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Have jet engines ever "Sheared" off? I have read that jet engines, at least the under-wing ones, are attached to the airplane by shear nuts and bolts so that in case of unstable forces in or on the engine, the engine would fall off to prevent further damage to the airframe. Have there been any incidents and or accident...	On October 1992, a El Al 747-200F crashed after takeoff due to engine separation, at Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
What are the advantages or disadvantages of a mid wing design? Are there advantages or disadvantages to a mid wing design for a monoplane? If so, how would this design compare to a high wing or a low wing monoplane design? What might be the aerodynamic advantages or disadvantages? What might be the design or structu...	It is aerodynamically the cleanest and most balanced, but the carry-through spar can reduce the useful fuselage volume near its centre of gravity, where space is often in most demand.
Can multiple helicopters be used to lift a heavy load? If the load is heavier than a single helicopter could lift, how possible is to use multiple helicopters for this task? I have only seen this in some movies. The biggest doubts are If we attach two ropes to the single point of the load in a V shaped way, a side f...	Yes, this is possible, as demonstrated in this video from almost 2 years ago: Video The natural way to lift something like this would seem to be seperate slings at the two ends, which would counteract the side force problem but at the cost of having the two helicopters very close.
What happens to Flight Testing Aircraft after Testing is over? Are aircraft used for flight testing typically sold to Airline customers after their use for flight testing is over? e.g. The aircraft shown in this SE Aviation Question: Why are these windows on some airplanes red? Sounds like a lot of money to waste s...	Particularly new aircraft (and derivatives thereof) tend to go to customers as testing becomes more refined and the cause of less design changes: Boeing 777-200LR prototype went to Pakistan International Airlines as AP-BGY Boeing 747 - The first ever Boeing 747 was used exclusively as a test aircraft and was later hand...
Can a passenger plane stand still in the air, or hover at a fixed location above a ground? This Gizmodo link shows that a commercial passenger aircraft can stay at single location without any movement with respect to ground. (Is it real, an illusion, or faked?) I have heard a friend saying that this happens for flig...	An airplane can be stationary over the ground if the air is moving over the ground quickly enough. In the video it does not happen and I seriously doubt it has ever happened in real life.
What is the purpose of eyebrow windows? Nowadays they are no longer needed but why do they cover them up like in this photo? What is their purpose and why aren't they used anymore? Source <Q> Wikipedia answers this on the Boeing 737 page : <S> Most 737 cockpits are equipped with "eyebrow windows" positioned above ...	The eyebrow windows were originally used in tight turns to help the pilots align with the runway.
What is this line found above the door on many aircraft? Many aircraft have this line above the door as seen in the photos below. What is it, and what is its purpose? Source Source <Q> This is a close up of the rain gutter over the main cabin door of a Beechcraft King Air B200, showing the channel that would catch ...	They are designed to catch rain that runs off the upper surface of the aircraft fuselage and channel it away from the open aircraft door so that the water does not enter the cabin. These are rain gutters .
Why doesn't the A320 have a dorsal fin like the 737? The A320 doesn't have a dorsal fin, but the 737 does. If the 737 is more or less a similar aircraft, why doesn't the A320 have a similar dorsal fin? By Bill Larkins [ CC BY-SA 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons <Q> Boeing learned the value of a dorsal strake the hard way...	The fact that the 737 was originally designed in the 1960's for turbojet engines, while the A320 was designed in the late 1980's with the more powerful turbofan engines, may be the reason that Airbus made the whole vertical stabilizer wider.
Can you help me identifying an A-4 Skyhawk-like jet? I'm having trouble identifying a jet and am hoping someone can provide some help. Here is the best picture I've been able to capture. The closest similar jet I've been able to find is the A-4 Skyhawk , which shares many of its features, but even in looking throug...	Looks to be a pair of T-A4K Skyhawks carrying a center-line droptank
Is there a relationship between control surface deflection and a particular turn radius or bank angle? I am making a project which includes automation of aileron, rudder and elevator deflection. Is there a quantifiable relation which can tell me the amount of deflection required for any radius of turn if the other pa...	Aileron deflection affects your roll rate , but you can roll rapidly or slowly to whatever chosen angle of bank... and the angle of bank (along with true airspeed) is what determines your turn rate and radius.
In what manner was the Vympel R-73 (AA-11 Archer) a game-changer in comparison with NATO's missiles? I have heard that when the Vympel R-73 air-to-air missile was introduced it was a game-changer. I have also heard that after the collapse of the Soviet block it was tested by NATO (via re-united Germany) and NATO was...	According to Peter “Stoini” Steiniger a JG 73 Pilot, who flew Mig-29s in East Germany, The nice airframe in combination with one weapon was the killer:
Why do pilots need the ceiling, time, and dew point in the ATIS? For example: Ceiling: what is the ceiling? Why do they need to know the ceiling? Zulu time: what is the zulu time? Dew point: why do they need to know the dew point? <Q> The ceiling is the lowest altitude where clouds cover more than half of the sky. ...	In terms of aircraft performance, the dew point is also needed to determine the true density altitude , when combined with the pressure and temperature . Zulu or UTC time is helpful as a worldwide reference in fields like aviation, to avoid issues like dealing with changing between local time zones.
