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What is the difference between TAS and GS? I'm looking for an explanation of true airspeed and ground speed. <Q> TAS = <S> GS = <S> Groundspeed = <S> speed that you get on radar gun as airplane flies by, when radar gun is held by someone on ground. <S> As an example: TAS of 200 knots and a headwind of 20 knots gives ...	True Airspeed = speed that you get on radar gun as airplane flies by, when radar gun is held by someone in gondola of balloon in same airmass (wind motion) as airplane. GS is TAS with wind factored in.
What is the standard report when pilots exiting and clearing the runway Let us say I landed on runway 7 and will exit the runway thru taxiway Charlie, is that a standard report like "(Aircraft ID) taxing clear RW7 at Charlie"? <Q> Nitpick: that would be runway 07, not runway 7 <S> The phraseology is mostly standardis...	At uncontrolled airports in North America you will always hear "XXX is clear the active".
What does 'laterally aligned' mean in this description? In the Airplane Flying Handbook there is a section on crosswind takeoffs that mostly makes sense. However, this paragraph confuses me. Takeoff Roll As the forward speed of the airplane increases, the pilot should only apply enough aileron pressure to keep the ...	The only meaning that I can conceive of is that "laterally aligned with the centerline" is a fancy way of saying " on the centerline"—or, at least, keeping the distance from the centerline under control, so that you don't drift off of the runway.
Why do shipping companies opt for the Boeing 747 instead of Antonov An-124? Both are quad-jets, but the Antonovs can carry up to 150 t of payload and are much cheaper (\$100M for the An-124 compared to \$238M for the Boeing 747-400F). I understand that MRO is quite an issue for Antonov, but we are talking about the fr...	The forte of the AN-124 is in handling outsize/heavy cargo, the floor is suitably strengthened from the design stage to handle these items.
Does flying an airplane upside down imply negative AoA? Why? I saw the statement below in this answer : Note that for normal level unaccelerated flight $C_L$ is always > 0. The minimum $C_L$ is a negative value for negative AoA, and would mean that the aeroplane is flying upside down. This would seem to me to ...	Level flight (no change in altitude) upside down, with an airfoil with a zero-lift AoA of less than or equal to zero degrees, requires a negative AoA to get upwards lift.
Why do fighter pilots use night vision goggles rather than normal light inside the cockpit? I've seen military personnel using night vision goggles (NVGs). With their flight altitude, I don't think the enemy can notice them. I thought it may be due to eye strain, but other units use red lights during long jobs that nee...	In addition normal cockpit lighting is so low that it’s virtually impossible to see an illuminated cockpit from a distance.
How do slats reduce stall speed? I've read in PHAK that slats reduce stall speed, but in what way? Is it because of the increase in surface area? <Q> It's because leading edge devices allow a higher Angle of Attack. <S> The four types of leading edge devices work by pointing the nose of the wing downwards so that at...	Slats are greatly helpful in reducing the AOA and increasing the Coefficient of Lift of part, or all, of the wing.
Can you feel passing through the sound barrier in an F-16? Is it possible for the pilot to feel passing through the sound barrier in an F-16? What about other modern aircraft, will you feel anything? Do you need to go back to really dated designs before you can notice this, is it a problem of the past, or did the docu...	In an aircraft designed to go supersonic, it's an absolute non-event, and one is only aware of it by observing the instruments, and noting diminished control authority-- slower roll rate, etc.
Where is the compression on a compression strut in a tube and fabric airplane coming from? I understand the functions of every part of a tube and fabric (two spar) ultralight wings and the loads they carry but what keeps puzzling me is the compression strut of a two spar wing as seen above.My question is where is this ...	The compression tubes are under compression by the tension of the cross bracing wires when at rest.
Was the Boeing 2707 design flawed? The mach 2.7 capable Boeing 2707 has an interesting design. I'm curious if there has been any studies done that concluded that this aircraft would simply not have worked, given the way it was initially designed, even if sufficient funding existed. If so, what was the problem with the...	It turned out that even with a titanium wing box, the airplane was just too heavy to carry the proposed passenger load. Bottom line: the operating numbers simply didn't work out, except as a "national pride" sort of project, like Concorde, and outside of military applications, that sort of thing doesn't happen very oft...
Why was this commercial plane highly delayed mid-flight? What could be the main reasons for a short-haul flight to be delayed over an hour in-flight? Recent Lufthansa LH 2227 CDG-MUC flight took off only half an hour after scheduled time, but landed at destination delayed nearly an hour and a half. Meaning (if I a...	In exceptional cases like longer delays, the ops dept may choose a higher cost route to minimise the impact (more direct route or higher cruise speed).
Was a six-engine 747 ever seriously considered by Boeing? The Boeing 747 can carry a fifth engine on the side. As the airframe looks quite symmetric, I think that it would not be big work to hang a sixth engine on the side as well. From here, we seem to be quite near to the six-engine aircraft - a few extra pipes and ...	Considering the aerodynamic wing flutter problems with the initial 747 design, sticking another two engines on the wing would most likely have required a complete redesign of the wing.
