Questions tagged [safety]
Safety includes all aspects of protecting aircraft, passengers and crew from accidents, mistakes and other potentially dangerous situations.
1,019
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Why did Boeing choose for a solution as aerodynamically invasive as MCAS to solve a much less safety related issue?
MCAS on the 737 is a mind boggling subject to me. I've been said to be obsessed by it, which is not entirely untrue, 'cause it does keep me busy. In everything about aviation, which has been an ...
0
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2answers
124 views
In theory, can jetliners remain controllable after losing the entire tail section?
The scenario here is a detachment of the tail,one with the whole empennage.
Could a variant of an existing model of swept winged jet airliner be made to remain controllable, using ailerons, ...
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0answers
11 views
How OK or not OK is it to consequently delete correct answers [migrated]
I couldn't help noticing a small group of players very consequently deletes all my answers, leaving questions with heavily biased answers only.
Aside from it being annoying to have players launch ...
22
votes
1answer
2k views
What makes a jet single pilot certified?
Why are some small-ish jets (Embraer Phenom 300, Pilatus PC-24 for example) single-pilot certified? The pilot still has to fly+navigate+communicate. Why would a small jet be more manageable than a ...
4
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1answer
293 views
Is it safe to use a propeller plane to fly commercially over the Tibetan Plateau?
I saw this youtube video today: Flying over Mt Everest. A lovely view of stunning nature - quite spectacular. However, I looked up the plane - or at least what I think is the plane - and found that it ...
2
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4answers
451 views
Engine out over a mountain road. Do you land upwind or up hill?
You're flying solo in a late-model, fixed-gear Cessna 172 with half-full fuel tanks. You are at 1000 feet AGL, 100 knots indicated, directly above the middle of a 2000 foot long straight section of ...
16
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8answers
6k views
Could an airliner exceed Mach 1 in a zero-G power dive and safely recover?
(I looked for duplicates. I really did.)
Being as it is that "safety" and this are mutually exclusive:
I am stupid. I take a cruising A320, apply TOGA power, and push zero Gs until I exceed ...
5
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3answers
272 views
Helicopter mast bumping in low g condition
The helicopter shown in the concrete pouring video seems to taking off from a hill and descending down in a way which can be classified as low G with low rotor loading. Although, the helicopter is ...
9
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2answers
934 views
What does “the other's right” refer to in 14 CFR Part 91.113?
There's a part in 14 CFR Part 91.113 (regarding airborne right-of-way rules) that's been confusing me:
Converging. When aircraft of the same category are converging at approximately the same altitude ...
0
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1answer
154 views
How does ATC handle a controller with psychological trauma?
I've finally got around to watching Breaking Bad, (spoiler alert) in the last episode of season 2 a bereaved ATC controller accidentally causes a mid-air collision.
I am not asking whether the actual ...
2
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3answers
127 views
Dangers to the Engine if CHT goes below minimum in flight during descent?
What are the dangers of CHT going below minimum in flight during descent since the power setting will be around 10inches in a power descent?
0
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1answer
105 views
In wing design, how is factor of safety related to G-limits?
What does factor of safety mean with regard to the maximum G force an aircraft is rated for? Does a rating of 3Gs mean the same as a safety factor of 3? Or is there some extra margin?
3
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1answer
258 views
Why are you not allowed to use power sockets in the seats during takeoff and landings?
Is it because the extra strain on the electrical system reduces engine performance?
2
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1answer
141 views
Why are even drone flights prohibited due to the earthquakes near Mt Keilir, Iceland?
A "swarm" of over 20,000 earthquakes has rocked Iceland in the past 10 days — and it could spark a volcanic eruption links to this tweet by Almannavarnadeild ríkislögreglustjóra; The ...
56
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8answers
10k views
Why don’t airplanes use turn signals?
Why don’t airplanes use turn signals like cars do? Would this improve safety for ground operations at uncontrolled airports? Could a similar concept be used to indicate in air maneuvers?
For example: ...
30
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1answer
5k views
How do airports detect drones?
Recently, there's been a lot of coverage in the news of drones disturbing operations at airports.
Do airports have a method to detect drones? If yes, how does it work? If it's still an emerging ...
3
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1answer
184 views
Modern airliners are designed to be able to withstand the worst (vertical) turbulence. But what about the rarer lateral (horizontal) turbulence?
'Extreme' turbulence is a derived vertical gust velocity of >3,000 fpm (50 fps) that causes a vertical G-load of >3. The limit turbulence intensity for a modern day airliner is 90 fps. (there is ...
