Random facts about planes..
Discussion
greghm said:
Speaking about the Concorde, has anyone flown in it ? how much was a ticket back in the pre 2003 days ?
I have albeit only once.I'm won a sales incentive which was out to the Monaco GP by the Orient Express, watch the race and then back by Concorde via a 4 hour flight over the Bay of Biscay.
Unfortunately it clashed with another incentive I'd won and I could go so instead I went to Salzburg on the train and back from Linz on Concorde.
Absolutely fantistic and a memory I have forever. The takeoff is faster than a conventional jet and then once in the air and over water you accelerate again through the speed of sound.....going faster than a rifle bullet!
I believe at the time there was no aircraft capable of catching Concorde and keeping up with it for long. And just imagine seeing the curvature of the earth and knowing the only people higher than you are astronauts who are wearing space suits whilst you're in jeans and sipping bubbles
Bloody brilliant and a sad day when it ceased flying
Depending in what year the flight was, it's unlikely that any astronauts or cosmonauts would have been in space suits. Conditions on the various space stations that have been used since 1971 have always allowed a shirtsleeve environment.
During launch and descent they will wear a pressure suit.
The only time they wear an actual space suit would be on an EVA.
During launch and descent they will wear a pressure suit.
The only time they wear an actual space suit would be on an EVA.
Eric Mc said:
Depending in what year the flight was, it's unlikely that any astronauts or cosmonauts would have been in space suits. Conditions on the various space stations that have been used since 1971 have always allowed a shirtsleeve environment.
During launch and descent they will wear a pressure suit.
The only time they wear an actual space suit would be on an EVA.
1989 from memory EricDuring launch and descent they will wear a pressure suit.
The only time they wear an actual space suit would be on an EVA.
My comment about space suits was one I remember from a Concorde documentary.Thinking about it they may have been talking about the only other aircraft that flies as high as Concorde does (blackbird) and the pilots do wear suits from memory.
Correct about the SR-71 (and the U-2 as well). The pilots of those aircraft always wear (or wore in respect of the SR-71) pressure suits. In effect, they are stuck in that flight regime which is the most dangerous and where they may have to get out in a hurry or cope with a sudden loss of pressure in the cockpit.
In a spacecraft, the danger times are during launch and re-entry. That is when pressure suits are worn. In fact, teh pressure suits worn on the Shuttle were derived from the suits used by SR-71 and U-2 crew.
SR-71/U-2 pressure suit -
Early Shuttle pressure suit -
Later Shuttle pressure suit -
Space Shuttle/Space Station EVA suit (US) -
Concorde passengers-
In a spacecraft, the danger times are during launch and re-entry. That is when pressure suits are worn. In fact, teh pressure suits worn on the Shuttle were derived from the suits used by SR-71 and U-2 crew.
SR-71/U-2 pressure suit -
Early Shuttle pressure suit -
Later Shuttle pressure suit -
Space Shuttle/Space Station EVA suit (US) -
Concorde passengers-
Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 13th April 14:26
HoHoHo said:
Eric Mc said:
Depending in what year the flight was, it's unlikely that any astronauts or cosmonauts would have been in space suits. Conditions on the various space stations that have been used since 1971 have always allowed a shirtsleeve environment.
During launch and descent they will wear a pressure suit.
The only time they wear an actual space suit would be on an EVA.
1989 from memory EricDuring launch and descent they will wear a pressure suit.
The only time they wear an actual space suit would be on an EVA.
My comment about space suits was one I remember from a Concorde documentary.Thinking about it they may have been talking about the only other aircraft that flies as high as Concorde does (blackbird) and the pilots do wear suits from memory.
See above - it's a pressure suit, designed to protect the crew if the aircraft depressurises or they have to eject at exreme altitude (over 60,000 feet). However, they aren't really designed for use in the vacuum of space.
Dedicated "space suits" - such as the EVA suits worn by astronauts and cosmonauts when spacewalking - are much more sophisticated devices.
They usually contain much longer duration oxygen supplies (up to eight hours) and are fitted with ultra violet and micrometeorite protection layers.
They also contain water cooling garments to keep the occupants' body temperatures within safe limits. They are, in effect, self contained flexible spacecraft.
Dedicated "space suits" - such as the EVA suits worn by astronauts and cosmonauts when spacewalking - are much more sophisticated devices.
They usually contain much longer duration oxygen supplies (up to eight hours) and are fitted with ultra violet and micrometeorite protection layers.
They also contain water cooling garments to keep the occupants' body temperatures within safe limits. They are, in effect, self contained flexible spacecraft.
