Discussion
Just to set the scene, pre-comment...
I love planes and aircraft me...but apart from having fixed-wing experience with me old man and some of his Captain mates flying around in silly things like Cessnas when I was young...plus a couple of my own introductory pleasure flights...and some well-jammy hours as a pax in ropey old Bell 206's...basically my flying and aircraft experience is definitely that of 'enthusiastic but stupid' amateur
Most fixed-wing stuff still gives me 'the awe', whether military or commercial. Air shows give me 'the feels' too - in fact, if anything, seeing large commercial stuff do things that you wouldn't normally see are definitely more exciting than watching military craft do stuff that you would expect - know what I mean?
I understand the basic 'laws and science' of aviation, love flying whatever aircraft I am lucky enough to get into - and am a general all-round enthusiast.
I've spent time (but not so much as to be a 'nerd') at airports watching stuff come in / go out.
They're all great to watch: but I think there's something that's impressive a few notches above everything else to see, and that is a 747.
Whether as a 'heavy' taking off using loads of runway somewhere - seeing the huge wings flex as they take up the lift to get the thing airbourne; or when one is coming in to land, with all the gear out looking like huge birds' claws waiting for the ground - with full slats and flaps out too giving the aircraft an appearance of something totally amazing..? All happening at a speed that appears (from the ground) to be waaay too slow for such a huge thing to be doing that!
But anyway, sorry for the soft-focus tangent"! The point of the thread is - that usually, for the most part, aircraft that are designed right and fly right, also 'look right' if you know what I mean? Even 747's with all their slats and flaps extended somehow 'look right' in that configuration, despite being so big?
So why is it that every time I see an A380, I just cannot rationalise the look of the thing? Yes, they've been flying without incident since introduction (ok, apart from the blown Trent 1000) and I was watching a programme about the Emirates aircraft where the chief pilot said they are a dream to fly....despite ALL that, to me, they just look...totally wrong in every way, every proportion, every angle?
A truly ugly, ungainly, horrendous looking aircraft - in my opinion of course. But just doesn't look like it's got any right to fly, let alone fly in a graceful and complimentary manner.
Do ya know what I mean?
Yeah I know, cool story bro - but just wondered if others thought the same way, or if I am just being a tit?
I love planes and aircraft me...but apart from having fixed-wing experience with me old man and some of his Captain mates flying around in silly things like Cessnas when I was young...plus a couple of my own introductory pleasure flights...and some well-jammy hours as a pax in ropey old Bell 206's...basically my flying and aircraft experience is definitely that of 'enthusiastic but stupid' amateur
Most fixed-wing stuff still gives me 'the awe', whether military or commercial. Air shows give me 'the feels' too - in fact, if anything, seeing large commercial stuff do things that you wouldn't normally see are definitely more exciting than watching military craft do stuff that you would expect - know what I mean?
I understand the basic 'laws and science' of aviation, love flying whatever aircraft I am lucky enough to get into - and am a general all-round enthusiast.
I've spent time (but not so much as to be a 'nerd') at airports watching stuff come in / go out.
They're all great to watch: but I think there's something that's impressive a few notches above everything else to see, and that is a 747.
Whether as a 'heavy' taking off using loads of runway somewhere - seeing the huge wings flex as they take up the lift to get the thing airbourne; or when one is coming in to land, with all the gear out looking like huge birds' claws waiting for the ground - with full slats and flaps out too giving the aircraft an appearance of something totally amazing..? All happening at a speed that appears (from the ground) to be waaay too slow for such a huge thing to be doing that!
But anyway, sorry for the soft-focus tangent"! The point of the thread is - that usually, for the most part, aircraft that are designed right and fly right, also 'look right' if you know what I mean? Even 747's with all their slats and flaps extended somehow 'look right' in that configuration, despite being so big?
So why is it that every time I see an A380, I just cannot rationalise the look of the thing? Yes, they've been flying without incident since introduction (ok, apart from the blown Trent 1000) and I was watching a programme about the Emirates aircraft where the chief pilot said they are a dream to fly....despite ALL that, to me, they just look...totally wrong in every way, every proportion, every angle?
A truly ugly, ungainly, horrendous looking aircraft - in my opinion of course. But just doesn't look like it's got any right to fly, let alone fly in a graceful and complimentary manner.
Do ya know what I mean?
Yeah I know, cool story bro - but just wondered if others thought the same way, or if I am just being a tit?
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