What is the maximal acceptable delay between pilot's input and flight control surface actuation? While I was watching a cockpit video of an A330 landing in which the pilot was frenetically moving its sidestick, I wander what was the reaction time of this flight by wire system. Indeed, the time for transmiting the sign...	The acceptable latency depends on the type of aircraft i.e. Airlines, General Aviation, or Hobby aircraft, flight control dynamics of the particular aircraft, the systems through which the resultant signal is produced (Pilot Control Sensors -> Flight Control Computer/Mechanical Linkages -> Actuation Unit -> Surface mov...
How does speed affect lift? I understand the lift coefficient shown above. But does lift increase with speed, and how? I understand I can't apply this to the graph as it is a coefficient, but if I had an angle of attack of 10 degrees and a speed of 0 knots, we would obviously have no lift assuming there isn't any wind...	If you increase the speed, you will increase the airflow around the wing.
Do any aircraft carry boats? A small boat could be part of general cargo, but that would typically just mean it's unloaded at an airport and transported to the nearest body of water by land infrastructure. This is not what I'm looking for. Instead, is there any aircraft that can directly deploy a boat to (or retrieve ...	It is quite common for float planes to carry canoes & kayaks, e.g.
Why are planes allowed to fly with just one pilot? I chanced on this article which raises the titled question: Why aren't two pilots mandated for all planes esp. military? What happens if the lone pilot becomes incapacitated, esp. if the plane has passengers who aren't pilots? Two captains of Cathay Pacific Airways...	Most (maybe all) commercial passenger flights DO require two pilots.
How are aircraft depainted? There are several questions about livery changes and livery in general on this website. Yet, I fail to find information about paint removal. As a routine maintenance for an airframe that can live for up to 30 years, livery is redone several time as explained here . When changing painting...	Abrasive blasting not only removes paint, but also dirt, corrosion and even anodic coatings, with enough passes.
Is it possible to build 'Contra-rotating' EDF? Is it possible to design an EDF (Electric Ducted Fan), with two counterrotating blades, that will have more thrust than two separate EDFs with the same blades? <Q> The primary reasons you'd want contra-rotating pairs with conventional (unducted) propellers are cancellation...	In general, a stacked pair of contra-rotating propellers produces somewhere around 70%-80% the thrust of the same two props if mounted separately
What are the advantages and disadvantages of tail wheels that cause modern airplanes to not use them? Photos' source: Cessna 140 and Cessna 150 . According to Wikipedia here , the Cessna 150 is successor of Cessna 140. Both have two-seat capacity and a single engine. Why was the Cessna 150 changed to tricycle lan...	A tricycle gear makes loading and unloading easier because the fuselage is horizontal.
What is this WWII four-engine plane on skis? I've seen this plane but I don't know its name: <Q> According to Wikipedia, this four-engine all steel(!) <S> heavy bomber first flew in 1930 and was the world's first cantilever aircraft in this class. <S> The skis do not appear to have pertained exclusively to any specific...	Looks like a TB-3 or a variant thereof.
Why would a fighter use the afterburner and air brakes at the same time? I was looking for air brake pictures on different fighters, and then I saw a Tornado using afterburner and air brake at the same time! Air brake duty is to reduce speed, isn't it? So why would a fighter burn so much fuel to increase thrust and the...	Most jets with afterburner don’t have a fuel dumping system so when they need to reduce weight in a short time they use afterburner to attain a permissible landing weight.
What would the altimeter indication be through a cold front? Cold air is heavier than hot air because of its greater density, so the QNH of an airport inside a cold front would be higher. Flying towards the cold front would be, "low to high, hello sky". But I also know that for altimetry, cold air generates lower pres...	If you fly from warm air mass into colder air your altimeter will read the same.
Do contra-rotating propellers have the same RPM? Image source Here is a contra-rotating propeller. The front propeller rotates counterclockwise while the back propeller rotates clockwise. My questions are: Do they rotate at the same speed (RPM)? If not, which one is rotate faster, and why? <Q> This is done so that...	Most if not all contra-rotating propeller systems are geared together so that both sections turn at the same speed.
Why there so many pitch control surfaces on the Piaggio P180 Avanti? Picture source . I have seen that there is kind of sonic aircraft like B-1B Lancer that used elevator and canard or fins at the same time for pitch control. That quite understandable because it is fighter jet that required high precision control. ...	They provide extra stability during operation at high angles of attack when the fuselage is disturbing the airflow to the vertical tail.
Is it safe to fly with a B737-800? Is it different from a B737 Max 8? I'm flying from Costa Rica to Chile in November with a B737-800 plane. I'm wondering if this is a different aircraft than the B737 Max 8 or if it's the same? <Q> All B737 Max, as of today 19-Sept-2019, are still grounded and will be for the foreseeab...	The 737 Max is much more recent. " the answer always is that if authorities are allowing it to fly, it is safe to the best of our knowledge.
