Aircraft Discussion Thread

[Green October Z]

A thread for gearheads and aviation enthusiasts to discuss aircraft. So what are your favorite or least favorite aircraft? What about them interests you?

Ever since my childhood, I have always been fascinated by airplanes. My dad used to buy me a lot of model airplanes to make when I was kid and my mom often bought me books about them. I would say that overall my favorite airplane is the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar. It was a beautiful plane and it was so ahead of its time. It's autopilot was so advanced that the plane could even land by itself in zero-viability conditions which was unheard of when it came out in the late 1960s. It also had good safety record, too. When I was a kid I actually had the privilege of flying on one. Sadly, now there is only one L-1011 that is still airworthy and it is only used for aerospace research purposes. Modern airplanes I find interesting include the Airbus A340, A350, Boeing 747, B777, B787, and the Ilyushin Il-96.

[Galloism]

Finally a thread for me!

I have varying interests. The most fun plane I ever flew was the extra 300. Oh I loved that plane. Extreme ailerons, huge rudder, the controls were like an extension of your arm.

Aerobatic fuel tank with a weighted inlet. Inlet follows the fuel. No matter your orientation, or effective gravity (up to +/- 10Gs), it would follow your every movement forever.

[Green October Z]

Finally a thread for me!

I have varying interests. The most fun plane I ever flew was the extra 300. Oh I loved that plane. Extreme ailerons, huge rudder, the controls were like an extension of your arm.

Aerobatic fuel tank with a weighted inlet. Inlet follows the fuel. No matter your orientation, or effective gravity (up to +/- 10Gs), it would follow your every movement forever.

Those things are wild!

[Senkaku]

f in the chat for the boeing 2707

[Green October Z]

f in the chat for the boeing 2707

It was an interesting concept, but too expensive to pursue further development. Too bad since it would have easily put the Concorde to shame.

[VVerkia]

Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk

[Vassenor]

f in the chat for the boeing 2707

It was an interesting concept, but too expensive to pursue further development. Too bad since it would have easily put the Concorde to shame.

Except that Concorde got hamstrung by US legislators being spiteful that it succeeded where the 2707 failed. And that was before the oil crisis.

[Monsone]

Finally a perfect thread for me! Anyway, I've got to say that my favorite plane has got to be the Saab J 35D. It's sleak lines, crazy performance, and timless silhouette are near addictive to look at. And the best part is the stare people would give you when you tell them you own a J 35D.

Sadly, they cost several million dollars and are a nightmare to fly and maintain compared to a humble Cessna or Mooney.

[Novus America]

It was an interesting concept, but too expensive to pursue further development. Too bad since it would have easily put the Concorde to shame.

Except that Concorde got hamstrung by US legislators being spiteful that it succeeded where the 2707 failed. And that was before the oil crisis.

Your history is a bit off, said concerns regarding sonic booms helped kill the 2707.
It was not something done just screw the Concord. Also it was the post 9-11 decline in flights that killed it. The oil crisis was not the real issue, as it went out at time when oil prices were low.

The biggest problem was it went some 15 times over budget, resulting only in a few getting built,
That and that it was so hard to maintain.

[Vassenor]

Except that Concorde got hamstrung by US legislators being spiteful that it succeeded where the 2707 failed. And that was before the oil crisis.

Your history is a bit off, said concerns regarding sonic booms helped kill the 2707.
It was not something done just screw the Concord. Also it was the post 9-11 decline in flights that killed it. The oil crisis was not the real issue, as it went out at time when oil prices were low.

The biggest problem was it went some 15 times over budget, resulting only in a few getting built,
That and that it was so hard to maintain.

You do realise there's been more than one Oil Crisis, right? I'm talking about the '73 crisis that slashed the order books down to the national carriers.

[Novus America]

Your history is a bit off, said concerns regarding sonic booms helped kill the 2707.
It was not something done just screw the Concord. Also it was the post 9-11 decline in flights that killed it. The oil crisis was not the real issue, as it went out at time when oil prices were low.

The biggest problem was it went some 15 times over budget, resulting only in a few getting built,
That and that it was so hard to maintain.

You do realise there's been more than one Oil Crisis, right? I'm talking about the '73 crisis that slashed the order books down to the national carriers.

Yes, but considering the Concord flew a full 30 decades after the 73 crisis, that cannot be alone blamed. The fact it went 15 times over budget in the first place just as much was a cause in not building more. The development costs and maintenance costs were always a major problem.