0
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1answer
91 views
Is flap-asymmetry protection on airliners still active even on the ground?
On aircraft with flaps, a general certification requirement is that it must not be possible for the aircraft to suffer a loss of lateral control secondary to an asymmetric-flap condition. This ...
0
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3answers
179 views
Why do we take off with maximum power settings?
In most GA prop airplanes, take-off is executed with full throttle and high rpm. The usual reasoning is that this way, we leave the first few hundred feet, where failures are most severe, behind as ...
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0answers
76 views
What is the relation between cargo smoke and EDTO?
I have heard a lot of people discussing about cargo smoke and Extended Diversion Time Operations (EDTO) together. Just want to know how these two affect each other.
0
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2answers
294 views
Why are these 3 planes so close?
I spotted these three planes flying east then turning south. They were over the Hopi reservation and heading toward Winslow, AZ at 10:42 AM local time (MST), today February 5 2021. They were at 15k ...
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1answer
150 views
Why is scud-running necessarily dangerous? [duplicate]
(Disclaimer: Please do not take the below as an endorsement of scud-running.)
Scud-running is when a pilot flying in poor weather operates their aircraft at a lower-than-normal height above terrain in ...
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2answers
181 views
What is the maximum momentary G force that a modern airliner's wing can take before it snaps in extreme turbulence?
Taken from an aviation safety pdf..
Intensity - LIGHT - Vertical acceleration (g) 0.20-0.49 - Derived Gust (fpm) 300 -1,199
Intensity - MODERATE - Vertical acceleration (g) 0.50-0.99 - Derived Gust (...
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1answer
155 views
Why didn't the airlines try to start copying SpaceX by putting camera on the outer body of the airplane? [closed]
This week my country Indonesia just had an Airplane crash accident Sriwijaya Air SJ182.
I'm getting sick with people speculating why or how the plane crashed. Well, we can wait for the black box ...
17
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5answers
6k views
Why aren't “fuel polishing” systems removing water & ice from fuel in aircraft, like in cruising yachts?
Should you sump fuel tanks when the fuel system is below freezing? the question
should one sump fuel-tanks before flying, if in freezing-conditions?
but this implies another question that boggles me:...
6
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3answers
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People say that modern airliners are more resilient to turbulence, but I see that a 707 and a 787 still have the same G-rating. Why is this?
The 707 was introduced in the late 50's, the 787 in 2009.
Back when Air France 447 had recently gone missing, many were speculating that the aircraft had broken up in the turbulence associated with ...
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2answers
180 views
How dangerous are tailwind gusts for STOL aircraft?
If I fly close to stall speed with a STOL plane and gust of 20kts tailwind comes at me,it will cause sudden reduction in lift ,becuase plane has inertia so it can not accelerate instantly.
How ...
5
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1answer
151 views
How can I tell if a rental aircraft has been maintained in good condition?
When I rent a Cessna (typically old) from the local airport, how concerned should I be that the plane may have been abused at some points over many years (over-load forces, hard landings, over-rev'd ...
8
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5answers
4k views
How much do you have to respect checklist order?
In a fighter aircraft, if the checklist says turn on the radar then turn on the Heads Down Display, and the pilot turns on the HDD first would he be reprimanded for that if it makes no difference?
Is ...
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4answers
245 views
Why can't we use bleed air instead of oxygen cylinders? [closed]
When cabin is depressurized due to some or the other reason then we usually have oxygen generators in airplane and they last for 12 minutes. It is very shot in usual terms but it is enough to descend ...
2
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2answers
237 views
Reason why heavy aircraft are allowed to land but not to start
I stumbled upon this article (German)
It says that a few of Lufthansas 747 are grounded at Twente airport. They were parked there because of COVID-19 at an aircraft recycling company.
Now the airport ...
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0answers
33 views
What are the safety events definitons for Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA)?
I am searching the definition and parameters of safety events which are used in Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA).
I tried searching by myself but I can't find anything valuable. Are this ...
0
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1answer
103 views
Are there any characteristics of a hypoxic flight? [closed]
Any patterns that investigators look for? For example, what happens when the engine flames out? is it guaranteed to enter a high speed dive? And would this affect certain parts of the aircraft, ...
asked Oct 15 '20 at 1:16
George Clooney In a Mooney
4,3012 gold badges18 silver badges45 bronze badges
4
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0answers
76 views
Is there a standard for required repainting of worn runway markings? In USA
Is there an FAA regulation or advisory circular covering the allowable wear, fading, or weathering of runway markings? I can find many FAA standards for the paint of fresh new runway markings, but I ...