What is lifting force of V-22 Osprey? Is any other than the two rotors? Picture is from here . Is any other force to lift the V22 other than its rotors? Is any possibility that the power plants their self are not generating thrust? I was just wondered that such short propellers can lift (especially when VTOL) the air...	The lift is provided by the rotors only. The engines do create some thrust (exhaust gasses), but it is of little significance.
Why are the wings of some modern gliders tadpole shaped? Why are the wings of some modern gliders tadpole shaped, rather than teardrop shaped? An example is the Schleicher ASG 29. Or did they just add a flat plate at the trailing edge for the flaps and ailerons? Source: flickr.com <Q> The flaps and ailerons are "refl...	Basically you can reduce the lift (and therefore drag) of the wing by moving the flaps/ailerons upwards, extracting better speed from the wing.
What is the meaning of first flight and introduction in aircraft production? They are info from wikipedia ( here and here ). I don't know many about the B-52 Stratofortress, but I'll take another case. The N-250 I remember its first flight which was performed with large scale, watched by Indonesian's former President...	The first flight of a new aircraft type refers to the first time the aircraft is flying during the development and testing phase.
Do jackscrews suffer from blowdown? With hydraulic control surfaces, at high airspeeds, there is a point where aerodynamic loads exceed the capability of the actuators. This limits control authority and can result in the control surface not being in the position commanded by the pilot. Jackscrews are commonly used for...	Jackscrew actuators can be designed such that they are back driven.
What is the first fighter jet which was built with twin engine and tail configuration? What is the very first fighter jet that pioneers the twin engine and twin vertical stabilizers over the engine just before the exhaust (like the F-14, F-15, F-22, Su-35, etc)? <Q> One of the first was probably the unconventional XP-7...	Something that kinda meets your criteria would be the F7U Cutlass .
Are there any privately owned large commercial airports? Do any large, commercial airports exist that aren’t owned and run by the city government they exist in/near? To provide context, I’m talking major airports that handle commercial airline volume. Do any (hub or regional) airports exist that are fully owned and op...	Gatwick Airport with a majority ownership by GIP Oslo Gardermoen owned by Avinor (100% state owned)
What powers an aircraft prior to the APU being switched on? I know that APUs are power plants for non-propulsion related purposes and that they are turned on before takeoff. What powers an airplane prior to the APU being turned on? <Q> Other than the APU, there are multiple ways to provide electrical power to an aircr...	The battery is typically the first thing you would turn on and it usually provides DC power to emergency systems only (at least on an airliner, smaller aircraft are fully powered by the battery).
Does a left spin differ from a right spin for a single-engine propeller aircraft, in terms of spin characteristics & ease of recovery? Given a single-engine propeller aircraft with its nose-mounted propeller rotating on the right-hand side when viewed from the cockpit, and given the typical effects like P-factor, prop-...	Most jet fighters have very asymmetric spin characteristics, to the point that one spin may be stable and difficult to recover while the opposite spin be unstable and difficult to enter. Since it creates left yawing motion; left turning spins will be easier to enter and harder to recover from than the right spins.
Why increase or decrease rudder when using elevator in turns? In normal 30 degree bank level turns, instructors teach students that if you are to correct your altitude you also need to change your rudder input. Why is that? For example if you are descending in your turn you are to pull the elevator and also lessen you...	Rudder is mostly being used to counteract adverse yaw from the aileron inputs, and to some degree to correct for yawing motions caused by power changes.
Can airflow reverse over the flight surfaces of a uav in high wind conditions Can airflow reverse over the wing of a uav in high tail winds and low forward airspeed i.e 25knt fwd airspeed in a 35 knt tailwind? What would be the overall effect on the elevator and rudder? I suspect the rudder would be remain the same but...	Reversing airflow on both rudder and elevator will reverse the direction of their torquing force.
Is aerodynamics study compulsory for building a plane? I want to make a plane like a trike. I have a design and some knowledge about plane requirements. <Q> You don't need to know much aerodynamics to build a plane if you follow plans for an existing design that somebody else has engineered and validated, and you don't...	No, aerodynamics study is not compulsory for building an aircraft, or parts of it.
Is it allowed to let the engine of an aircraft idle without a pilot in the plane. (For both helicopters and aeroplanes) Is it allowed to let the engine of an aircraft idle without a pilot in the plane. (For both helicopters and aircr). Would there be a difference between a C172 and a 737? <Q> You won't see it done in ...	Legal or not, it is a very bad idea.
What is the difference between experimental and amateur built aircraft in the US? What is the difference between experimental amateur and amateur built aircraft in the US, or are they the same? If not, is there a difference re specifications, inspections, engines, passengers, etc.? <Q> The FAA provides pretty clear de...	All amateur built aircraft are experimental (flown under an experimental airworthy type certificate) but not all experimental's are amateur built, for example a pre-production aircraft may need to be registered as an experimental for test flights before a type certificate is received.
