Aeronautical Insanity: switching to secondary tolerances

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Aeronautical Insanity: switching to secondary tolerances

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drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

More F-35 rubbishness. So, you know how the USMC and the UK are buying a STOVL variant so it can operate from forward strips? Yeah, maybe not without those forward operating strips having giant one-piece concrete landing pads that won't explode when the planes land. ARES link

# ¿ Mar 11, 2010 16:46

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# ¿ Apr 20, 2024 02:20

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

blugu64 posted:

What's all this fixed wing nonsense?

When I was a kid, my dad flew 53's, and I got to see about 20 fly in formation over our house. They also gave that F-117 pilot a ride out of serbia. gently caress yo stealth aircraft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SropLtHGew4
I make no apologies for Bon Jovi

You know who lead those apaches into iraq taking out those radar sites so that your fancy pants planes could bomb the poo poo out of it? That's right. MH-53s.

About 10 years ago I saw one of these doing circuits between Albert Bridge and Chelsea Bridge over the Thames. It was virtually silent. Creeped me out tbh.

# ¿ Mar 16, 2010 21:24

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Tetraptous posted:

Granted, the XB-70 was a nuclear bomber (or at least, was supposed to be), went Mach 3, and had a vaugely F-15ish twin vertical - certainly not a Navy plane, but maybe that's where the confusion comes from?

The XB-70 at Wright-Patt is really something to behold, and it's hard to conceive of it's shear size without seeing it in person. A much more impressive aircraft, IMO, than the A-12/SR-71. I recommend the museum there heartily, the XB-70 alone is worth the trip but they have tons of other great stuff too.

Click here for the full 1348x1092 image.

Make sure you get there early though. We arrived at 11 am and missed the last bus going to that part of the museum (since it's on the active duty bit of the AFB or something).

# ¿ Mar 24, 2010 19:05

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

ApathyGifted posted:

There's another reason for tankers refueling tankers: Oceans.

If you have some sort of operation where large planes with a limited range are trying to get halfway across the world, they're gonna need to refuel in mid-air. But we don't have KC-10's and KC-135's parked on every island along the way there. So instead they have a sort of refueling pyramid. You may only need 1 KC-10 to refuel a flight of 4 F-16's, but that KC-10 needs enough fuel to get to the F-16's, refuel them, and get back to base. So it may get refueled by another KC-10 on the way to the F-16's, and refuel again on the way back. And the KC-10 that's refueling it may need to do the same.

I actually had a diagram at some point showing the refueling plan of some really big operation on a map, and it was basically 90% KC-10's and 10% warplanes.

You should see one of the charts that shows how the RAF pulled off the Black Buck raids.

# ¿ Apr 6, 2010 21:04

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Anyone else here at the Reno Air Races? I've not been taking many pics, but I'll post any that look OK when I get back on Monday.

# ¿ Sep 18, 2010 04:58

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

So, as promised, here are the Reno pics:

Dot Matrix sign writing:

One of the L39s being raced:

A Dehavilland Vampire:

C-17

U-2 training T-38, Aggressor F-15

More F-15

A-10

The Snowbirds

U-2

Mustangs getting ready to race

One of the faster Mustangs

P-40

Fairey Firefly

FW-190 What the Fockewulf

More pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/drjonboyg/

# ¿ Oct 4, 2010 21:15

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Nebakenezzer posted:

Not sure if there are any Daily Show fans in this thread, but about a month ago he had an author on named Ann Jacobson who'd written a history of Area 51. I've picked it up, and I'm part way through it. It's a ripping yarn so far; right now I'm in the middle of the CIA's Oxcart program becoming operational. (I didn't realize the SR-71 was originally called the RS-71, until Lyndon Johnson accidentally transposed the letters when announcing it's existence.)

A little story from the book: when the Bell P59 Airacomet was being flight tested in the Mojave desert, it was of course, top secret. Propless airplanes in 1943 was a alien idea back then, so the air force was careful to keep them out of sight, even fixing fake props to them when they were on the ground. Still, P-38 Lightning pilots on training would occasionally fly close enough to get a good look.

So, the head test pilot orders from a Hollywood prop shop a gorilla mask, which he wears the next time a Lighting pilot was peeping. The test pilot also flies close enough to the Lightning so the Lightning pilot can get a good look inside the cockpit.

