis area because of the prevalence of this type of incident.

What steps can pilots take to mitigate the risk of CFIT?


texts: How do I find out the fuel consumption of the PT6A for a lightly loaded aircraft?

texts:
The Fuel consumption of PT6 engines provided by manufacturers are as follows.

Cessna Caravan - Consumption ~47? GPH. At full load at ~160? Kn.
Quest Kodiak - Around 49 GPH at full load at ~170 Kn
Pilatus PC12 - Around 69 GPH at full load and cruise speed of ~250Kn

I was analyzing the fuel consumption levels, distance travelled and the impact of the engine, when only one or two passengers are travelling. I couldn't find any information on the internet about fuel consumption when the aircraft is just loaded with 400-600 pounds.
Any information or sources where i could find this information?


texts:
Passenger aircraft have fuel tanks in the wings. Why?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this location ?

examples of disadvantages I would suspect:

added weight increases the structural load applied to the wings
different gravitational forces and wing-bending between full and empty tanks result in repeating stresses shortening the aircraft life-span
higher risk of catastrophic damage to wings in case of in-flight fuel ignition
higher risk of fire when lightning strikes a wing


texts: Where does the lift act on a B747-400 wing when the aircraft flies straight and level?

texts:
I'm doing a math exercise and I'd like to understand:

Where does lift act overall on the wing of a B747-400 when the aircraft flies straight and level at its cruise speed.
Which parameters, if any, may significantly affect the location of this point.

I'd appreciate if you share a reference document.


texts: If Sweden wants to export JAS39 to a 3rd country, will they have to get permission from the US govt.?

texts:
Does Sweden manufacture its own jet engine for JAS Gripen, or does it purchase engines from the USA?

JAS39 C/D uses Volvo RM12
JAS39 E/F uses Volvo RM16

I read on the internet that Gripen's engine is a modified American engine by Volvo. Does that mean that they purchase an engine from the USA and then modify it, or, did they purchase the design, and now they are independent for their own manufacturing?
I am curious to know if the USA's 2% export rules apply to these engines. I.e. if Sweden wants to export JAS39 to a 3rd country, they will have to get permission from the USA's govt.


texts: Principle of aerodynamic lift: are misconceptions also taught in flight schools?

texts:
Describing lift as the result of "equal transit time" on both sides of an airfoil is a fallacious theory widely found in technical books and articles for general public (see below for details about this explanation).

But such explanation is also found in aviation books, in spite being identified by NASA as an incorrect theory (NASA explains that if lift is computed from fluid laws, based on airspeed on both sides of the airfoil, the result will not be in line with what is observed in real life).

Question

Is this very popular theory also taught this way in flight schools? (please note the question is about pilot teaching, not about what is lift.)

Annex: Popular explanation of lift from equal transit time:

Supporters of this theory explain aerodynamic lift results from the differential of pressure between lower and upper sides of a wing created by Bernoulli principle. They say:

Air has to move a longer distance on the upper side because of the curve of the profile (not correct for all wing profiles).
Both sides must be traveled in an equal amount of time so that air molecules that were nearby ahead of the wing, will meet again behind it (may be right or wrong.)

By Bernoulli's principle accelerated airflow has lower pressure. Pressure is then lower on top of the wing, and higher on bottom. Hence the wing receives a force which has a vertical component upward. This component balances the weight of the aircraft, and allows to stay aloft.


texts: Where can I find runway usage statistics of USA airports?

texts: Ok I’m looking for stats and data of planes arriving at various airports and what runways they use most. I need to know the most used runways for arrivals in airports here in the States. Can anyone point me in a direction where I can easily find this info?


texts: Which FAR/AIM addresses Shortest Turn to Assigned Heading vs Runway Traffic Pattern?

texts:
Today I was in a simulator on runway 20R at KSNA. ATC gave me a VFR clearance and told me to fly heading 080 on departure. The runway has right traffic. I turned right and was told by ATC I should have turned left because you're supposed to always take the shortest turn to assigned heading when given a heading, even if the runway has an opposite traffic pattern.

My question is: Where does the FAR/AIM specify this rule? Are there any other legal publications that specify this?