Could the principle of owls' silent flight be used for stealth aircraft? I was wondering about the ability of owls to fly so silently. Is it because they flap gently, they flap less often or do is their structure responsible? I was thinking their principle of stalking can be applied to stealth aircraft. Is it possible?...	Because of low wing loading they also can fly with very little wing movement, also leading to less sound generation.
Why does the SR-71 Blackbird sometimes have dents in the nose? On many pictures (maybe on most of the pictures) part of nose looks hammered or slightly smashed, or bent.Please note these 2 symmetric dents just behind nose spike: source source On other pictures these dents are missing: source Why? Is this a feat...	Bjelleklang is right, the nose is detachable and would be switched out according to the mission's needs. There was also the possible threat that future ground defenses would someday have the ability to reach the SR-71 from behind since it carried no aft facing defensive countermeasures. The dents are there to provide a...
Why is thrust available constant with speed for turbojet engines, when it varies with speed for turboprop engines? Similarly, why is power available (nearly) constant with speed for a propeller engine, while it varies for a jet engine? <Q> Turboprops and turbojets - or, more broadly, jets - produce thrust in somewhat d...	High-performance turboprops tend to have variable pitch propellers, which will be adjusted to push more air (slower) at low airspeed, or less (but faster) at high airspeed.
Are there any real life instances of aircraft aborting a takeoff or landing to avoid a vehicle? I came across a fake video of an A380 closely avoiding a fuel truck. More details at Snopes including a link to the YouTube video. While this video is not real, I'm interested in finding out if it's a realistic situation ...	Not only is it possible but it happens. The news reported that Concorde had aborted a landing at Heathrow because somebody had strayed onto its runway.
Why don't combat aircraft have rear-facing laser weapons? This question is similar, but only talks about guns. I don't mean a laser that is going to destroy the plane, but why aren't rear-mounted, rear-firing lasers that can blind a pilot a thing? Most of the concerns about weight and relative velocities from the ot...	After passing through a significant amount of cloud vapor, the laser will not have enough energy to damage the target or blind the pilot.
Why don't nonrigid airships have multiple gas cells? Nonrigid airships (blimps) differ from rigids and most semirigids in having the entire envelope form a single large gas chamber, rather than dividing the lifting gas among several redundant gas cells. Having only one compartment for the entirety of the airship's lif...	It is difficult to have a non-rigid airship airworthy with one cell punctured and emptied and the rest intact.
What is an airliner pilot's first go-to if he or she doesn’t have a positive climb rate immediately after take off? Assuming a typical transport-class aircraft, what would the pilot do if the aircraft does not have a positive rate of climb immediately after takeoff? Would the pilot just lower the nose to pick up airsp...	It's very unlikely that a crew would decrease flaps in this situation, as this would decrease the lift , and thus take even longer for the aircraft to lift off.
Can an F-16 land on an aircraft carrier, at all? Looking at the F-16 again, I noticed the tailhook which it seems to have. I know the F-16 is not designed to land on any aircraft carrier, however, if it was between ditching in the ocean and attempting to land on a carrier. During wartime or any emergency; if the F-16 f...	Yes the F-16 would be able to land on a carrier however it would most likely break/damage the landing gear and other components because it's not built for it. The tail hook would get ripped off by the carrier system.
Is a turbocharged piston aircraft the same thing as turboprop? Simple question, and I've always assumed that they are the same thing, but I'd like feedback from someone who knows more than me :) <Q> They are both internal combustion engines that have a turbine in their exhaust that is used to power a compressor to pres...	A turbocharger is device for piston engines, it uses pressure coming from the exhaust manifold of a piston engine to compress air going into the intake manifold.
Why was the Vulcan bomber used for the Falklands raid? There is a lot of information about this complex operation. But can anybody explain why they chose to use an aircraft? They could easily shoot cruise missiles from a ship or ballistic missiles from a nuclear submarine. The easiest and quickest option would be just ...	The UK needed a surgical strike to neutralize the Port Stanley airport in the Falklands so that Argentine airplanes based there couldn't attack the coming UK convoy or the impending UK ground attack. Honestly, even if the British had appropriate cruise missiles (they did not), they would have no reason to own ones with...
Keeping the engine under the wings, doesn't hurt the lift as the airflow speed is higher under the wings? To create a lift, the airflow speed on top of the wings should be higher than the airflow speed on the bottom of the wings. But when you keep the engine on the bottom of the wings, wouldn't it hurt the lift as air...	Placing the engine on the lower side puts it into a comparatively slow airstream.
Why do airports in the UK have so few runways? Almost all of the major airports in the United Kingdom are single-runway (or functionally-single-runway ) installations, with only two of the very busiest (Heathrow and Manchester) having as many as two runways (although Heathrow has a third under construction). (In ad...	However, the most aviation-related related reason I can think is that we just simply rarely need cross runways.