So, upon landing, the Lightning pilot heads straight to the local bar, orders a stiff drink, and announces that he's seen a propless airplane being flown by a Gorilla. Naturally, no one believes him. And because of this, all the other Airacomet test pilots order their own Gorilla masks.

That book is a crime against humanity. Well, Aviation, at any rate.

# ¿ Sep 17, 2011 17:49

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

PREYING MANTITS posted:

Ugh. I just finished the section of the book dealing with the Oxcart program which was pretty interesting and a good read but now I'm getting to the point where everyone says it goes off the deep end. I wish she would have ended it when that reviewer suggested she end it. drat it.

I warned you! (the reviewer was me). The problem is, you basically can't believe anything you read in the book, because who knows what else is made up bullshit that she fell for. It poisons the entire well. The Oxcart pilots who've been going to book signing events with her have basically had to tell people half the book is made up.

# ¿ Sep 25, 2011 12:50

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

azflyboy posted:

I think the NASM suffers from being a pretty old building that has to display things that are inherently bulky and fairly large. It doesn't help that many of their display galleries date from the 1970's, and most of those are showing their age pretty badly at this point.

Right, you can tell that all their time has gone into the new place for the past few years.

# ¿ Oct 3, 2011 12:43

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Didn't the conspiracy theorists claim that all the Area 51 stuff moved out there a few years ago?

(obviously I am not saying they did, but i remember reading some nutter claiming that's where the UFOs went)

# ¿ Oct 7, 2011 20:19

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Godholio posted:

Goddamn, John Young. On top of a career as a Navy test pilot, he flew the first manned Gemini mission with Gus Grissom (and smuggled a corned beef sandwich aboard), commanded Gemini 10, flew the Apollo 10 command module, was on the Apollo 13 backup crew that had to figure out how to turn *this* into *that*, commanded Apollo 16 and was the 9th man to walk on the moon, set the Lunar Rover speed record, and commanded STS-1.

This guy is an American hero with a capital AMERICAN HERO.

He comes off incredibly badly in Mike Mullane's memoir about his time as a shuttle astronaut. Interesting book, although you have to put up with a lot of boorish sexism for a while.

Still, anyone that flew in a shuttle is a hero in my book.

# ¿ Nov 15, 2011 00:43

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Godholio posted:

F-4s could get off a ramp deck?

Perhaps you should look into who invented the steam catapult and angled flight deck.

# ¿ Dec 28, 2011 15:27

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Godholio posted:

That has nothing to do with what I said? I was surprised that the heavy- and ungainly-as gently caress F-4 could get up. Nothing to do with who was operating it.

Apologies if I got the wrong impression. These should make up for it:

USS Lexington by Dr JonboyG, on Flickr

# ¿ Dec 31, 2011 23:57

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

SyHopeful posted:

Alpha male cockiness. Not that Yeager didn't have reasons to be so, but apparently he really looked down upon any pilots that weren't fighter jocks.

He's on twitter, and I have to say, he might have been my childhood hero but I don't think I'd ever actually want to meet him now.

# ¿ Jan 17, 2012 01:33

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Memphis Belle was good, but nothing's going to beat The Battle of Britain for actual old warbirds (in this case from the Spanish Airforce) on film.

# ¿ Jan 23, 2012 04:07

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Throatwarbler posted:

Had a look on wikipedia and came across this gem.

I...uh...what?

Hardly surprising though - they did the same thing with the development of the Lightning.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2012 18:38

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

I got to watch STS-135 from the big countdown clock: http://arst.ch/q6e http://youtu.be/a0vbDFKa1oQ

It was the first time I realized it takes sound about 5 seconds to cover a mile.

# ¿ Feb 14, 2012 18:36

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

revmoo posted:

Well it's certainly not worth $500 an hour or whatever a flight costs.

What is this, 1950?

# ¿ Feb 16, 2012 23:53

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Shai-Hulud posted:

Its just...wrong to let a blackbird rot.

You should probably steer clear of the Air and Space Museum in San Diego then. They have an A-12 outside the front that is looking sadder and sadder each year.