Why do some airports have to put 2 jetbridges on one aircraft? At a gate in Denver Int'l there is a United plane with 2 jetbridges. Why do some airports have to put 2 jetbridges on a plane? Is it necessary? <Q> It is not strictly necessary. <S> But it is done in order to save time. <S> More points of passenger lo...	The reason they use 2 or sometimes even 3 (A380) for wide-body aircraft (I have seen 2 on a B757, but that is rare) is because the more entrances to facilitate faster boarding and unloading passengers from the airplane.
Has Air Traffic Control ever had to talk a first time pilot through a landing due to an emergency? This question deals with the plausibility of the Hollywood cliché of a passenger on a commercial jetliner landing a passenger plane. My question is related but broader, and less hypothetical: Has anyone ever found t...	In 2009 the pilot of a Kingair 200 ( Registration No. N559DW ) fell unconscious and died during flight while flying over South Florida, and a passenger took control and landed at Fort Myers International Airport.
Who sells aviation fuel to airports? I want to ask about the jet fuel purchasing cycle. Is it the airport that buys the jet fuel from refineries and then sells it to the airlines? Or do airlines buy fuel directly from refineries? <Q> The airport is buying fuel and selling to airlines. <S> And more over, they provide di...	Airports themselves will fuel airliners with on-hand supplies of JET-A and be reimbursed for it by the petrol companies.
How do stealth aircraft get ATC? I believe that all aircraft must be controlled under ATC's instructions to fly safely especially when take-off and landing. And, most ATC instructions are conducted by ground radar which controllers use. But I know that the stealth aircraft (including B-2, F-22 etc.) aren't captured on...	If they are not on a tactical mission and stealth is not required, they will simply turn on their transponders and communicate with ATC on the required frequencies.
Is it possible for a plane to use cameras and screens instead of a clear windshield? I was just wondering: is it possible to have a commercial plane with no cockpit windshield, just external cameras and video screens? The question come in my mind after reading the nth occurrence of laser in pilot's eyes . Moreover, a...	At present, there is nothing wrong with windshields in aircraft (pointing laser at aircraft is illegal; anyway, lasers can damage camera sensors too). The drawbacks to safety outweigh the benefits of doing so.
What are the guidelines for call signs for aircraft dealing with US ATC? Suppose a general aviation aircraft is operating VFR under part 91. When they call ATC they'd normally use their tail number as the call sign. Something like "November 1-2-3 Foxtrot Uniform." What if they called up as "little piggy 27?" Are there ...	In other words, your call sign must be approved in advance by the FAA, otherwise you can't legally use it per FCC regulations.
Why is it called "Dry Thrust"? When reading the specifications of a jet aircraft anywhere on the Internet, it usually states that its engine produces X pounds of "dry thrust". Why is it called "Dry" Thrust? As opposed to what? <Q> Dry thrust usually means the non-augumented thrust i.e. thrust without the use of afterb...	Dry thrust refers to an afterburning engine running without afterburner .
What is the difference between the Maximum Glide and Minimum Sink ratios? In this comment a brief explanation is made of the differences between Max Glide Ratio and Min Sink Ratio: Sink rate is how much altitude you lose over time, for example, how many feet per second. So minimum sink is the lowest sink rate you c...	To review, the key differences are: Glide ratio specifies how "flat" the glide angle is Minimum sink specifies the minimum vertical speed the glider can fly at One flies at best glide speed to maximize the distance covered vs altitude lost One flies at minimum sink speed to maximize altitude gain in lift
Can we eliminate the center tank of large passenger planes? This is a safety question about fuel and fires. This all regards commercial aviation for large passenger planes. Most fuel is stored in the wings, but in the largest planes, there's also a center tank for the longest flights. It's this center tank I'm concer...	Some military aircraft do carry fuel in removable underwing fuel pods (particularly fighters being ferried somewhere, where increased endurance/time between refuelings is more important than performance for that particular mission).
How do door seals work? The pressurization in the cabin requires the doors have their seals working properly. How do they prevent pressurized air from leaking from the doors? <Q> How do they prevent pressurized air to leak from the doors? <S> They don't. <S> The seal does not have to be perfectly airtight. <S> Th...	Like any pressure seal they are generally rubber seals.
What are the pro/cons of polyhedral cranked wings? Dihedral wings seems to be very common (almost if not all low-wing airliners, many modern gliders,...). Polyhedral seems to be less common and mainly found in relatively old aircraft (F4 Phatom, F4U Corsair, DR400,...). By polyhedral, I mean at least 2 dihedral angle w...	A polyhedral wing provides a compromise: a steep dihedral at the tip of the wing in order to maximize stability, and a shallower dihedral angle closer to the root in order to maximize lift.
