Aviation

Questions tagged [safety]

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Safety includes all aspects of protecting aircraft, passengers and crew from accidents, mistakes and other potentially dangerous situations.

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1answer
171 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 ...
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1answer
73 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 ...
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3answers
169 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
73 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.
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2answers
286 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
139 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
162 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
147 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 ...
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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:...
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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
173 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 ...
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1answer
148 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 ...
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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
216 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 ...
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2answers
233 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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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 ...
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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, ...
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0answers
73 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
149 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
188 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?
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3answers
322 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 ...
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1answer
384 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 ...
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4answers
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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 ...
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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
102 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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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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46 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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137 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 ...
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3answers
517 views

How safe are extreme aerobatic flights?

Statistically, how safe are extreme aerobatics flights like this one?
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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 ...
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3answers
12k views

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 ...
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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 ...
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3answers
300 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). ...
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53 views

Is there a standard EASA checklist for auditing Part-145 organizations?

Which document is the reference for preparing an audit checklist for auditing an approved Part-145 organization?
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1answer
155 views

What is a “Standard visual inspection”?

Passengers injured as US fighter jet comes close to Iranian plane The Iranian plane, belonging to Mahan Air, was heading from Tehran to Beirut on Thursday when the pilot staged a safety manoeuver, in ...
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1answer
86 views

What safety precautions are taken for an airline prototype test flight?

Regarding the software, the equipment and the personnel. Can the crew jump out of the plane with parachutes or is it a bad idea? Additionally, if you would compare the safety of today and the 1970/80s ...
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2answers
141 views

Can I safely plug something that draws 6 amps into the cigar lighter (power port) in my Piper Archer lll?

Can I safely plug something that draws 6 amps into the cigar lighter (power port) in my Piper Archer lll ?
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1answer
168 views

Why haven't airlines added safety pads to their carts? [closed]

I chanced upon this question at 5:11 of this YouTube video. Their answer is "no idea". A cynic would answer profit motive, for it costs money to add safety pads to all these carts and ...
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4answers
447 views

Can an airline lay off its flight attendants and use pilots to fill the role?

IcelandAir recently announced that it will be laying off its entire flight attendant staff, and plans to have pilots fill the role in the meantime. Can an airline lay off its flight attendants and ...
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1answer
583 views

How safe are commercial airliners from gallium infiltration?

I recently saw a video on gallium infiltration on YouTube. Gallium is a metal with a melting point somewhere between standard room temperature and human body temperature, meaning if you pick up a ...
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1answer
350 views

Can Airbus A320 doors be opened mid-flight?

Today I learned how airliner doors are typically an outward facing plug and cabin pressure would make them nearly impossible to open mid-flight. It's easy enough to see that for the shape of Boeing ...
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0answers
38 views

Comparing Argus, Wyvern, and IS-BAO

I'm interested in how Part 135 operators pilots, ops directors, etc., view the Argus, Wyvern, and IS-BAO ratings - and how you view the differences in tiers - Platinum, Gold +, Gold, Wingman, ...
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2answers
4k views

How can pilots differentiate runways and taxiways during landing?

There have been many incidents where pilots landed or attempted to land the aircraft on a wrong surface (for example Continental 1883 and Air Canada 759). Are there any tips for pilots to avoid that? ...
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5answers
5k views

Are planes allowed to fly in circles, and is there a minimum legal altitude for takeoff and landing?

I live near a small, possibly private, airport. Every day there are small planes flying low over the neighborhood in circles for over half an hour. They appear to just be flying for recreational ...
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1answer
90 views

What is meant by these criteria for a stabilized approach? [closed]

Based on regulation, there are several criteria for when an approach is stabilized. I want to ask: Only small changes in heading/pitch. How small? The aircraft is in correct landing configuration. ...
12
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1answer
233 views

What year did the seat belt sign come in to use?

What year did commercial airlines start using a lighted seat belt sign?
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2answers
226 views

Does the payload of an ICBM or regular airplane bomber explode if the ICBM or bomber is shot down?

As the top says, does the payload of an ICBM or regular airplane bomber (please excuse my ignorance) explode if the ICBM or bomber is shot down? So, say a defense laser in space (yes, I know; this is ...
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2answers
3k views

Would deploying the Space Shuttle's landing gear early have improved safety? [duplicate]

Due to the space shuttle orbiter’s high weight (potentially up to 110 tonnes [121 short tons] in certain abort scenarios, although nominally around 85 tonnes [94 short tons]) and abysmal subsonic ...
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2answers
164 views

Was flying a helicopter below building height against FAA regulations? [duplicate]

I'm referring to this incident: https://twitter.com/Dacheslow/status/1267638389421072384 Some people were saying it was illegal under FAA rules to fly that low and close to a crowd, and also to use a ...

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