The fact is while outside events played a role (but if you aircraft cannot adapt to changing conditions that in itself is problematic) Concord apologists are quick to blame others rather than admit the Concord program was poorly run and flawed from the beginning.

[Green October Z]

You do realise there's been more than one Oil Crisis, right? I'm talking about the '73 crisis that slashed the order books down to the national carriers.

Yes, but considering the Concord flew a full 30 decades after the 73 crisis, that cannot be alone blamed. The fact it went 15 times over budget in the first place just as much was a cause in not building more. The development costs and maintenance costs were always a major problem.

The fact is while outside events played a role (but if you aircraft cannot adapt to changing conditions that in itself is problematic) Concord apologists are quick to blame others rather than admit the Concord program was poorly run and flawed from the beginning.

Also didn't help that supersonic flights over populated areas is a bad idea.

[Transadhea]

The aircraft i like is very out of date.
(WWI)

[Kubra]

I don't understand the appeal of the Concord. Why would one want to shorten the time in which they can take advantage of the alcohol their ticket paid for?

[Green October Z]

I don't understand the appeal of the Concord. Why would one want to shorten the time in which they can take advantage of the alcohol their ticket paid for?

It had a cruising altitude of 60,000 ft and a cruising speed of 1,150 knots

[Kubra]

I don't understand the appeal of the Concord. Why would one want to shorten the time in which they can take advantage of the alcohol their ticket paid for?

It had a cruising altitude of 60,000 ft and a cruising speed of 1,150 knots

which effectively limits you to a couple drinks *or less*.
That's no good, that is.

[Green October Z]

It had a cruising altitude of 60,000 ft and a cruising speed of 1,150 knots

which effectively limits you to a couple drinks *or less*.
That's no good, that is.

The speed, altitude, and prestige more than make up for that

[Kubra]

which effectively limits you to a couple drinks *or less*.
That's no good, that is.

The speed, altitude, and prestige more than make up for that

bollocks, for the same price you can go business for your transatlantic and spend a few hours in comfort, rather than paying a couple thousand for a glorified bus ride.

[Novus America]

Yes, but considering the Concord flew a full 30 decades after the 73 crisis, that cannot be alone blamed. The fact it went 15 times over budget in the first place just as much was a cause in not building more. The development costs and maintenance costs were always a major problem.

The fact is while outside events played a role (but if you aircraft cannot adapt to changing conditions that in itself is problematic) Concord apologists are quick to blame others rather than admit the Concord program was poorly run and flawed from the beginning.

Also didn't help that supersonic flights over populated areas is a bad idea.

That was the same problem that killed the 2707. The rich using supersonic booms over populated areas was never going to be popular. The public is unlikely to support something that harms them that they cannot even use.

[Green October Z]

The speed, altitude, and prestige more than make up for that

bollocks, for the same price you can go business for your transatlantic and spend a few hours in comfort, rather than paying a couple thousand for a glorified bus ride.

Why bother flying when you can just take a cruise ship, then?

[Vassenor]

which effectively limits you to a couple drinks *or less*.
That's no good, that is.

The speed, altitude, and prestige more than make up for that

And the free champagne.

[Novus America]

The speed, altitude, and prestige more than make up for that

And the free champagne.

None of which you would ever experience as it was only for the very wealthy.
That was part of the image problem it had.

It was impressive from a technology stand point but did not serve any real needed purpose for most people.

[Green October Z]

And the free champagne.

None of which you would ever experience as it was only for the very wealthy.
That was part of the image problem it had.

It was impressive from a technology stand point but did not serve any real needed purpose for most people.

Enter the Tu-144, which was a motherfucking nightmare!

[Kubra]

bollocks, for the same price you can go business for your transatlantic and spend a few hours in comfort, rather than paying a couple thousand for a glorified bus ride.

Why bother flying when you can just take a cruise ship, then?

because the ticket includes airport lounge admission

[Novus America]

None of which you would ever experience as it was only for the very wealthy.
That was part of the image problem it had.

It was impressive from a technology stand point but did not serve any real needed purpose for most people.

Enter the Tu-144, which was a motherfucking nightmare!

The Concord comes with free champagne, the Tu-144 with a free coffin.

Apparently riding that thing was so painful you would have to be paying passengers to ride it.