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5 votes

I recently flew from Bar Harbor Maine to Boston Logan airport on a Cessna 402 turbo prop airplane. We didn’t have a copilot is this a FAA violation?

The Cessna 402 is a single pilot commuter airplane. It has two sets of controls, but the second pilot seat can even be used as an extra passenger seat. It is not a turboprop, it's a piston engine ...
Therac's user avatar
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26 votes
Accepted

Why is this screw on the wing of DASH-8 Q400 sticking out, is it safe?

It's not a screw, it's a drain line for the engine tail pipe, for fuel that can collect in the tail pipe during "wet" starts. There are other drains for the various engine and propeller ...
John K's user avatar
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1 vote

What control inputs to make if a wing falls off?

If the airplane is aerobatic enough to sustain knife-edge flight without descending rapidly, roll 90 degrees, fly down to a landing, and roll level just before touchdown. Large radio-control models ...
Camille Goudeseune's user avatar
0 votes

What control inputs to make if a wing falls off?

If a wing becomes detached you must make sufficient control inputs to counteract the roll moment generated by the still-attached wing. This means that you must: Negate some or all of the lift ...
Bob Jarvis - Слава Україні's user avatar
13 votes

Why wouldn't a plane start its take-off run from the very beginning of the runway to keep the option to utilize the full runway if necessary?

Short answer: Operational efficiency - significantly, you have saved time, and you might also save fuel from an unnecessary longer taxi. Long Answer: 1. Operational Efficiency: As discussed above, ...
tedioustortoise's user avatar
0 votes

Why wouldn't a plane start its take-off run from the very beginning of the runway to keep the option to utilize the full runway if necessary?

Clearly, the answer is yes. The OP asks, at the ending of their question - Wouldn't it make sense to start every take-off from the end to have more runway available in case you need it (for whatever ...
Thomas Perry's user avatar
17 votes

Why wouldn't a plane start its take-off run from the very beginning of the runway to keep the option to utilize the full runway if necessary?

Airlines (operating multiengine airplanes) calculate the necessary takeoff distance in consideration of the potential for an aborted takeoff occurring at the most disadvantageous point (during the ...
757toga's user avatar
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7 votes

Why wouldn't a plane start its take-off run from the very beginning of the runway to keep the option to utilize the full runway if necessary?

As an example: I did my flight training at Boeing Field (KBFI), which has two runways: a GA runway that is 3,700 feet long, and a commercial runway over 10,000 feet. My flight school was near the ...
abelenky's user avatar
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5 votes

Why wouldn't a plane start its take-off run from the very beginning of the runway to keep the option to utilize the full runway if necessary?

There's nothing more useless than fuel you left on the ground, or runway behind you. We're generally taught to use all the runway, as you point out; why wouldn't you? What if you need it. However for ...
Jamiec's user avatar
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10 votes

What control inputs to make if a wing falls off?

If a wing is severed or suffers severe damage, and the airplane isn't an F-15 with a lifting body for a fuselage, all-flying tail surfaces can can compensate for much of the lost wing area, and a ...
John K's user avatar
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68 votes
Accepted

What control inputs to make if a wing falls off?

This one: Yes, an F-15 has once landed with a lost wing. However, the landing was a close call - 20 more feet and the plane would've overrun the runway. That landing took both skill and luck, as well ...
Therac's user avatar
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11 votes

What control inputs to make if a wing falls off?

Yes, it is indeed possible to come out of such an event safely..... if you happen to be in an aircraft where some of the lift is generated by the body, have an excess amount of thrust available by way ...
Jamiec's user avatar
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5 votes
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Why are there not more emergency squawk codes?

The airport should have firefighting equipment ready in the event of any emergency. Whether there is already fire on board, a crash will start a fire about 90% of the time. Every emergency is unique ...
Therac's user avatar
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2 votes

How dangerous is flying in a single-engine plane?

I would probably re-phrase this question as how much 'riskier' flying in a light single engine airplane is as opposed to how much more dangerous one is. When comparing General Aviation flying in a ...
Carlo Felicione's user avatar
16 votes

Other than training and some landings, do pilots ever stall on purpose?

Not a large group, but Functional Check Flight pilots will typically perform a series of stalls in an airplane in various configurations before initial delivery and after major maintenance. If it ...
Ralph J's user avatar
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10 votes

Other than training and some landings, do pilots ever stall on purpose?

Lots of pilots do stalls for fun, practice, something to do, whatever, and if the plane is certified for spins, those too. In Canada, spins are part of basic pilot training. The main safety issue with ...
John K's user avatar
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4 votes

Other than training and some landings, do pilots ever stall on purpose?

Other than what your question includes, (e.g., training/practice), unless you're doing aerobatics (snap-rolls, spins etc.) or meeting the spin requirements to be a CFI (U.S. regulations), I don't ...
757toga's user avatar
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6 votes

Is there anything important to know about flying at ~9000ft for the first time?

The main thing you will notice is, if the propeller is fixed pitch, you will have the throttle all the way in to maintain cruise power (9000 ft will limit you to about 65% and the engine will be wound ...
John K's user avatar
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26 votes
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Is there anything important to know about flying at ~9000ft for the first time?

There's really not that much difference between flying at 3,500ft and 9,000ft, however yes there are a few things you should be aware of. The most important, as usual when operating an aircraft, is ...
Jamiec's user avatar
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2 votes

Was there an incident when Airbus autopilot wasn't letting the airplane land?

I would categorise this as an urban legend, as there is no this kind of function or protection in Airbuses. Any protection will not kick in until you are trying to exit aerodynamical envelope of the ...
busdriver's user avatar
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1 vote

Was there an incident when Airbus autopilot wasn't letting the airplane land?

This urban legend has been going around for ages and one flight (not sure if it was the start or if there were others) which started the myth that Airbus pilots are just along for the ride was the ...
Anilv's user avatar
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4 votes

Nutritional value of jet fuel (from a microbe's point of view) and which of their byproducts is causing the fuel tank corrosion?

The question is complex and really not really aviation-specific. Cars, trucks and especially boats and ships have similar problems. The energy content of the fuel is well-known and some microorganisms ...
fraxinus's user avatar
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