Is it possible to invert a commercial airliner?
Is it possible to invert a commercial airliner? The scene, a Hollywood masterpiece of special effects, has people asking can an airliner fly upside down. The answer is yes for a “little” bit! Unlike military fighters, commercial planes do not have the engine power for sustained inverted flight and rely on lift from the wings.
Can a Boeing 747 float on water?
Yes, in theory, an 400,000 kg airplane like a 747 could be fitted with floats capable of displacing the 400 cubic meters of water required to keep it afloat, albeit with a decrease in performance.
Can an a380 do a barrel roll?
Can you barrel roll an A380? In the case of the A380, the maximum bank angle permitted is 67 degrees, and it is 33 degrees in normal flight operation. To roll the aircraft, this system would have to be overridden. Also, there is a serious complication with the engine and fuel systems.
Can you invert a 737?
All airplanes can intentionally roll upside down, doing what's termed a barrel roll. Only planes that are specifically designed for it can stay inverted for very long, though. Assuming it happened at cruising altitude, recovery's no problem at all. Even a wimpy private pilot like me could do it.
Why are planes not allowed to reverse?
Thrust reversal involves great forces, and produces an incredible amount of noise. To keep noise pollution to a minimum, we try to avoid roaring jet engines as much possible. An engine running at full thrust would also blow away any loose parts or people on the platform. Some might consider this a safety risk.
Can a plane stop in mid air?
Techincally, there is only one way for the aircraft to remain hanging motionless in the air: if weight and lift cancel each other out perfectly, and at the same time thrust and drag cancel each other out too. But this is incredibly rare. To stay in the air and sustain its flight, an aircraft needs to be moving forward.
Why is there a tiny hole in airplane windows?
These tiny holes, also called breather holes, serve as a safety function, by making sure that the outer pane bears all the air pressure (the pressure inside the cabin is much higher than outside). This also ensures that in case the pressure difference becomes high enough, it is the outer pane that breaks off first.
Do pilots turn off engines during flight?
Passenger jet pilots do not shut down any of the aircraft's engines without a solid reason. They may be forced to do so in the event of failure or even a relatively minor technical malfunction to avoid further damage and larger problems.
Has a plane ever lost a wing?
A jet was forced to make an emergency landing at Tampa International Airport after it lost part of its wing in the air. Officials at Tampa International Airport said a Cessna Citation was at 27,000 feet near St. Petersburg when the pilot lost the left winglet and part of the wing.