2
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1answer
151 views
I have an idea about how to resolve a conflict between the pilots and an automated flight control system. Does it make sense? [closed]
I am thinking about the 737-MAX crashes. There is a similar question at Is it common for automated control systems to use non-redundant sensors? There was an article in yesterday's Seattle Times In ...
5
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1answer
197 views
Is it normal that an ELT activates during a strong up draft in flight?
I was flying a PA 28 181 Archer on a nice clear day at cruise speed level flight 3000ft. Suddenly, from nowhere it was hit by an up draft that lasted I would say less than a second. I got pain in my ...
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2answers
124 views
What is the best time to run runway friction tests? [closed]
When is the best time to run runway friction tests?
And what is the optimum temperature to run them?
2
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3answers
334 views
Do pilots of commercial aircraft have ready access to a map or data showing nearest airports in case of a need to make an emergency landing?
As a passenger I often wonder that if a pilot had to make an emergency landing, do they have access to live information to direct them to the nearest airport or is this something that they have to ...
4
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1answer
399 views
Is there a reason that commercial jets do not have a “dead man’s switch”?
Following high-profile cases of disappearances such as MH370, as well as the lower-profile but no doubt common radar infringement and level / airspace busts that we don’t hear about often, is there a ...
10
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4answers
3k views
Isn't it dangerous for a soldier to sit on the outside of a flying helicopter?
AH-64 during an extraction exercise at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo in 2007 with a soldier on the avionics bay.
I lit upon this image on Wikipedia. I see that the soldier is harnessed fastened to the ...
0
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2answers
112 views
What is the name of Control equipment? [closed]
I wanted to know the name of equipment that controls the control surfaces of an aircraft by taking commands from the pilot through it's hotas stick. The aircraft could be a combat 50's or 60's a/c, so ...
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1answer
105 views
How will LiFi application in an aircraft change the security of an air travel? [closed]
In a near future, LiFi technology will replace WiFi in a commercial aircraft. LiFi will make nonstop internet service possible. This will generate some new issues in air travel security. Especially ...
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0answers
39 views
Commercial aircraft can withstand up to 3.8 (sustained) G's. Can an airliner withstand more G's if the G forces are momentary (ie Turbulence)? [duplicate]
If yes, how many (momentary) G's found in turbulence could an airliner withstand? Since the G rating comes from static/sustained G's, rather than turbulence G forces which are momentary/not sustained.
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47 views
Do modern airliners have a higher Gust Load Limit than an older airliner of the 50's or 60's?
I ask this because the BAC 1-11 had a Gust Load Limit of ~66 fps, and it had a structural failure in a thunderstorm. Many websites say aircraft design has improved since then, so has the Gust Load ...
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0answers
140 views
Can a modern airliner handle turbulence forces of +5/-3G?
In the BOAC Flight 911 accident the 707 likely experienced around positive 5G and negative 2-3G.
The wings of the 707 were only about as 50% as flexible as the wings of airliners today. How would a ...
3
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3answers
549 views
How safe are extreme aerobatic flights?
Statistically, how safe are extreme aerobatics flights like this one?
26
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1answer
5k views
Are there any drawbacks to requesting progressive taxi every time?
Unless you know the airport like your own backyard, it seems like requesting progressive taxi would always be the safest option to essentially eliminate the possibility of taking a wrong turn or ...
51
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3answers
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The F-16s that were scrambled to intercept United 93 did not have time to arm the jets, so the pilots were going to “ram it” how does that work?
The Wikipedia page says
Two F-16 fighter pilots from the 121st Fighter Squadron of the D.C. Air National Guard, Marc Sasseville and Heather "Lucky" Penney, were scrambled and ordered to ...
asked Aug 8 '20 at 11:14
George Clooney In a Mooney
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16
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2answers
2k views
Have any airliners successfully landed on a runway after striking a tree?
There are many examples of aircraft striking trees during a crash sequence, usually with high fatality rates.
Have any airliners struck* one or more trees and proceeded to successfully land on a ...
3
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3answers
332 views
Shouldn't the instructor in this scenario try to avoid a deadstick landing? [closed]
In the Netflix drama "The Crown" (season 1, episode 4) Prince Philip has flight lessons with Group Captain Townsend (below is an image of that scene, I was unable to identify the plane).
...
