Top new questions this week:

What are those things at the wing tip of an aerobatic aircraft?

See: The radially placed needle-like things that resemble a snowflake in the first picture. The triangular structure in the second picture. In the third picture, the object placed on only one wing ...

aircraft-design aerobatics

asked by hfc 39 votes answered by Airsick 37 votes

What are the "spur" devices on this U2 pilot's boots?

From this video on YouTube: What are those devices and what is their purpose?

cockpit equipment ejection-seat lockheed-u2

asked by Steve 27 votes answered by Airsick 39 votes

Why do some airports park the aircraft backwards at the gate?

(YouTube) Push-in at Dortmund Airport. While at most airports, aircraft park at the gate facing the building, there are some airports that park aircraft backwards, e.g., Dortmund Airport (shown ...

airport ground-operations pushback

asked by Stefan 21 votes answered by ymb1 21 votes

What is the standard way for the ATC to ask a pilot to repeat him/herself?

There is a lot of information on how the pilot should ask the ATC to repeat a statement, but is there a standard way for the ATC to ask the pilot to repeat a readback, or any new information that the ...

air-traffic-control

asked by Priyank 19 votes answered by J. Hougaard 31 votes

What is the purpose of the black paint below the cockpit windows?

Today I saw the following picture of the B747-400 SuperTanker, which shows a black painted region below the cockpit windows. I have also seen vintage pictures of other aircraft that also had this ...

cockpit paint

asked by Cebri 17 votes answered by Tyler Durden 21 votes

Why would a RAT be deployed at takeoff?

(Source) Is that a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) on the port side below the wing? Why is it already deployed and spinning during takeoff? This answer mentions a minimum airspeed at which RAT can be ...

military takeoff rat

asked by Raj 13 votes answered by ymb1 27 votes

Can flight control computers detect and help to avoid pilot-induced oscillations?

With flight control technology available today like fly-by-wire, digitally augmented command inputs etc., I wonder whether any technical solution exists (or could possibly exist) to detect and counter ...

aerodynamics flight-controls fly-by-wire

asked by nabla 10 votes answered by Peter Kämpf 7 votes

Greatest hits from previous weeks:

Does a plane have brakes to stop or slow down while flying?

Does a plane have brakes to stop or slow down while flying? For example, if the pilots see a large flock of birds at some distance in front of the airplane, and they want to reduce speed suddenly. ...

flight-controls airspeed braking

asked by Hemang 9 votes answered by RoboKaren 35 votes

What materials are plane windows made of?

I've always wondered, what are those dual-layered (bonus: sometimes they have a little <2mm hole, why is it there?) windows commercial jets put next to their seats made of?

aircraft-design safety windows

asked by Pato Sáinz 26 votes answered by voretaq7 24 votes

Can you answer these?

How do you calculate total drag on a wing?

I'm not an aeronautical engineer, but I am making a brave attempt to perform a preliminary design for an 4-metre wingspan radio controlled glider. With special thanks to @mns I have now learned a ...

aerodynamics wing lift drag

asked by Spider 4 votes

When may pilots leave the flight deck during flight?

Are there regulations as to when commercial pilots may leave the flight deck during flight, i.e. due to physiological needs? Anytime when it is practical (obviously it would not be practical during ...

pilots cockpit commercial-operations

asked by Stefan 5 votes

What is the value allowed for runway transverse slope?

What is the range allowed for transverse slope for runways used by commercial aviation?

runways

asked by Ikechukwu Kalu 3 votes