Where does the final approach segment begin on an ILS approach? Where does the final approach segment begin on an ILS approach? It may not be as simple as it sounds to answer. The reason I ask is because I've found some support for at least two answers. One is that final begins when passing the glide slope intercept p...	Final approach segment begins no sooner than the Final Approach Fix or Final Approach Point, however, it can begin later if you intercept the final approach course below the FAF/FAP published altitude, in which case the Final Approach Segment begins at the point of glide slope capture/intercept.
In the traffic pattern, what is the appropriate distance from the runway for the downwind leg? Specifically for a piston general aviation aircraft, is there a recommended distance from the runway to fly the downwind leg? Does this change based on the speed of the aircraft? <Q> AOPA has a nice over view of non towered ...	This leg should be approximately 1/2 to 1 mile out from the landing runway, and at the specified traffic pattern altitude. Most instructors say that (in a low wing plane) you should see the runway on the tip of the wing or between the tip and 1/4 in the wing.
Why are modern regional jet designs shifting towards under wing engines? Historically regional jets (eg, MD-95/B717 , CRJ-700/900 , ERJ-145 , etc) have had their engines mounted near the rear of the fuselage. But, recently, regional jets are increasingly using an under wing configuration ( E-170/175 , Sukhoi SJ100...	From the airline/customer point of view, the mounting of engine on the wing is better in two respects- reduced maintenance due to engine accesibility and reduced noise in cabin.
How do I determine the center of gravity on aircraft? What are the parameters considered and what formulas are used to find the Center of Gravity on an aircraft? <Q> You ask particularly about the Center of Gravity (CG), but not the weight. <S> Any CG calculation will necessarily include the weight as a component of th...	For flight operations, most aircraft have an information manual or operating handbook that will prescribe the calculation. For light planes, you can get a good approximation with a bathroom scale.
What are the uses of gyroplanes? From my understanding, a gyroplane (autogyro): Is a rotocraft . Uses an unpowered rotor for lift generation, instead of wings. Uses a propeller for horizontal translation like an airplane. Cannot take off vertically or hover contrary to an helicopter. Can land vertically like an ...	The main advantage of the gyroplane is that they cost less and are easier to maintain, compared to other type of aircraft.
Does a request for a Pop-Up IFR clearance constitute filing a flight plan? Introduction Pop-up IFR clearances are an accepted way to transition from VFR to IFR flight by obtaining an IFR clearance. They are well documented from a controller's perspective in this Tarrance Kramer article appearing in AvWeb and from a ...	A "pop-up" IFR clearance counts as filing an IFR flight plan.
What is the need for TCAS? Isn't it the job of the air traffic controller to assign altitudes and make sure airplanes do not collide in mid-air? Is having TCAS mandated or optional? If it is a mandate, then is there a mechanism to notify other airplanes that TCAS is off? <Q> TCAS is part of a defense in depth strategy ...	TCAS is used as a last line of defense to avoid a collision.
How much effect does the ground have on flight control when flying low? In this awesome video, shot at the "Mach Loop" in Wales, F-15Cs fly down the valley, then cross a ridge very low to the ground. While it's difficult to tell from the video just how low they really are, they seem to be fairly close. How much effec...	Low is of course a relative term but at a sufficiently low altitude a plane will physically experience ground effect . Speaking from a GA perspective, the controls become lighter and the airplane floats or doesn't want to touch the ground.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of mixing the bypass flow with the core flow? Many Aircraft engines mix the bypass air with the core gases before exhausting to atmospheric pressure through a propelling nozzle. However, some do not mix and have separate nozzles for the flow of each. What are the advantages and...	Bypass allows a few things, it provides a cooling flow of air to mix with turbine exhaust and lower the overall exit temperature
Can passengers tell (without GPS etc.) where the aircraft is heading to? I was watching Mayday Varig Flight 254 and at minute 38 it said that some passengers noticed that the plane was flying in the wrong direction. This accident took place in 1989 , so my question is: without 'modern' aids like GPS, smartphones, in...	A wide variety of observable phenomena and general attentiveness can lead to an approximate understanding of which direction the aircraft is heading in.
Why is this 777 with doors and windows covered? It's in the desert somewhere and it has its windows and landing gear and doors covered. Why is it that? Of course, it's not in service anymore... Source <Q> The aircraft is in storage. <S> The Boeing 777-212(ER) seems to operated by Singapore Airlines under lease from Pe...	Currently that airplane is in storage per planespotters.net .
How do you convert true airspeed to indicated airspeed? Is this something found in the POH? I know there is a IAS and CAS chart. <Q> Short Answer Getting to grips with Aircraft Performance and Calibrated Airspeed are two good places to start! <S> The short answer: From TAS to IAS $IAS= <S> f(TAS)$: <S> $$IAS =...	You should find it in the POH.
What is the exact meaning of CAVOK and CAVU? How are they used by pilots and ATC? Do CAVOK (ceiling and visibility okay) and CAVU (ceiling and visibility unlimited) have formal definitions worldwide? CAVOK, source: formercaptain.ca Are they used in ATC communications? <Q> CAVOK is formally defined in ICAO Annex 3 (...	CAVU is not formally defined in Annex 3 .