Prawo Jazdy said:
dvs_dave said:
That sawing noise you often hear on Airbus aircraft whilst taxiing is the power transfer unit (PTU) operating. Often only one engine is used for taxiing to save fuel, so in order to provide hydraulic power to the hydraulic system normally driven by the other engine, the PTU, driven by the running engine's hydraulic system provides that power instead.
Almost like a balancing system between the two separate circuits that also allows them both to function when only one engine is operational.
There's an electronic pump that can supply the system run by engine 2. There's three systems on an A320. The third is powered by an electric pump in normal operation, and by the RAT (mentioned in a previous post) if the electric pump fails.Almost like a balancing system between the two separate circuits that also allows them both to function when only one engine is operational.
http://renewedpilot.com/2012/01/25/whats-the-loud-...
Eric Mc said:
One of my bucket list destinations.
Been a couple of times, most recently to see the Atlantis exhibit. Extremely impressive and the shuttle is a big old lump up close! Scale wise its on par with a 737.Also the facts and figures surrounding the SRB's and the Shuttle's own rocket motors are equally mind bending.
The stats just emphasise the amount of energy that's needed to hoist an object weighing almost 100 tons 200 miles into the sky and get it travelling at 17,500 mph parallel to the earth's surface.
I'm currently reading up on the Saturn V and the turbopumps needed to draw down the fuel and oxidiser into the combustion chambers of the first stage F1 engines produced 53,0000 hp each - and that was just the pumps - and there were five of them.
I'm currently reading up on the Saturn V and the turbopumps needed to draw down the fuel and oxidiser into the combustion chambers of the first stage F1 engines produced 53,0000 hp each - and that was just the pumps - and there were five of them.
dvs_dave said:
Been a couple of times, most recently to see the Atlantis exhibit. Extremely impressive and the shuttle is a big old lump up close! Scale wise its on par with a 737.
Also the facts and figures surrounding the SRB's and the Shuttle's own rocket motors are equally mind bending.
Also the facts and figures surrounding the SRB's and the Shuttle's own rocket motors are equally mind bending.
I find the place quite emotional TBH. You're standing at one of the very few places on the planet which is mankind's gateway to space - where exceptionally brave humans venture forth to explore and discover and learn about the universe and our place in it. Where some of the most significant events in history have started, and where many have paid the ultimate price in the quest to push our collective knowledge forward. The place has an aura that I really can't put in to words.
And like you say, some of the facts and figures and numbers involved with the shuttle system just boggle your mind - and remember that's a relative baby next to Saturn 5.
Done the Johnson Space Centre - way back in 1981. It was in October of that year and they were getting ready to launch the second ever Shuttle mission (STS-2).
Back then, they were still using the original Gemini/Apollo era Mission Control Rooms so when we visited the main one, we had to stay in the VIP area (behind the big glass windows). Various controllers were sitting at their consoles going through routines as part of the preparations. We spotted astronaut Kathy Sullivan and waved hello to her.
STS-2 flew a few weeks later.
Back then, they were still using the original Gemini/Apollo era Mission Control Rooms so when we visited the main one, we had to stay in the VIP area (behind the big glass windows). Various controllers were sitting at their consoles going through routines as part of the preparations. We spotted astronaut Kathy Sullivan and waved hello to her.
STS-2 flew a few weeks later.
Markbarry1977 said:
JuniorD said:
what about the periscopes on DC9, DC10 and 737 (maybe others too,)
Used for sextant readings perhaps, the nimrod r1 derived from the commet had 1 on the flight deck. We used to have to check its serviceability as part of the AF/TR/BF routine. Was that Abbot and Costello?
Eric Mc said:
Markbarry1977 said:
JuniorD said:
what about the periscopes on DC9, DC10 and 737 (maybe others too,)
Used for sextant readings perhaps, the nimrod r1 derived from the commet had 1 on the flight deck. We used to have to check its serviceability as part of the AF/TR/BF routine. Was that Abbot and Costello?
Markbarry1977 said:
JuniorD said:
what about the periscopes on DC9, DC10 and 737 (maybe others too,)
Used for sextant readings perhaps, the nimrod r1 derived from the commet had 1 on the flight deck. We used to have to check its serviceability as part of the AF/TR/BF routine. This was circa 1969. We arrived safely in Hawaii.
Edited by nonsequitur on Thursday 13th April 19:17
Markbarry1977 said:
Used for sextant readings perhaps, the nimrod r1 derived from the commet had 1 on the flight deck. We used to have to check its serviceability as part of the AF/TR/BF routine.
The 'sun gun' (sextant port) on Nimrod MR2 was in the vestibule area aft of the flight deck ie outside (aft of) the flight deck door in the area abeam the WC. Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff