YOU THINK THE A380 IS BIG?

squid · Post by **squid** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:43 am

Aircraft design got really fanciful with the development of fly-by-wire computer systems. That's when things like "the flying wing" got developed. All of a sudden, the actual ability to control the plane became less of an issue, and the collective imagination of the aerospace engineering world just went wild. Computers could monitor and adjust the aircraft control surfaces any number of times per second, so concepts like stability got a little bit ... old fashioned. In fact, certain fighter planes are designed to be flown close to the edge of chaotic instability. Coupled with a fly by wire system (which keeps them in the air), it actually makes them extremely, scarily agile.

I've always thought that the prettiest plane ever was the B-1 Lancer, which was developed circa 1965. It has a lovely, graceful, swan-like shape that I've always admired. Too bad it's also quite deadly.

wints · Post by **wints** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:10 pm

If we are talking about design, especially from a passenger standpoint, then in many respects the discussion ends here in 1969 and has not been advanced since...

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 3:53 pm

FWIW, I got a peek at the A380 at LAX up close and personal.
From afar it reminded me of a sausage with wings.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:18 pm

Jerry, I think there may be a song in there somewhere!

leesh · Post by **leesh** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:22 pm

This is the real sausage with wings:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747_Large_Cargo_Freighter

But Wints - this might be something you might like:
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/787family/

(All of this is coming from an unbiased opinion, naturally

)

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:39 pm

Yeah, right!

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 7:21 am

I could adapt The Bongos' "Number With Wings" to "Sausage With Wings".

wmthor · Post by **wmthor** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:34 pm

Alisha, do you think we (i.e YOU) could get one of those Dreamliners for an International Rickenbacker Confluence.

alanz · Post by **alanz** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:56 pm

Why am I not surprised that the server at boeing.com is down?

leesh · Post by **leesh** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:03 pm

Maybe Richard

There is a prototype barrel section of the 787 in the new Future of Flight Museum in Everett......

eric_b · Post by **eric_b** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 5:40 am

The Russian WIG's were quite impressive...And LOUD too!

eric_b · Post by **eric_b** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:16 am

I'm partial to this baby..Toiled long and hard on these in my pre-guitar period.

nukebass · Post by **nukebass** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:21 am

I saw a show on the history channel that reviewed the "secret" German airforce in World War II. They had a concept (I don't remember the designer) for a flying wing that would have been capable of taking off in Germany and bombing New York City. A large part of the design concept was later used to develop the stealth bomber. I think it's amazing all the advances that came out of World War II.

rumbush · Post by **rumbush** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:31 am

Ohhhh..the YF-23, gorrrrrgeous airplane. They had (have?) one over at the museum on Prairie in Hawthorne. Been right up next to it. Way more of a looker than that goofy, forlorn F-22.

Eric what did you do for Northrop on this project? If you tell will you have to kill me?

eric_b · Post by **eric_b** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:57 am

Yes...Especially since it mostly involved Radar Cross Section work..Actually got to have a seat in the one in the picture during a trip to Edwards.

The YF-23 at the Museum of Flight in Hawthorne is the 2nd prototype(PAV-2),which was powered by GE engines,which were quite a bit more powerful than it's Pratt and Whitney powered stablemate..It was definitely the Hotrod of the two,though PAV-1 was no slouch either.

The "official" Supercruise speed on the GE powered jet is "Very fast at 41,000 feet"...Still classified..Let's just say it put the Raptor in the weeds

Ryan,I believe you are thinking of one of the Horton Flying Wings,which did indeed have some influence on Jack Northrop's designs,culminating in the B-2A..