How does an airline open a new route? How do they manage to open a new route? For example Dubai-Panama. Do they have to open new airways? <Q> No. <S> You do not need to create new airways. <S> You stick up to the already existent waypoints or not, if the route flies through a segment of free-route airspace. <S> Also...	Each airline has its own policy and the process may vary but fundamentally the procedure done is to make a study of all the parameters that can affect to guarantee safety and efficiency.
Are there any cockpit indications when an engine has separated from the aircraft? On this answer, there is a comment that asks if there is an alerting alarm of some sort when an engine falls off an airplane. Is there a direct alarm from the engines specifically saying "You lost an engine" to warn that an engine has ...	So to summarize: There is an alarm for engine failure and engine fire I've never heard of any aircraft with such an alarm, but I don't know about all of them out there.
What happens if you exceed the maximum speed on a C172? The airspeed indicator has a red marking that means: "never exceed this speed" ($V_{NE}$, around 160 KIAS). Why can't you exceed that speed? <Q> You can, but you have to live with the consequences. <S> There are several things that can happen: <S> Depending on ...	Think of $V_{NE}$ as the speed at or beyond which the structural integrity of the airframe is not guaranteed.
What is the difference between a leading edge flap and a slat? I always thought that the definition of slat was: "Lift modifying and adjustable wing element on the leading edge of main airfoil." and the definition of flap was: "Lift modifying and adustable wing element on the trailing edge of main airfoil." However...	Slats create a "slat" between the slat body and the wing leading edge so the air can pass from the bottom to the surface to hold off a stall to a higher AoA, flaps merely extend it fore and aft and direct the flow downwards for more lift.
Is it possible to detect a pitot static failure (blockage) of air data probe during flight and alert the pilot? Loss of static and pitot tubes affect the display of airspeed, altitude, vertical speed information. Loss of this information can be catastrophic for flight. How are the pilots communicated about the failure...	Detecting a blocked pitot or static port: This is not done , but is possible (e.g. send some air from the back of the tube in a pitot, and see if it can exit the tube at a normal rate (which is dependent on several parameters). In smaller aircraft that don't have redundant pitot-static systems (light singles usually do...
Why is New York-London used in time measurement for aircraft? Looking around aviation news and history, I see that many commercial aircraft are touted to have this or that much time fly between New York and London. What caused the route between these two cities to be used in measuring the "speed" of the aircraft? <Q> T...	I suggest that the particular international air route is used because (1) both countries speak English and (2)
MD81: Why are there so many lights on the fuselage? Looking at this photo I can see lots of lights on the fuselage of this MD81. It can't be a reflection, can it? Source: Airliners.net Why are there so many lights? <Q> <A> On the fuselage, only 3 per side (discounting the red anti-collision which is above/below): ...	I think they are reflection from some light posts in the background environment (green line above the blue "horizon" light), and the reflection of the wingtip position light.
Where can I get aviation weather information? Where can I get weather information (preferably something similar to what pilots get) for a non-pilot? I usually use flightradar24 for flight tracking, would love to see weather data as well. <Q> NOAA collects <S> METAR s (current weather) from all over the world and pu...	The METAR page gives up to date weather observations for airports throughout the US.
Why is angle of attack information not displayed in the cockpit? Would not it be useful to have the angle of attack information displayed on the flight display? I know that we have shakers that alert pilot when the critical AOA is exceeded, but still we have cases of pilots stalling the aircraft (sometimes stalling one...	Many aircraft do include them, because it's very useful.
When should a pilot use the word "takeoff?" I've been taught before that the word "takeoff" should only be used when reading back a clearance, and that when requesting a clearance pilots should advise "ready" or "ready for departure." Here's the really critical point to the question. I've always believed that the word...	The word "Takeoff" should only be used when clearing somebody for takeoff, acknowledging your takeoff clearance, or cancelling/acknowledging a cancelled takeoff clearance.
How does pregnancy affect airline pilots operating under FAA regulations? Female airline pilots have an area of medical concern that male pilots don't deal with: reproductive issues. If a female airline pilot operating at an air carrier in the United States of America under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wer...	As long as the pilot is having a first class medical, her pregnancy should have no effect on the operations, at least legally, though the regulations differ from country to country.
How do you know if a VOR is High, Low, or Terminal? Is there any way of telling on both a VFR and IFR chart what type of VOR we are looking at? <Q> Typically terminal VOR's do not have compass roses around them if they are strictly terminal VOR's. <S> I can't find an example of one <S> so I don't have an image for it. ...	The terminal VOR are mainly of low and the airway VOR are mainly of high type. By checking the frequency band you can also understand the type of that VOR.
What are these grilles in the passenger cabin of this 787? Below the windows, ahead of the seat, there are small grilles. Look: Source: Airliners.net What are those for? <Q> The answers to this question indicate that these are the exhaust vents for the cabin air circulation. <S> I think they appear to be much too ...	The grilles are almost certainly meant to equalize pressure between the cabin and cargo bay, particularly in case of rapid decompression.