# ¿ Mar 12, 2012 23:31

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

meltie posted:

The one on the Intrepid was in crap condition too. The cockpit was mildewed and the tyres had bleached white and dry-rotted

In the 13 years between my visits to the Intrepid it seems like they restored that one a bit - it looked a lot less sorry last year than it did in 1998, but you're right, I remember it looking pretty shocking the first time I saw it.

# ¿ Mar 13, 2012 01:24

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Slo-Tek posted:

I was told a thing, by one of the curators at the Virginia Air Museum (which also has an outdoor SR-71). The thing was that the ferrite paint that is authentic to the SR-71 doesn't look right until it's been cooked on at mach 3. So when they need to referb, they have the choice of going with some matte black krylon that looks like it is supposed to, or an authentic paint that will be the wrong color and look weird.

Now, I don't know if it is so, or if this curator was even in a position to know this. This was one of the professional staff, not a volunteer docent. But that is what I was told.

You know, I can actually believe that.

I'd love to see one restored to bare metal:

# ¿ Mar 13, 2012 02:25

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

It might not actually be an F-16.

# ¿ Mar 20, 2012 23:07

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Sagebrush posted:

The Americans conducted years of expensive studies to determine the least-visible schemes for the majority of conditions under which their planes would be flying, increasing operational effectiveness by a small but definite margin.

The Russians said "who cares about that poo poo, let's make it look loving cool".

(fun fact: when they were developing the F-117, the Skunk Works did some studies to determine the least visible paint scheme for the high-altitude dusk raids that would be its main mission. The eventual conclusion was that the best color would be a dusty orangeish-pink. They painted it black because they thought no one would agree to fly a pink airplane.)

Didn't the RAF paint everything pink for Desert Storm?

# ¿ Mar 21, 2012 02:33

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

angryhampster posted:

I believe you mean Custodianship of the Two Holy Mosques.

You mean the worlds largest and most easily recovered oil deposits.

# ¿ Mar 31, 2012 21:07

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

The -C model is probably done now. The UK have changed their mind yet again (STOVL! No, cats! No, STOVL! No, cats! No, STOVL!) and the USN hates single engined planes.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2012 12:32

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

MrChips posted:

The Boeing 777 (and, I imagine, all subsequent Boeing models) and the FBW Airbuses all have a sort of "dead-man switch" mode, where progressively more noticeable alarms will go off in the cockpit if no crew input is detected for a period of time.

On the topic of a "get me down" autopilot mode, the only civil aircraft I can think of that have one are the Gulfstream G650 and, incredibly, just about any light GA aircraft equipped with later revisions of the Garmin G1000 (the technology gap between a modern airliner and a modern Cessna/Piper is absolutely staggering, and not in the direction you'd think either). I imagine many more will have this feature in years to come.

There's also that Cirrus device that James Fallows raves about (basically a giant parachute that brings your plane down slowly instead of at terminal velocity).

# ¿ Apr 23, 2012 17:38

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Interesting article on American Airlines trying to get out of having sold people unlimited passes back in the 80s and 90s: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-0506-golden-ticket-20120506,0,3094073,full.story

# ¿ May 6, 2012 22:24

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Cygni posted:

Just read that there actually two groups trying to restore a Twin Mustang to flying status. I still refuse to believe any of the pictures of these loving things are real, I don't care if my grandfather flew em. Yall are goofin' me and I'm tired of it.

With two pilots, did they have to be ridiculously coordinated to prevent them from just flying around in circles, or did one steer and the other control the power, like an offshore racing powerboat?

# ¿ May 9, 2012 01:27

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

CDG, accept no substitutes.

# ¿ May 23, 2012 00:28

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Linedance posted:

I took the Air France a380 from Heathrow to CDG last summer for the hell of it (cheap flight, and got to fly on a 380!). There was 1 (one) guy manning the immigration desks. For an entire a380. The look on his face as the customs hall began to fill was priceless.

Never had a particularly bad time there though, even had a pretty decent time when we got caught up in strike season. Was sure we were going to miss our flight but as these things go (and because I was able to check in from the train back from Biarritz) all the strikes conspired to make our departing flight just late enough to make it through to the gate and have a much needed massive Heineken before departure. The few staff that were there were very friendly.