Bonus points if you can cite a reference to this rule in any PPL textbook e.g. Jeppesen's Guided Flight Discovery Private Pilot. Thanks.


texts: When can we apply the typical section in aeroelastic modelling?

texts: I'm currently delving into the field of aeroelasticity. It has been quite challenging so far to find study material that is both thorough and relatively easy to understand. But, unto my question. As you might know, the 'typical section' is a 2D model that is often used for aeroelastic analysis. My question is, are there any structural or aerodynamic requirements that the wing needs to adhere to in order for the typical section to be a suitable model for analysis? If so, what are they? I haven't been able to find it anywhere. Thanks in advance!


texts: Is there a wake turbulence difference between B737s?

texts: I've heard pilots talking about how the new 737s produce much more wake turbulence then the model historically. They described it as similar to the 757, based on anecdotal experience. Have there been any studies of this, or is there a quantifiable difference between 737 models?


texts: Why do turbofan engines not have a contrarotating second fan?

texts: Why aren't planetary gears used to have a fan in front of the fan in a turbo fan engine. Would this not lower energy consumption etc?


texts: Is it legal to land aircraft in national parks and state forests in Australia?

texts:
I was reading about the (very) short takeoff and landing capabilities of the SuperSTOL light aircraft and it occurred to me that it would be pretty easy to set down in a national park or other remote area so long as there was a reasonably flat clearing and visibility.

But what are the regulations regarding legally landing in such places?


texts:
Rudder is usually used to maintain coordinated flight. When banking to one side to begin a turn, the rudder is usually pushed towards that side. I guess this is still valid in inverted flight: in normal flight, if the pilot bank the plane to the right, it also push the right pedal (to conteract adverse yaw); in inverted flight, if the pilot bank to the right, the plane will turn to the right seen from the ground, i.e. the left seen from the pilot. The pilot should apply left rudder to keep coordinated flight.

If the pilot want to make a aileron roll, what will be the general action on rudder given the flight goes quickly from normal to inverted and back to normal, and the pilot don't want to initiate a turn?


texts: How can pilots use receiver function of VOR during lost comms?

texts: In the event of lost comms, are pilots encouraged to try the receiver of the VOR nearby if the VOR provides the function? If they are, what's the proper use of the VOR receiver? Just tune in the VOR frequency in the VHF radio in the cockpit and listen to what ATC says and follow it? Does ATC expect pilots experiencing lost comms would use the VOR receiver as an alternate means of communications?


texts: Is it a rules violation for a pilot to intentionally frighten a passenger to the point of hysterics?

texts:
I saw a "viral video" inside what looks like an inline two-seater being flown from the front seat (shot from the back seat). In the video the pilot slumps over sideways against the window and throttles down, increasingly letting the nose dip, while his passenger freaks out behind him thinking he's passed out and they're going to crash. Eventually the pilot throttles back up and levels off, then turns and smiles at his passenger, having played a trick on him.

The video is almost certainly staged (given how steadily the supposedly-hysterical passenger holds the phone taking the video), but it made me think: Given the unpredictability of people when faced with a life-threatening situation, if it were real, would the pilot in question be breaking a rule and/or law by inciting hysteria in that way? (As opposed to just acting like a massive [expletive deleted].)

Dave, whose eyes are clearly better than mine, says the plane is at about 2,900ft when the pilot starts his little trick and 2,400ft by the end of it, briefly exceeding 1000fpm descent. In addition to my main question, I'm curious whether that's a factor in whether it was a violation; goofing around at low(ish) altitude seems like a Bad Idea™. But the altitude is a side thing (particularly as they were clearly much higher than I originally thought), I'm primarily interested in intentionally inducing hysteria in a passenger.

I suppose we have to choose a locale, so let's say in the U.S.


texts: How come there is no attempt at an "inter-meshing rotorprop" high-speed helicopter?

texts:
There are some prototypes of high-speed helicopters, such as the Eurocopter X³ (X-Cubed), Sykorsky X2, and older ones such as the AH-56 Cheyenne.

At high speeds, forward and backward traveling rotor blades relative to high speed flight path induce asymmetric lift and drag: Forward helicopter flight speed minus backward rotating rotor blade speed may equal zero relative speed, or even a negative value.

So, how come there's no [known] attempt at making an inter-meshing rotorprop helicopter?

Inter-meshing like K-MAX
Rotorprop (pusher) like Sikorsky S-66

It seems to offer a far more symmetric configuration than the examples mentioned above, and as illustrated below:

Below an illustration of assymetry at some positive AoA (view is normal to relative wind):


texts:
I am attempting to identify this aircraft.

The pictures appear to have been taken around 1960.


texts: What is the difference Between Minimum fuel and Mayday Fuel?

texts: what  is the difference Between Minimum fuel and Mayday Fuel ?


texts: Air to air Missile Guidance vs countermeasures

texts:
How do missiles successfully hit an air target despite the fact that nearly all Military aircraft are equipped with countermeasures.