How can I get General Aviation flight data on smartphone and/or tablet? Is it possible to in-flight receive navigation data on an electronic device (like smartphone and/or tablet) present in the cockpit?I refer to General Aviation aircraft and navigation data like airspeed (not groundspeed), GPS and AHRS data. <Q> Garm...	As other answers have said, a simple GPS and AHRS integration of the sensors in your tablet/smartphone can give a pretty good approximation of the data you are asking for, but things like airspeed, navigation waypoints, and other on-board sensor data are not generally available without a product like Connext.
For calculating $V_{stall}$, why should be used $C_{L,max}$ and not $C_{L,min}$ (that would be more prudent)? Premise: In level unaccelerated flight we have relation $W=L=\frac{1}{2}\cdot\rho\cdot V_{stall}^2\cdot S\cdot C_{L,max}$ (taken from book Daniel P Raymer "Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach" equation (5.5)...	What you're asking is the $V_{S}$ , the minimum flight speed at which the airplane is controllable.
Why don't we get more user-friendly weather reports than METARs? This question is not about how to decode METARs or what software or tools can be used to decode METARs. It is about why we are still using METARs today. Given that we have smartphones with video messaging capability, cloud services with machine learning...	As has been pointed out, there are many applications both for devices and on the web that can translate them for you, including aviationweather.gov. There really is no reason to change the format since most places you get the METAR from decode it for you anyway these days. One use case where the compact METAR format is...
How can I find out the best time to practice within towered airspace? I would love to practice within towered airspace (approaches, touch and goes, ect.) However, I do not want to upset operations within the airspace. What is the best way to determine when the best time to practice these maneuvers would be? Should I...	From my experience there is no "best time" (although there are times when the airspace is more empty) and for what it's worth I found it better to train when the airport was busy as it offered me the chance to practice some real world scenarios.
Why does the Falcon 900 have anhedral wings? Why does it have anhedral wings and not "normal" wings? Many other similar aircraft with low-wing have dihedral wings. Source: DassaultFalcon.com Edit: This is about the Falcon 900, which apparently has a low-wing design and it's not used for cargo like the An-225 <Q> For...	Although dihedral wings give roll stability by pushing up on the wing which is lowered while banking, it also means that whenever the pilot is rolling to one particular direction, the wings have a tendency to oppose that by rolling the aircraft to the opposite direction, giving the aircraft reduced maneuverability.
Is is possible to land a midsize commercial plane on an Ford Class aircraft carrier? I'm story-boarding a novel. I'm toying with the idea of contriving a situation in which a midsize commercial aircraft is forced to make an emergency landing on an aircraft carrier. I read here that the largest plane to land on an air...	Without modification of b737, it is not likely for a b737 to land on a Ford class carrier.
Does adding flaps during ground roll perform better in short-field takeoff? In most POHs, the flap configuration for short-field is usually recommended as partial flaps, for instance 10˚ for C172. I remember the arguments are that full flaps would reduce the acceleration rate, and in no flaps the airplane would have ...	In most aircraft, using the smaller flap setting provides extra lift with only a bit of the drag.
How long does it take to refuel a big jumbo jet? How long does it take to refuel a big jumbo jet? And what about a smaller A320. I'm talking in terms of time. <Q> This figure from the 737 Airport Planning document gives 9 minutes for the fueling time for a Boeing 737-600: <S> Image from B737 Airplane characteristi...	Given that the Southwest fleet is made up entirely of 737s, a jet such as the 737 or A320 should take about 15-20 minutes to refuel. It depends on a number of factors like: the aircraft size and variant the range required the aircraft load equipment available Ground crew proficiency ...among others things.
Do large airliners have a short-field landing technique? Other than extra braking and reverse thrust, is there a specific short-field landing technique for large jet airliners? In discussions about the famous landings at St Maarten , it is sometimes said that part of the reason for the low passes is due to the relat...	The short field technique in any jet is to perfectly hit the touchdown zone marker which is 1,000 feet down the runway.
Why doesn't condensation form on the inside of airliner windows? If outside the aircraft is pretty cold and inside the cabin the air temperature is different, why don't the windows become fogged up on the inside? <Q> The humidity at the altitude airliners fly at is VERY low. <S> However, a tiny bit of moisture does bui...	On top of that - airliners have multiple air conditioning "packs" that dehumidify the cabin air so there would be indeed by very little moisture to condense on the inside of the windows.
What should I wash my plane with? What should I wash my airplane off with? As a new aircraft owner, any help would be appreciated. I am pretty sure using dish washing detergent is not the best here as we are told not to use the stuff on our cars. <Q> We could all offer opinions and product recommendations in response...	My practice is typically to wipe down the belly with solvent first, and then follow with a water and detergent wash. You should wash your aircraft in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Based on my research and experience, and time honored practice that I've observed, Dawn dish soap is widely used for clea...