We had the same experience six years ago - nearly missed our flight back to the US because of the line getting through passport control because there were only two desks open out of a row of 20. Never flying through there again. Orly, if it has to be Paris.

# ¿ May 24, 2012 00:12

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Space Gopher posted:

At this point, you're not building a B-17 from the original design, you're designing and building a new plane that just happens to look very much like a famous WWII bomber. And, as cool as that would be in rich-guy-financed fantasyland, it's not really practical for a restoration job, even a "cut serial number out, weld onto new airplane" project like what's almost certainly going to happen with the Liberty Belle.

(also, if you wanted a really badass private plane, the B-29 would be so much better - pressurized comfort, plenty of elbow room, and a panoramic front view!)

If you're going to do that you might as well go the whole hog and do a B-36.

# ¿ Jul 11, 2012 13:15

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

HeyEng posted:

Regardless of your stance on the Raptor or not, it photographs well. Here's a few photos from my day at the airshow where I should've worked more and not hosed off with my camera. I'll post other planes later.

Click for embiggened.

Saw a great display by an F-22 (and a heritage flight with the F-22 and a P-51) at the Andrews open day last month.

Shame the Raptor just got comprehensively smoked by German Typhoons: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/07/f-22-germans/

I guess the question is, do we believe that US pilots will be allowed to actually engage BVR targets or will ROEs demand visual identification to make sure the jet jockeys aren't shooting down airliners by mistake?

# ¿ Jul 30, 2012 18:04

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Delivery McGee posted:

A two-ship of CH-53Es just flew low over my house (for the second time today, but the first time I didn't get outside fast enough to see what was making all the noise).

They're a lot louder than I expected -- I've seen videos of them, and had lots of smaller helicopters and C-130s fly over -- but the Super Stallion has one hell of a bass note to it that doesn't come across on video.

About 11 or 12 years ago I was walking to work across Albert Bridge in London, and an MH-53 was doing circuits between Albert and Chelsea Bridges, over the Thames. The odd thing was, unless it was it's closest point to me, it was completely silent. Never figured out why an MH-53 would be flying silently in circles above the Thames but I must have watched it for about 10 minutes.

# ¿ Oct 2, 2012 21:21

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

ApathyGifted posted:

My house got buzzed by a ch-53 when i was a kid. Later that day there was a 3.0 earthquake (my first, living on the east coast and all). I thought the big helicopter came by again, just not as close that time.

How'd they make the Pave Lows so quiet?

# ¿ Oct 3, 2012 20:13

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

slidebite posted:

So Mrs. Slidebite and I are planing our next vacation and came across this:

http://www.brooklandsconcorde.com/moreinfo.html

An authentic Concorde flight sim.

Almost enough to make me what to go to the UK.

Long shot I know, but has anyone here done it?

Had planned to check it out last time we were back in the UK but we got screwed by flight delays so had to write off the idea.

# ¿ Nov 28, 2012 23:14

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Blistex posted:

I'm not even American and this bugs me to no end. Oh look, the Gerald Ford grounded on a reef, and the George Bush is violating a nation's international waters. poo poo! The navigation computer on the Reagan is on the fritz and it's just going around in circles! Does every president need to have a warship named after him?

No, just Republican ones, but don't forget we also name aircraft carriers after horrible racist cunts like Stennis and Vinson, too.

edit - I should clarify I was just talking about CVNs.

# ¿ Dec 3, 2012 21:46

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

D'oh.

# ¿ Dec 3, 2012 23:07

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

The budget of the F-35 program is actually about the same size as the budget for Australia

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/the-f-35-a-weapon-that-costs-more-than-australia/72454/

# ¿ Dec 20, 2012 12:37

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Nebakenezzer posted:

In the 1950s, scientists actually studied the idea of a dirty bomb, and concluded that aside from elevating the cancer risk in the area effected, they would do nothing.

People often say stuff like this, but please remember that science has come a very long way in 60 years.

# ¿ Dec 26, 2012 03:14

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# ¿ Apr 20, 2024 02:20

drgitlin: Jul 25, 2003; luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Slo-Tek it looks like you had the world's best Christmas.

# ¿ Jan 1, 2013 16:58

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Aeronautical Insanity: switching to secondary tolerances

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