Airplane can do that?

[Peasie]

Yes, I'm putting this in the Technology forum because I don't know where else

Today as I was driving on the Beltway around Washington, DC, I saw (I swear!) Air Force One just hovering

I wasn't too far from Andrews AFB and the airplane was easy to recognize. So I was wondering ... can airplanes just stand still in air??

[kia027]

Re: Airplane can do that?

this is a question for magix

if it is, I wonder if it is like something u do with cars to keep them still by balancing the gas & the brake

[j-kid]

Re: Airplane can do that?

I think it looks dat way to you because both yuh cyar an di plane was travelling at close to di same speed, and going in di same direction. Dem hav planes dat can hover (stand still), but mi noh tink di picture yuh showing is wan dat will duh dat. Mi know dem can fly close tuh stall speed, but dem nat standing still.
Lets si wha Majix sey.

[LinSkinny]

Re: Airplane can do that?

You can wake up now. A plane like that cannot hover. The new fighters can though. I've seen enough demos of them. If you google f35b, you can see some videos. Here is one to start...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7cAmCCmObw

The raptor is another model that can also do some amazing things. The computer controlled surfaces make that plane seem like it is just floating in the air, especially when it's doing slow flight. Amazing to watch the control surfaces being moved. Poke around youtube for raptor and you'll see some really intriguing videos.

Some of the more powerful prop aerobatic planes can do a form of hover, but it isn't a true hover, just hanging by the prop.

Edit: Here is one of the raptor. I've seen a similar demo at an airshow and like the video says, it does seem like it defies gravity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUlHhKvIX3w&feature=related

[Peasie]

Re: Airplane can do that?

I was going in the opposite direction from the plane. It was very very still.

I swear!


@LinSkinny I wasn't dreaming.

[Peasie]

Re: Airplane can do that?

Here I found something like what I saw! Though I was a lot closer to the plane than the video shows

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PRiIujlAwho"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PRiIujlAwho" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

and somebody's comment on the video was &quot;that had to have been Andrews AFB&quot;

[LinSkinny]

Re: Airplane can do that?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Peasie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">@LinSkinny I wasn't dreaming. </div></div>

Dat's what dem all seh.

Optical illusion then. The approach speed of a jumbo jet is over 100mph. Looking at the Boeing website, the range for the different 747 models is 144knots to 160knots. Consider too that the particular airplane has classified specs and might likely be heavier than a normal 747 because of all the equipment on board.

[Peasie]

MAGIX Re: Airplane can do that?

*bump*

Magix, yuh know bout?

[Magician]

Re: MAGIX Re: Airplane can do that?

Large jet aircraft land at around 160mph. However, if there is a strong wind, while the speed at which the plane travels thru the air is still 160mph, the groundspeed (or speed relative to the ground) could be a lot greater or a lot less depending on whether the aircraft is traveling with the wind or into it.

So the only way Air Force One could &quot;hover&quot; is if its flying into a 160mph wind and it's relative motion to the ground is zero. But unless its a hurricane, winds of this speed are not experienced close to the ground.

Think of this as walking on an escalator. If you're walking in the same direction, you have a 'tailwind' and your speed relative to the outside is greater. If you are walking the wrong way on the escalator, you will 'hover' and not get anywhere.

Winds play a major role in how fast planes get places. My flight to Dakar Friday morning was 10:45 going and this morning coming back with the wind was only 8:15.

[Peasie]

Re: MAGIX Re: Airplane can do that?

So LinSkinny was right and it was an optical illusion

I may have to join the Illuminati among us

[LinSkinny]

Re: MAGIX Re: Airplane can do that?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Peasie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So LinSkinny was right and it was an optical illusion </div></div>



I fly as a hobby. One of the things we have imprinted in our heads from the start is that airspeed is your friend.