What are the pros/cons of ram air turbines? Commercial aircraft are equipped with ram air turbines that can be deploy to provide power in case all other sources of power are lost. Ram air turbines have the benefit of providing power as long as the aircraft is moving through the air. However, aircraft are almost alway...	Another advantage to a RAT as opposed to using the engine powered generator is that it reduces the requirement for bleed air so the engines can be more efficient and responsive.
Can the landing gear be pulled up while the plane is on the ground? If a pilot makes a mistake and inadvertently touches the gear up lever, will it actually activate while on the ground and make the plane drop onto its belly? I suppose that there would be some sensor to prevent this, but I would like clarification on ...	There is a weight sensor which senses if the plane is on the ground.
What is the reference used when measuring flight speed? I'm a physicist who was amused by the argument in the comments of this question about gravity . The correct answer about the affect of the accelerating reference frame of the plane on the apparent gravity depends on how the airliner's speed is measured. I know ...	Ground speed: This is the speed of the aircraft with respect to the ground and as such akin to the speed of the car. Airplane reference (aka body axis): is the ideal reference frame attached to the airplane (not usually considering acceleration, but in practice should be done).
If there was an engine malfunction, could we breathe contaminated air? If the engine on airliners has for example, an oil leak, can the oil or other substances contaminate the air on the passenger cabin? How would this situation be avoided? <Q> Yes, an malfunction in a jet engine can cause contaminated air to reach the...	Yes, it is possible for contaminated air to enter the cabin.
Is it always advisable for passengers to wear seat belts when a 747 is on final approach? I noticed in this recent video that some of the passengers are not wearing their seat belts. I realize this is not a typical commercial flight, but is it advisable to wear seat belts when a 747 or similar aircraft is flying so c...	Yes, it is always advisable for passengers to wear the provided safety belts in all phases of flight.
What is the function of the lower vertical fin on a MIG-23? I would like to ask about the function of the lower vertical fin in Mig 23 . <Q> Directional stability at supersonic speed. <S> The air above the aircraft is less dense at supersonic speed, and elasticity reduces the effectivity of the fin - it bends and twi...	Adding a ventral fin helps in increasing directional stability (especially at supersonic speeds) and reduces yaw induced roll (as the roll contribution of vertical fin is reduced in a sideslip).
What is the relation between airspeed and rate of turn? I am reading about aircraft maneuvering and the end of section check contains this question: During a turn, if you reduce the airspeed and maintain the angle of bank, the result is a _____________ rate of turn. The correct answer is "higher" which is confusi...	The rate of turn is inversely proportional to the (True) airspeed.
Is it possible to sail a seaplane? Say a seaplane has ditched onto ocean or a very large lake due to engine failure. Is it possible to sail the plane to the shore using wind alone, similar to sailing a boat? <Q> You can sail a seaplane, but there are a lot of considerations. <S> For starters, it makes a big difference ...	There was indeed a seaplane that could be sailed: A sailplane with a seaplane hull.
How do I get attention on a busy radio channel? As I understand it (I'm not a pilot), radio communications are a more-or-less first come first served proposition. If I'm in busy airspace with near constant communication between ATC & aircraft, how do I break in to make contact with the ATC for whatever purpose necessar...	If you're IFR or have already made initial contact, you can probably just continue on your path and you'll eventually become a big enough priority for them that they'll call you if you still haven't a chance to get a word in.
Is there a site that tracks all flights? Some of my flights are tracked on sites like Flightradar24 and others are not, regardless of flight plans being opened and closed. It would be nice to go to a website that tracks all flights, so I can review the flight dynamics after I land. I am interested in a website that pr...	No, there will always be flights that are private, or for any other reason not traceable.
Is a single engine failure on the HondaJet recoverable? Is it possible to recover from a single engine failure at cruising altitude on the HondaJet and safely land the aircraft? <Q> There would not be much point in having two engines if a single engine failure would be unrecoverable. <S> In fact, that would make the ...	Even if you lost both engines at 30,000 ft., you'd almost certainly be able to glide around a hundred miles and still land safely.
Why was the WWII RAF fighter joy stick loop design not used widely? WWII RAF fighters had a loop on top of the joy stick in case of hand loss or injury - Anyone know why the Allies didn't copy this very helpful idea? <Q> Generally only Hurricanes and Spitfires had them. <S> The cockpits on these aircraft were small ...	The loop was there so a pilot could use both hands on the stick to get more lateral force since the effective length of the stick was now much less than a conventional floor mounted control stick. A control stick with a loop at the top was called a "Spade Stick". The early spits and hurricanes had no hydraulics (which ...
How is wind direction reported (blowing from or blowing to)? When the tower controller, the ATIS or a METAR says Wind 270, 15 knots does it mean the wind is blowing in the westward or in the eastward direction? Is there a single convention used to express the wind direction? <Q> As far as METARs are considered, ...	The reported direction will be where the wind is coming from , that is, opposite the direction the windsock is pointing.
Where does the 35 feet screen height come from? When taking off, why are we required to climb at least 35 feet over the departure end of runway? Why not other numbers? This comes from the FAA regulations . I believe there must a clear explanation for this but can't find one. Is there any historical or mathematical rea...	In a tight performance situation such as high pressure elevation or short runways, a 50 foot crossing height could be too much for some large commercial aircraft.