Heat Seeker/Infrared missiles : IR Flares as countermeasure

Radar guided missile : Chaff dispersal as countermeasure

Laser guided missile : Flood Laser to blind missile as countermeasure

Which guidence system has most probability in hitting the target even when enemy deploys countermeasures, is there any guidence systems known which don't have a countermeasure?


texts: Is there a symbols chart or legend for common aerospace equations?

texts:
I've read a lot of answers on this site that make references to various aerospace equations.

So many of these are awesome responses, but I have trouble understanding the math because I don't know what all the symbols in the equation mean, or what units they are referring to.

For example, this question uses the equation below and even has a really cool picture to go along with it:

However when trying to understand the "mass flow" function I didn't see any explanation of what the lowercase "t" variable was.

I am sure this is common knowledge for many people, but are there are any charts out there for amateurs like myself to understand the different symbols commonly used in fluid functions and their implied units?

Or is this really a matter of needing to learn aerospace in general as the equations are too diverse to understand by a symbols cheat sheet?


texts: What are these Lights on the Center Column between Cockpit Windows on the A320?

texts:
I have always noticed there is what appears to be three lights on the center column, which separates the pilot and copilot window of the Airbus A320 family. From the looks, the center light is red and two surrounding lights are white. They also seem to be present in other aircraft, like the A350. Though there they are far less visible and integrate more smoothly into the background colors.
My question is: What are those for? I have checked the FCOM and the internet but I could not find any information on them. See the image below, for the lights I am referring to.


texts: What are the factors behind increasing aircraft window sizes?

texts:
Modern airliners like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 have bigger windows than older designs, like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.

What factors have led to this change of window size, opposite to the trend of almost every other thing in the interior of the plane becoming smaller in size (like the seats).


texts: Why does "V1 increase with decreasing density"?

texts:
The statement made in the question is mentioned in one of the renowned publications.
My contradictions which I have already ruled out as a potential solution:

As Density decreases Vmcg decreases thus V1 is not limited by Vmcg.

As Density decreases Vmbe decreases as there's insufficient cooling
of the brakes, thus V1 should ideally be limited by Vmbe.

At lower density the aircraft needs to be at a higher groundspeed to
achieve the same CAS, but the ASDA would be limiting factor as it
would require a greater stopping distance, this would again limit V1.


texts: What changes were made to the 777 as a result of British Airways 38?

texts:
Regarding the crash of British Airways Flight 38, a 777 inbound to Heathrow, the AAIB final report, section 2.8 states that frozen fuel deprived the engines of fuel pressure resulting in the crash.

What changes were made to the 777 as a result of this event? Additionally, a bonus question... are there any other cases of this issue causing problems on the 777?


texts: What is the noise that the A320 makes on the ground?

texts: I've noticed that planes in the A320 family make a sawing noise on reaching the gate. The link below may give you an idea of what I mean (although the A320 in the video is still taxiing). Is this a hydraulic system or a pressure unit at work?


texts: I am taking a check-ride at an unfamiliar airport.  How should I look for a practice area for maneuvers?


texts: Is there (some form of) penetration testing in aviation?

texts:
I just listened to the first Miles to go podcast about a near miss at SFO where an Air Canada flight nearly landed on a taxiway where 4 aircrafts were waiting to take off. The incoming Air Canada flight wrongly aligned to land on the taxiway, apparently because it got confused by the lighting. Thankfully, someone noticed something was off at the last second, and the plane went around without damage.

The way I understand the podcast, it was a series of edge cases that lined up to lead to the situation. In short (please edit for accuracy if needed):
- one of the runways had its lighting off
- the aircraft had slightly old navigation equipment
- the air traffic controller was alone, and on the phone
- ...

Post incident, the inflight recorder wasn't turned off, so the critical part of the conversation was apparently recorded over, etc...

This all looks very similar to how computer security problems happen: if you input a specific value in this place at that specific moment, under this particular set of circumstances, you can get access to some confidential data.

The software industry has developed penetration testing as a method to find out such problems, where essentially you pay people to try to break into your systems, and possibly reward them every time they find a security problem. It seems like the situation above could have been identified by a similar method.

