Author Topic: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?  (Read 106846 times)

Offline FlyingBlind

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #105 on: March 17, 2006, 11:55:37 PM »
I mean! NOTHING penetrates Bushonemtumiinium! Its INPENETRABOL! ;D

Offline Mike

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #106 on: March 21, 2006, 04:49:34 AM »
Ok guys, back to the original theme of this thread:

Let's not forget about this one:
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fireflyr

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #107 on: March 21, 2006, 04:00:20 PM »
I don't know about the tilt rotors, do they the capacity to auto-rotate?   Doesnt appear they are capable of gliding in the fixed wing configuation as the landing would be rather messy with those prop/rotors flinging off in large pieces.     Looks waaay too far from the KISS principle for me to feel safe in one.

Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #108 on: March 21, 2006, 04:08:08 PM »
On the OV-22 Osprey, at least, if you lose one engine, power is transfered from the good engine to both props.  And, if you lose the tilt ability, the props are designed to splinter like fiberglass, rather than shatter into shrapnel.
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Offline Ted_Stryker

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #109 on: March 21, 2006, 04:20:27 PM »
On the OV-22 Osprey, at least, if you lose one engine, power is transfered from the good engine to both props.  And, if you lose the tilt ability, the props are designed to splinter like fiberglass, rather than shatter into shrapnel.

Took the words right out of my mouth :) 

One of the more amazing engineering feats of the MV-22, OV-22, and HV-22 (all variants of the Osprey), is the amazing machinery ballet that happens to fold the nacells and props for aircraft carrier stowage.  It's truly amazing that it can fold up the way it does, and that when unfolded, is strong enough to be functional.  I've seen it do it's thing in person a number of times, and it is definitely an amazing bird. 

Picking just one aircraft as the most amazing flying machine is tough with so many incredible machines out there :)
We're going to have to come in pretty low!  It's just one of those things you have to do... when you land!  -- Ted Striker - Airplane!

fireflyr

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #110 on: March 21, 2006, 04:28:33 PM »
Thanks Gulf, I know about the trans shafts but Murphy's law dictates that someday they will have bilateral engine failures, then what?

It's probably an excellent concept and I'm probably too cautious with my own butt----just looks over complicated.   If nothing else, I'll bet the maintenence costs are pretty high because of a lot of life-limited parts (more than a helicopter, I would imagine.

Offline Mike

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #111 on: March 21, 2006, 05:24:22 PM »
Hey Ted, does the civilian version have all those "folding capabilities" as well?

I always thought that's what made it too complicated and like everybody else was just saying "less fail-safe". But if the prop-tilting would be the only thing it does without folding the wing sideways and folding the blades I think this could work as well as a helicopter (although it would take up a lot of space sitting on the ground)...
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Offline Ted_Stryker

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #112 on: March 21, 2006, 05:31:28 PM »
Hey Ted, does the civilian version have all those "folding capabilities" as well?

I always thought that's what made it too complicated and like everybody else was just saying "less fail-safe". But if the prop-tilting would be the only thing it does without folding the wing sideways and folding the blades I think this could work as well as a helicopter (although it would take up a lot of space sitting on the ground)...

All the military versions do allow for blade folding and nacell rotation for more compact storage, especially with aircraft carrier or other confined storage deployment needs.  The Bell Helicopter Company makes a civilian tilt rotor similar to the Osprey, but it does not do the blade folding or nacell rotation other than the tilting action.  There are plans for a civilian version of the military Osprey, but it too will likely not have the blade fold capacity.  It adds a lot of weight, and the maintenance of the system is highly complex.

As for if it performs as well as a chopper, yes.  In fact, it has heavy lift capacity that brings it up within the mid-range military cargo choppers.  It's also pretty darn fast :)
We're going to have to come in pretty low!  It's just one of those things you have to do... when you land!  -- Ted Striker - Airplane!

Offline Mike

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #113 on: March 21, 2006, 05:41:53 PM »
well, I personally think that this concept does have a lot of future

we'll see what happens.
I heard you have to have an ATP fixed wing and an ATP helo rating to become a powered lift pilot and get a job on one fo those...
That's a pretty big investment! :o
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Offline Ted_Stryker

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #114 on: March 21, 2006, 05:49:24 PM »
well, I personally think that this concept does have a lot of future

we'll see what happens.
I heard you have to have an ATP fixed wing and an ATP helo rating to become a powered lift pilot and get a job on one fo those...
That's a pretty big investment! :o

That's why most of the ones flying them are military or ex-military where they got their training .... not in all cases, but in most.
We're going to have to come in pretty low!  It's just one of those things you have to do... when you land!  -- Ted Striker - Airplane!

Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #115 on: March 21, 2006, 08:43:36 PM »
I think in the case of both engines failing, you come out of the sky.   :)  I'm sure the glide ratio isn't as good as a similarly sized "normal airplane", but it'll be better than a chopper.   ;)
Behind every great man, there is a woman rolling her eyes.  --Bruce Almighty

Offline Mike

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #116 on: March 22, 2006, 02:38:04 AM »
yeah...but isn't that the case with most planes (jets mainly)??

If both engines fail, it really wasn't your day, was it!?
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Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #117 on: March 22, 2006, 02:40:39 AM »
No doubt.  Dead sticking a GV is not my idea of a fun time.   :D
Behind every great man, there is a woman rolling her eyes.  --Bruce Almighty

fireflyr

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #118 on: March 22, 2006, 03:52:32 AM »
AT least they'll glide----google the "Gimli Glider"

I remember when it happened, crew did a great job

Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?
« Reply #119 on: March 22, 2006, 04:50:34 AM »
Talk about pucker factor...
Behind every great man, there is a woman rolling her eyes.  --Bruce Almighty