Is the landing gear controlled by the pilot or is it automatic? I have been watching a few aircraft landing videos in crosswind situations and I noticed that if the airliner missed the runway the landing gear would go back into the aircraft. So I'm wondering if this system is automatic after a takeoff or if it's contro...	The landing gear system is operated by the pilots.
What is the difference between a high bypass turbofan and a low bypass turbofan? I see some questions on the site that talk about the relative positives and negatives of a high bypass turbofan (HB) vs a low bypass turbofan (LB). But I don't see anything explaining what actually makes a turbofan engine HB or LB? ...	Low-bypass turbofans don't use a lot of air for thrust; most of the air that transits the fan stage is routed into the engine, compressed, combusted, and exhausted like a standard turbojet.
How is metal fatigue detected in an aircraft? There have been many accidents involving metal fatigue. How do the engineers, maintenance team, etc. know if an aircraft has metal fatigue? What is done to "minimize" metal fatigue or repair it? <Q> How do the engineers, maintenance team, etc know if an aircraft has metal ...	Some metal fatigue can be spotted visually as an visible crack or as a collection of tiny cracks that can give the metal a 'frosty' look but most is done via non-visual non destructive testing techniques such as radiography (basically X-raying) or Ultrasonic testing to search for microfractures before they reach the pr...
What is an NTAP when referenced in a NOTAM? When reviewing notices to airmen (NOTAMs) for the KDNL airport today (08 April, 2016) there's a particular NOTAM that references an NTAP with a number. What's an NTAP? How does one go about looking one up? !DNL 03/008 KDNL SVC SPECIAL EVENT MASTER'S GOLF TOURNAMENT SEE NTAP ...	The NTAP contains airway, airport, facility, procedural, general, and international NOTAMs.
Are jet simulators a commercial business or are they owned by airlines? Are simulators owned by airline operators or are they property of private companies who are specialised in this business and offer the services on an outsourcing basis to airlines that require it? I'm talking about proper simulators like the Airbu...	Yes there are private companies that operate Full Flight Simulators and sell simulator time to users, either airlines or self funded students.
Can a helicopter really fly with rotors going this slow? I was watching this youtube video and I noticed that at 3:17 seconds they show a coast guard helicopter rescuing a man from a ship. Whats shocking about this is that the main rotor of the helicopter seem to be going incredibly slowly and the tail rotor has comp...	That's an illusion, the result of the frame rate of the video camera being a multiple of the rotor speed.
What would the reason be for this helicopter maneuver? At 4:30 in this YouTube video, a Chinook traverses the runway on its rear wheels. The text on the video lists "Emergency landing and take-off". Is there any reason for the pilot to do this other than "because I can and it's an airshow"? The pilot then proceeds ...	It's part of every pilots training as is the rear wheel landing or "pinnacle landing" which is used to land on rooftops and mountain tops hence pinnacle. The Chinook has a large base that may prevent it from safely landing in circumstance that require an evacuation from a small raised area.
Can commercial air traffic operate from uncontrolled airport, airspace? Are there any airports with scheduled services where big jets (say 737 or A320) or wide bodies regularly operate without control tower? Are there any rules (EASA FAA) for this? If controllers go on strike can commercial air transport continue t...	Any plane can land at any airport as long as the runway is long enough.
What does this statement about steep descent mean? Source: Wolfgang Langewiesche - Stick and Rudder; An Explanation of the Art of Flying In the first chapter the author mentions, in a glide, if you want to descend more steeply, you want to want to point your nose less steeply.And if you want descend less steeply you p...	The underlying reason is the fact that drag will increase when the pilot moves away from the best L/D speed .
What would happen if put a jet engine behind another jet engine? Just curious. Would it do nothing, would it generate a massive amount of thrust? Would it even work? <Q> There is an alternate way to answer your question, and it relates to thermodynamics. <S> Think about the purpose of a jet engine. <S> It exists ...	All in all, there would be no benefit to such a setup at all.
What is the biggest airplane that does not need a paved runway? Since we don't need a control tower for instrument landings I was wondering what else that is thought to be needed could be skipped. I know some small general aviation is done on grass runways and I was wondering what is the biggest airplane that does no...	If you loosen your definition of "airplane" to " the longest class of flying machine and the largest airship by envelope volume " you could think of a Hindenburg-class airship
What is the cause of tire marks at the extreme ends of runways? At LAX, planes (usually) take off from east to west. On the west end of the runways there are dark tire marks. What is the cause of thesey tire marks? Failed take offs? Late landings? Something else? See Google Maps of LAX <Q> The marks are left by the...	The reason for the marks is that this is the touchdown zone of the runway.
Can supersonic conditions be replicated on the ground? In a previous question the P&W J 58 engine for the SR-71 was discussed. The engine was a new and innovative design combining the characteristics of a turbojet and a ramjet. Before flying with such a new design I would think they would want to test it on the ground...	Yes , supersonic conditions can indeed be replicated on the ground for purposes of airframe and engine testing.