What kind of motion will an airplane enter into when disturbed? When an airplane is disturbed from a longitudinal equilibrium position, what sort of motion will the aircraft experience? Will it be a phugoid or a short period motion? Or will it be both? <Q> The separation into short-period and phugoid motion is somewhat...	Wikipedia suggests that both happen, and that short period motion should be damped out in a second or so for an aircraft to be certified, and that phugoid motion should be gentle enough that a pilot corrects it almost without thinking.
Do modern jet engines need igniters? I've read that modern aircraft don't need spark plugs like conventional aircraft do, as the jet fuel autoignites once it's mixed with the hot air exiting from the compressors. Then why do aircraft like the Airbus A320 still have 2 igniters in the combustion chamber, to ignite the ai...	The igniters are switched off by the FADEC once the exhaust gas reaches a certain temperature because they are no longer needed.
Is "wingman" strictly a military term? Does it have to be a potential combat situation for a pilot flying on another's wing to be called a wingman. If two aircraft are being flown in formation to a destination simply for the purpose of transportation, would the term wingman be used? Is wingman used in civilian aviatio...	While the combat military role of a wingman is established, the term is entirely appropriate and is used for non-combat formation flying as well.
How much of an airplane's forward energy is lost to lift? An airplane needs to move forward to generate lift, and because energy isn't created from nothing, all the kinetic energy of lift comes in the form of drag, where air (air resistance) turns forward motion into upward motion. Some of the drag on an airplane is t...	All the energy delivered by the engine is spent, directly or indirectly, in accelerating air downwards in order to produce lift...
What makes airplanes pitch up during landing? So what exactly pitches the plane upward with the rear end down? Do flaps help lower the nose when deployed 80%-100% down with such low speeds? <Q> From the Boeing 737 NG FCTM (6.10 Landing): When the threshold passes under the airplane nose and out of sight, shift the vi...	The change in pitch during the landing is called the flare and it is controlled by the pilot (or autopilot for an autoland) using the elevators (i.e. pulling on the yoke).
If Space Shuttle flies "like a brick", why does it need the wings? I have seen the Shuttle named a "flying brick" multiple times. However a brick, as understood in the building industry, is a simple rectangular shape without wings and without any adaptation of the form. If the Shuttle was only capable of that much, wh...	In addition to its poor glide ratio the shuttles name also stems from the materials its made from as much as it does its poor glide performance. The small wings make it fly like a brick.
How do flaps help an aircraft take off at a lower speed, yet cause drag at the same time? Wouldn’t the drag caused by the flaps just decrease the acceleration, so, although they can lift off at a lower speed, wouldn’t it be faster to just use no flaps and rotate at the higher speed that is required? <Q> Increasing the ...	Increasing flap angle increases the lift coefficient, and therefore reduces stalling speed and the required takeoff speed (the same lift will be created at smaller air speed due to greater lift coefficient).
Why are the first sounds of an approaching enroute airliner low frequency, booming ones? Often I will hear an intermittent, low frequency, powerful, booming sound that resolves into that of an airliner flying enroute high (FL 300+) overhead. So the first sounds that an airliner flying overhead to be heard are those. Wh...	Low frequencies are attenuated less over distance and by obstacles.
How to start up a Lockwood-Hiller Valveless Pulse Jet? So me and my group mates in university got a lockwood hiller valveless pulsejet manufactured, and there was one error in manufacture. We are having trouble with trying to start the engine as demonstrated in the attached link. Is there an error in the engine you can...	A properly shaped "tuned pipe" must be made or it simply will not run effectively.
What makes an airport "international"? What are the requirements for an airport to be designated as an international airport in the US? Is there a minimum runway size or required customs office? <Q> There is no US regulation about whether an airport can be called "international." <S> The Secretary of the Treasury desi...	Any airport designated by an ICAO Contracting State in whose territory it is situated as an airport of entry and departure for international air traffic, where the formalities such as customs, immigration, public health, agricultural quarantine and similar procedures are carried out.
Where can I find current downloadable tower, ground and approach frequencies for USA airports? I have searched the FAA site and cannot find a spreadsheet with current freqs for airports, only incomplete lists. Online flight planning tools must get query-able current freqs on a monthly basis, but I sure couldn't find t...	You can use the FAA's search tool rather than manually look in a copy of the chart supplement.
Are there advantages to slotted wingtips? Are there advantages to the way some birds' wingtips end in separate feathers instead of a more solid shape? As an example, separate-feathered wingtips: more solid wingtip: <Q> Slotted wingtips provide torsional flexibility. <S> A bird’s wingtip feathers must twist in one...	The separated primary feathers produce individual wakes, confirming a multi-slotted function, in both gliding and flapping flight.
Why are early wing planforms mostly rectangular? I am looking at the history of wing planforms, and I am having trouble finding reasons for why the wright flier and other early aircraft were built with rectangular wings. I thought it was due to being more structurally secure, but I can't find any sources that explicitl...	A rectangle gives the maximum area for a given span, and for something like the Flyer, running on 12 hp, they needed all the wing area they could get in the lightest possible package, so rectangular it is. Basicly, it angles the bottom of the wing to more of a point when it meets the top, helping push the downflow of t...