Does the aviation industry use similar practices? How does it work and what is it called? And if not, what prevents it?


texts: Why do we not have autonomous helicopters?

texts:
We see a lot of fixed wing autonomous UAVs. What is preventing this in the case of helicopters?
I know the helicopter flight dynamics are complicated. But what exactly is the complication in this case?


texts: What is the relationship between fuel mixture and RPM in a reciprocating engine?

texts:
I'm doing a project on a safety occurrence but I don't understand how the RPM of an engine is affected by the fuel mixture.
How does a richer than normal mixture result in lower RPMs?


texts: Why does centre of pressure (drag?) move forward when transitioning from transonic to supersonic?

texts:
I am studying aerospace engineering at college and I am wondering why the centre of pressure moves forward when the aircraft changes from transonic flight to supersonic flight?

Also, is centre of pressure the same as centre of drag? I can't find anything on centre of drag but I've found loads on centre of pressure.


texts: Did WWII fighters have inverted airfoils for horizontal stabilizers?

texts:
Like would for example the P-47 most likely have symmetric, normal or inverted airfoil as horz. tail?

Is my analysis correct?:

It has a CG at 25-32% MAC according to manual. Since AC on wings is usually located around 25% MAC it safe to assume the CG is aft of AC. Since the setup is that way, it would be normal to have horizontal tail producing positive lift.

Also; did typical WWII planes have inverted airfoils as horizontal stabilizers?

What about general aviation planes today?


texts: Is it possible to log IFR currency in a flight simulator without an instructor?

texts:
A flight simulator system company has a system that they say lets you "Log IFR Currency without an Instructor." Can someone explain to me how exactly that works?

Does that mean that an Instrument rated pilot only needs a simulator to stay current?

Note: I am not a pilot so I don't know about currency requirements. I'm just curious.


texts: How is a lead acid battery and a Ni-Cd battery charged on an aircraft?

texts:
How is a lead acid battery and a Ni-Cd battery charged on an aircraft, such as an A320?

Is it constant current or voltage?


texts: How can some stretched derivative airplanes have longer range while most have less?

texts:
On the one side A321 neo has almost the same range as the A320 neo (250 NM difference), and a LR version of A321 neo will have an even longer range. The same goes for  the Dassault Falcon 7x and the longer and longer-range Falcon 8x.

On the other side Boeing 737 MAX line shows a clear tendency: the longer the fuselage the shorter the range. The same tendency can be observed on most aircraft types.

I understand that fuel is generally in the wings which keep the same volume on a stretched derivative, but fuselage can accommodate fuel tanks and range can be a crucial point for aircraft. So why don't/can't aircraft manufacturers propose equivalent range stretched aircraft in general, as the A321 neo does?


texts: Can ATC provide VFR flight following to a VFR aircraft in class E airspace?

texts: Just wondering if ATC can do this or not. I'd also appreciate input on whether it's useful or a good idea, and how it looks in the real world.


texts: It is possible for an airplane to get infested by animals?

texts:
Is it possible for an airplane to become infested by animals like mice or rats?

Is it possible for them to survive?

Do airliners do anything to prevent a scenario like this?

Has it ever happened before?


texts:
I'm looking to rent a jet for a trip round the world with my friends but also since I have my license and MEIR, I'll be able to fly myself and don't want to hire another pilot.

Which single pilot jet has the largest cabin and longest range?


texts: Can I retake my instrument rating written and practical exam with the FAA?

texts: I was looking to get my restricted ATP at a university, but one of the requirements is to get my instrument rating from that university.  Since I already have my instrument rating, but have not flown for 20 years, I would like to get my rating again through the university. Is it possible to retake my instrument rating again with the FAA?  This would allow me to get my Restricted ATP with only 1,000 hours with 60 aviation credit hours from the university vice 1500 hours.


texts: Is it practical to fly IFR into Hawthorne Airport (KHHR) in IMC?

texts:
I am an IFR rated pilot flying 172s and 182s out of Hawthorne Municipal Airport (KHHR) in Los Angeles. I've heard from other pilots that in actual IFR conditions (IMC) it can be difficult to get sequenced for an approach due to the proximity of inbound jet traffic at nearby LAX, perhaps due to separation requirements for IFR aircraft combined with the parallel approaches or the two airports:

What really happens when both airports are landing to the west as is most often the case? My worry is that if I'm returning home on a cloudy day, I might be forced to land at Torrance airport (KTOA) and then Uber it back to my car at Hawthorne.

I've heard from other pilots that they have returned to the area and been told they will have to hold for hours, which obviously makes the Hawthorne LOC approach useless in a practical sense.

Ideally, this question would be best answered by someone who works as an approach controller in the LA basin.