Can I bring a person with me while getting landing current if they're a licensed, current pilot? It's been over 90 days since I've been flying, but I have a biennial flight review coming up pretty soon and would like to prep for it. The regulations regarding this seem to be extremely vague, but is it legal for me to f...	If your current passenger is willing to act and take responsibility for your flying as the legal pilot in command then it is allowable.
What is the IATA code for the A320neo family? I was looking for A319neo, A320neo and A321neo IATA code all over the net but I could't find it, can someone help me with this. (As of 9 March, 2018, the answer with the highest up-vote count (from April 2016) states "will likely be the same as". A more definitive answer ...	The IATA three letter code for the Neo will likely be the same as for the regular model.
Should head stay level or inclined in a bank? I just started to receive instructions to become a glider pilot, yay me! :)I (and my instructor) have noticed that I have the tendency to keep the head level (eye-line parallel to horizon) in turns and my instructor says that wouldn't be a good idea, because at some point I...	You need to keep your head level with reference to the airplane and not the horizon.
Is it a flight violation to mishear ATC instructions for exiting the runway? I was on landing rollout and misheard a tower "turn off at xxx switch ground" call. We read back the incorrect taxi way and turned off there and switched to the ground frequency. After our incorrect read back we were not contacted again until ...	The pilot exits the runway where they and they alone decide it is safe to do so.
When are pilots required to have approval to conduct practice approaches? I would like a clarification about requesting practice approaches. I have seen pilots at uncontrolled airports shoot practice approaches such as VOR, SDF, etc. without needing approval; obviously. Am I correct in thinking that a practice approa...	At airports without a tower, pilots wishing to make practice instrument approaches should notify the facility having control jurisdiction of the desired approach as indicated on the approach chart.
What distinct challenges are faced in taxi operations that aren't found in other phases of flight? The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made Runway Incursion Avoidance a special emphasis area and added it as a required task in several of the Practical Test Standards (PTS) documents. All the PTS documents have a bu...	Steering is difficult because the control surfaces are used differently on the ground, especially in a crosswind.
Will having a history of depression prevent me from flying? The AOPA website lists four medications as acceptable treatments for depression. I was treated with one of them, but it ended up making things far worse, to the point where I had issues with suicidal ideation. I've since stopped taking it and, while I'm still ...	I'd think the fact that you've proven to be stable and aren't on medication will help you.
Why do the MiG-15 and MiG-17 have a split air intake in their noses? MiG-15 and MiG-17 both have a split air intake in their nose. However, they have only one jet engine . So why is the air intake split? Wouldn't it be a lot less drag to just let the intake flow cleanly into the engine? <Q> The advent of (turbo)jet...	The alternative configuration of having a single duct passing underneath the cockpit, as used in the A7 Corsair II, necessitates the nosewheel being mounted further to the rear, which in the MiG 15 with it's short fuselage, would have made the wheelbase too short.
Why don't Transport Category aircraft have a listed Vy? I was talking with a pilot about an inability to maintain the targeted climb rate in a particular situation and asked him what the Vy was for the jet. He curtly replied "Vy is only for Part 23 aircraft." (FYI for those outside the US: Part 25 aircraft are commer...	Large commercial jets operate within a much wider range of weights than most GA aircraft do, and since Vy varies with weight, it wouldn't make sense to publish "a" single Vy speed for them.
Do jet engine exhausts usually glow orange? In these two lovely images: Source: Wikimedia Commons Source: wvi.com The exhaust end of the engines are glowing bright orange from being so hot. Do they get that hot during normal flight operations, or are they hot because the engines are statically mounted for testing ...	Most engines have ceramic linings in the afterburner can and nozzle petals to protect the metallic parts from the high heat. For most engines, they run at roughly the same temperature in test as they do in normal operation.
What lights does the Cessna 172 light rheostat control? I am part of a team developing a Cessna 172 P model for FlightGear, an open source free flight simulator. We are now programming how the panel and radio lightning rheostat should work, but we found a lot of unclear and/or contradictory information about it online....	The engine and flight instrument' lighting is controlled by another voltage stablizer adjusted by the instrument dimmer.
Why is the Mooney's signature tail profile different from most planes? In another question, someone said everyone but Mooney has the vertical stabilizer on backward. (As a Cessna driver, this looks backwards to me). Is there an aerodynamic reason or some reason other than marketing? (Note the slants of the leading and...	The story goes something like this: As the plane pitches up, the rudder, being slanted "forward," moves closer to a vertical position and provides better directional control at low speeds. A brief online search of Mooney tail lore yields everything from pure marketing to discussion of wetted area to better directional ...
What is the drag of helicopter rotor at jet speed? I wonder if a jet plane can have helicopter rotor for vertical take off and then, when moving forward just stops that rotor and uses lift from wings like normal plane. Since rotor blade seems thinner and smaller than wings, I guess when turned off, its drag should be ...	If you use a rotor only for lifting off, then that rotor becomes nothing but extra weight (and complexity) that you don't need.

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