Is a 40-year-old person too old to start an ATC career? My wife: is 40 years old is a mother of two (able to do five things simultaneously / in the same time) has been working as an English and French teacher for her whole career (19+ last years) has very little to do with airline industry (being a passenger and l...	in the Netherlands, LVNL will not hire anyone over the age of 30 (this used to be 25 until some years ago). Secondly it isn’t necessary that doing five tasks together at the same time makes you suitable for an ATC because there can be no room for error and being one is not as easy as one may think.
What instructions should I give to an untrained passenger for Hand propping Cessna 172N as a pilot? Does anybody know what is the most effective way of hand propping a Cessna 172N, with a passenger who is not mechanically inclined. So you need to give them the most easy to follow and simple instructions. Like after pu...	Do not attempt to hand prop an airplane without receiving professional instruction on how to do it safely.
When can a taxi clearance allow me to cross multiple runways? I was just reading the FAA instrument procedures handbook and saw the paragraph below in Ch 1 . I'm puzzled by this, because I routinely get "Cross runways XX right and XX left on Alpha" as part of my taxi clearance. How do I square that with the statement ...	The general FAA rule is indeed that ATC cannot issue a clearance to cross multiple runways.
Can i create a home built aircraft with this engine? http://www.chiefaircraft.com/da-100.html Would this engine work for a homebuilt ultralight aircraft? I am still in the research phase, so i don't know what the weight of the aircraft will be, but I would like to know what a good prop size and max weight that it will ...	You can use any engine in a homebuilt or ultralight, including one from a Model A Ford if you want.
Why aren't flights continued after losing a tire on rotation? I have read about a lot of incidents where airplanes lose one of the tires on rotation, yet they cancel the flights and go back for an emergency landing at the departure airport, risking overweight landing or burn fuel for 2 hours until they are within the...	And let’s not forget that you will have to land with a failed tire which has serious damage and fire risks associated with it as well. In other circumstances, say if the departure airport is remote and has short runways with minimal emergency facilities, the crew may elect to divert to the nearest airport with suitable...
Is an afterburner louder than the same jet engine without it? I would speculate that an afterburner increases the noise because it is nearer to the exhaust. But it certainly causes so many changes in the exhaust flow that it could be less loud as well. It may also depend on the shape of the nozzle. That an afterburner...	I would say definitely yes, because of all the extra energy added to the exhaust flow
Do afterburners use excessive amounts of fuel? The purpose of an afterburner is to provide additional thrust, and it is obvious that more fuel is needed for that. But that is to be expected independent of an afterburner. That more thrust needs more than a proportional increase of fuel may be the case because the thrus...	Yes the specific fuel consumption of the afterburner, lbs of fuel used per lb of thrust, is much higher than the core engine.
Why does a turn and slip indicator matter? I'm studying the principles of flight, and I'm having some unanswered questions in my mind regarding the turn and slip indicator. I'm reading that a turn and slip indicator displays the slip or skid of the turn. It probably has something to do with directional stability. B...	At a high angle of attack, for instance a climb and close to stall speed, a slip can put one wing into a stall, causing the non-stalled wing to flip the airplane. The turn and slip instruments are combined for convenience and by convention more than anything else, slip is important whether you are in a turn or not.
Do any companies offer 'ejection' experiences? Most airlines now offer fear of flying courses, most airports provide flying lessons and some specialist companies offer zero-gravity flight experiences. Are there any companies that provide 'ejection' experiences, where you can fly an aircraft and eject from it at a pre-...	Certain civilian/aerobatic planes come with ejection seats, and that requires training.
Is there any obvious warning when auto-pilot is disengaged or when the mode changes? Under the investigation section of the First Air Flight 6560 incident, it describes the catalyst for the accident: The approach was entirely flown on autopilot, which was correctly set to capture the localizer signal and track alon...	Most autopilots feature both an aural warning siren or similar aural cue as well as visual cues on both autopilot units as well as cockpit displays, so there is a means to alert a flight crew of an autopilot disengagement.
Does the power behind the engine make any difference to how strong the thrust is? What difference does horsepower make? If the engine can spin the propeller fast enough, why does it need power behind it? <Q> You ask: If the engine can spin the propeller fast enough, why does it need power behind it? <S> Good ques...	The more power you have turning the prop, the higher the blade pitch will go, biting deeper into the air and thus generating more thrust, and therefore the faster the plane will travel.
Does auto pilot take into consideration the altitude, speed, and the difference in heading change, to calculate the degree of bank? Or is there a “standard” that the auto pilot follows at all times? By “standard” I mean the aircraft will bank at x amount of degrees each time regardless of the following mentioned? The...	The pilot hand flying a light aircraft has the Turn and Bank or Turn coordinator to determine when the bank angle is correct for Rate 1 and flies whatever bank angle gets the indicator showing the correct rate.
