Low-flying Chinooks

[Arch]

I recently read Phoenix Squadron, which was about the old Ark Royal's raid on Honduras in the 1970s to warn them off Belize. Sounds like your father is lucky to have survived. It was a dangerous job.

I'm amazed they had any planes left by the time he came out - he was end of WW2 into the 50's so one of the pics is captioned "My first jet carrier landing. Nervous? You bet!" It's a very pretty Supermarine Attacker.

But I gather it wasn't just him, it is a damn tricky thing to do. Hard enough to park an aeroplane when the runway stays still...

Ironically, in the end it was a dicky heart and booze that got him.

 

[Arch]

I thought you were seriously saying that both Chinooks and bumblebees shouldn't be be able to fly.

Note to self: Arch is almost certainly always not being serious, about anything.

Nah, I'm rarely serious....

But it wasn't so long ago that the general public perception (and in terms of insect-ology, I'm general public) was that scientists didn't know how bumblebees managed to stay aloft.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Nah, I'm rarely serious....

But it wasn't so long ago that the general public perception (and in terms of insect-ology, I'm general public) was that scientists didn't know how bumblebees managed to stay aloft.

Yes, IIRC there was an episode in Dr Who where Tom Baker tells Leela about bumblebees not being aerodynamically able to fly. Aerodynamics is a pretty tricky subject though.

 

[Sambu]

I remember when two A-10s were circling our field, thought they were going to start strafing the horses.

 

[ufkacbln]

My Dad's collection of FAA photos (mostly of planes he'd 'landed' on aircraft carriers) were annotated with some acerbic comments on the back...

One favourite I read in a magazine was that a good landing is one you walk away from. A great landing is one where they can use the plane again.

He'll understand WAFU then!

 

[subaqua]

If Im not mistaken that pic was taken at Cadair Idris in Wales - which is a fantastic place to sit and watch big boys toys whizz past.

one of the joys of growing up in Wales was being able to hop on the bike and sit up in the mountains watching them. the Jaguars were amazing.

 

[byegad]

No one saw any military helicopters. Lets get that clear. Now if you'll look at this for a second please.

FLASH

 

[david1701]

Yes, IIRC there was an episode in Dr Who where Tom Baker tells Leela about bumblebees not being aerodynamically able to fly. Aerodynamics is a pretty tricky subject though.

they aren't (at the slow speeds they do) using the standard aerodynamic equations, however if you take the fact that the wings move into account then it is possible.

I have a little RC chinook with 2 sets of contra-rotating props and its hard enough to handle

 

[benb]

If bumblebees were unable to fly, guess what?
They wouldn't.

 

[Arch]

If bumblebees were unable to fly, guess what?
They wouldn't.

Yes, we know they CAN. It's just the case that for a while, we didn't know HOW, based on our contemporary understanding of aerodynamics and bee anatomy...

 

[Bman]

"If the wings are travelling faster than the fuselage it's probably a helicopter and therefore unsafe"

 

[gavintc]

Anyone who has walked in the Lakes on a weekday will know that the RAF practice low flying there, which can give you a hell of a shock if you happen to be on a col having your sandwiches.

So every year the RAF puts on a big air show over Windermere as a free "dash" to the public. It's worth going for, especially if the weather is nice.

I think that is an F-15 Eagle. None of our current aircraft have the double tail.

 

[longers]

Just to update, saw a Chinook over Oldham around 6 pm. Don't know what it was doing.

Carry on.

 

[gbb]

theres a point at which the sound waves from the two rotors merge, and the beat gets very, very heavy, almost a thump.

Extraordinary to think they've been around for almost fifty years.

Very occasionally seen one over our way...its that 'thump thump thump thump' that i love.

 

[endoman]

Saw one over East of Chesterfield at about 4.30 on my ride home,