Does a pilot need clearance to enter the traffic pattern? In one video, I saw a Cessna that got its instructions to enter the pattern along with landing clearance, but I saw another where the pilot just flew in and got clearance somewhere around late-downwind. Edit: Still confused here, if you need a landing clearance...	When in controlled airspace you will receive clearance to enter the pattern and proceed to landing.
How to glide in a circular pattern? I was just curious as to how you would make a glider glide in a circular pattern ( or helical ). Will there be a large difference when considering a conventional glider vs a delta wing glider? <Q> Maintain coordinated flight ( no skidding, no slipping ). <S> There is no difference...	Assuming there is no wind, a circular pattern is most easily achieved by flying a constant speed and a constant bank angle.
Why did my LGA-ORD flight make an S-shaped turn round the time it was passing a storm? On a recent United UA1709 flight into Chicago (hit by a heavy storm at the time), I felt a noticeable descent, combined with two wide banks around 1 hour before landing. Looking at the flight path, I see an S shape that deviates from...	The S-turns are because of flow control into busy airports.
What is the reason for this engine oil service procedure on a Bombardier CRJ? Someone told me that servicing the engine oil on a Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft with the APU on could lead to the particular engine being overserviced. He then advised that the engine-oil service be done within 20 minutes of aircraft shutdown. ...	The Aircraft Flight Manual or Flight Crew Operating Manual will specify the timeframe during which engine oil may be checked after engine shutdown.
Why does the faster-moving air over the static port not result in a lower static pressure? I understand the concept that the static port is measuring "static" pressure, meaning the pressure the air is exerting on its surroundings. However, there is also Bernoulli's principle, which, put simply, states that as the velo...	Bernoulli's principle would also imply that the pressure observed from the static port would similarly decrease as the aircraft accelerates.
How can I get a ride in the jump seat as a non-professional pilot? A couple of years ago, I had a strong fear of flying. Now, I really enjoy it. In fact, it is a dream of mine to sit in the jumpseat of an A320 during takeoff. I've had a handful of flying lessons. If I took my logbook and explained my interest to the ...	In this world where aircraft terrorism is always a concern, you would have to have a very good reason to convince the captain why he has to put a complete stranger in the cockpit.
If you were to fly an ILS in a knife edge would you receve GS and LOC be flipped? because LOC and GS work the same way, if you were to fly one at 90 degrees bank would your information be displayed on the wrong indicators? <Q> No, the directional part of ILS is located at the ground. <S> (Ground) transmitter creates lo...	As long as the aircraft accurately flies down the ILS, it doesn’t matter if it is knife edge, inverted, etc.
Why is "runway behind you" useless? I was recently answering this question and for some reason it made me think of this fairly famous aviation saying The three most useless things to a pilot are the altitude above you, runway behind you and fuel on the ground Now, I get altitude above you - you may as well use so...	The runway ahead of you is useful to accelerate and - if needed - to decelerate.
Is there a age limit to become a CFI? I’m a new PPL and I would love to become a CFI in the next 2 years (or so). My objective would be to transfer what I know (and will have learned) to aspiring pilots. I’m older, though (just about to turn 60). Put it bluntly: am I too old? I know that we can’t talk about people bein...	There is no upper limit on age for a CFI. The only real obstacle would be maintaining a medical certificate if you intend to do primary and instrument flight instruction. Aside from that, no there aren’t any age restrictions and it can be a very rewarding side job if you’re so inclined.
Does a CFI need an Instrument Rating https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp&n=14y2.0.1.1.2&r=PART#se14.2.61_1183 The or below is very confusing. Doesn't it mean I need an Instrument rating or one of the things that follows it in the list? Or means one or the other, not both.Furthermore, when would one of t...	—you need an instrument rating to be a CFI or CFII for the categories that are listed.
How do planes maintain constant speeds at cruise altitudes? I'm a noob so pardon my ignorance. So my understanding is that as the plane gets lighter during the flight, its mass reduces therefore reducing the lift needed to maintain the altitude. At those altitudes and speeds, my understanding is that we can't engage sl...	As the weight of the aircraft decreases, the pilot (or autopilot) will pitch the nose down slightly to reduce the AoA, and therefore lift.
When do commercial aircraft tail numbers change? Each (large, commercial and most other) aircraft has a registration number, painted or stickered on its hull: the tail number . I was under the false impression that tail numbers don't change, and that a number identifies an aircraft until it's decommissioned. That's n...	An operator may even decide to change tail numbers of aircraft it already owns just because.
Could the Aurora D8 have Ramjets instead of traditional jet engines? By the design of the Aurora D8 , the engines would receive the boundary layer of air atop the fuselage, however, because jets have what I am calling "moving parts", and the pressure differences would cause problems for the turbines. Could we elimina...	As the Aurora D8 is designed to fly at subsonic speeds, and ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around mach 3 , they simply would not be feasible on Aurora D8.
If the pilots used the brakes upon landing, would the force essentially slam the front wheel down? So if the pilots braked immediately, with only the back wheels down, and nose wheel still up, would the force from braking cause the front wheel to come slamming down? <Q> If you get on the brakes hard after main touchdow...	If you hold the nose up and apply harsh brakes (or have Med autobrake set), then the nose wheel will slam down eventually.
Does the sterile cockpit rule mean flight attendants could not inform the pilots if a passenger is in the lavatory while on final? Context: I've seen this interesting question just the other day, asking what would pilots do after receiving this information while on final: either go around or continue with the landing. ...	" Sterile cockpit " means also that the cockpit crew shall only perform the duties that are required for the safe operation of the aircraft.
What does a reduction gearbox do in a turbofan engine? I've read that the P&W PW1000G engine has a reduction gearbox. What is it and does it have any relation to the fan or compressor speed? Does it improve fuel efficiency? <Q> The problem is that in bypass engines, the fan blades are much longer than the turbine blade...	The advantage of this setup is that the front fan can have longer blades to cover a larger cross-section area, while the low-pressure compressor and turbine blades in the core can spin faster to improve fuel efficiency.
How does the bypass air provide thrust? To my knowledge, bypass air produces 80% of total thrust. But I don't understand to how it does that. By accelerating the air, by increasing the speed or increasing the pressure of the air? Is it doing this by Bernoulli's principle or something like that? <Q> The bypass air is ac...	A bypass fan provides thrust in the same way a propeller provides thrust: by increasing the energy content of the gas mass passing through the disk.
What was this vehicle doing? On a trip a few weeks ago traveling out of Charlotte (CLT), I took this picture of a vehicle at the airport. Our plane was fueled as we were about to board but due to various factors, boarding didn’t occur until almost five hours later. As we were finally about to board, this vehicle arri...	These vehicles connect to a pressurized Airport Fueling System hydrant and transfer the fuel to the aircraft through a filter.
How close is a pilot allowed to get to a runway without landing clearance? I heard it was 100 feet above minimums, I'd just like verification. <Q> From the Pilot/Controller Glossary: CLEARED TO LAND −ATC authorization for an aircraft to land. <S> It is predicated on known traffic and known physical airport condi...	So the answer to how close you can get is: anything that isn't touching the surface.
Technical factors to consider for retrofitting aerial refueling for commericial aircraft What are the factor that need to be taken into account to retrofit and an airliner like an a330 or 777 or maybe even a business jet like a global 5000 to an aerial refuelable (receiving) aircraft. Is it even possible? <Q> Yes, of c...	Mechanically the modification is simple: Add some fuel lines, valves and the standard receptacle for the Air Force boom system of refuelling (at the fuel mass needed only the boom system would make sense). It is possible, although expensive.
Why are propellers de-iced before the engines are started, and does ice on the fuselage affect the flight characteristics of the plane? I recently flew on a flight out of Montreal on a DHC8 turboprop. The plane had been parked at the airport overnight during a winter storm, and as I walked out to the plane, there were...	Ice Will impact the lift created by the wings, that is very bad, unless the ice is along the wing/fuselage joint, where it disrupt smooth airflow, altho probably just creating some more drag until it sublimates off.
Why were the windows on the Concorde about the size of a hand? I just saw a comparison between the 787 and Concorde windows. I could be wrong but it almost seems like a hand could cover the majority of the window. <Q> The Concorde flew above 15,000m. <S> At this altitude a sudden reduction in cabin pressure would prove...	The windows in Concorde must be smaller because the fuselage diameter is much less than that of a B787 while it must handle a higher pressure differential.
Will the 737 Max 10 have MCAS? With the fuselage plugs forward of the wing, would this mean the engines are closer to CG, therefore no need for MCAS? <Q> The fuselage length is immaterial. <S> The problem of the Max series relates to the positions of the engines versus the wing , and their aerodynamic interference nea...	As far as I could find, there is no official statement from Boeing on this.
Has the "Foote takeoff" technique really existed, and how did it work? Reading The Crash Detectives: Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Disasters by Christine Negron, I came across the following description, in relation to some early de Havilland Comet accidents, notably G-ALYZ at Rome (Oct 26, 1952): Pi...	The standard takeoff technique was what was used on all previous airplanes - line up, release the brakes, apply full power (derated thrust did not yet exist), accelerate, apply some back pressure to take the weight off the nose wheel, start feeling the airplane off the ground.
Is the F-16 cockpit pressurized? Is the F-16's cockpit pressurized? If so, why does the pilot receive oxygen from the mask (please state the correct terminology for this)? Is it due to redundancy in case cabin pressurization fails? <Q> Yes, the cockpit of the F-16 is pressurized. <S> However, there are two types of cab...	The pilot has a pressure breathing on demand oxygen mask, which is required equipment for high-altitude operations.

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