Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!rutgers!att!cbnews!military From: phil@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Phil Gustafson) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Piece of Cake Keywords: conventional gear de haviland heinkel Message-ID: <1990Jul27.015450.21906@cbnews.att.com> Date: 27 Jul 90 01:54:50 GMT References: <1990Jul23.201417.4825@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: Famed Parquet Floor Lines: 49 Approved: military@att.att.com From: phil@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Phil Gustafson) In article <1990Jul23.201417.4825@cbnews.att.com> al.weaver@rose.uucp writes: > >From: al.weaver@rose.uucp > >Mary Binseel writes: >% >%Before takeoff or landing, they >%always open the canopy. What is the reason for this? Is it to >%facilitate escape/rescue in case of emergency? > >I'm not a pilot, but I believe that since the cockpit was set fairly far >back on the Spitfire, the canopy was opened on takeoffs and landings in >order for the pilot to look over the side to see where (s)he was on the >runway. Spitfires didn't have nosewheels, and the nose had to be up on >takeoffs and landing. >Regards, Al I am a pilot, and I can confirm what you say. Tailwheel, or "conventional gear" aircraft sit at a steep climbing angle when they're on the ground. Visibility during taxi, takeoff and landing is problematical even from, for example, the rear seat of a Cub. Taxiing is usually handled as a series of shallow S-turns to allow the pilot to see where (s)he's going. In something like a Stearman or (I assume) a Spitfire, with an immense engine hanging out front, you simply can't see forward at all until the plane rotates. On landing, with the nose high, you sorta hafta stick your head outside and hope... Anyway, most modern aircraft use tricycle (nosewheel) gear, both to improve visibility and to make takeoff and landing easier. Conventional gear is used mostly on planes needing short and soft landing strips. There are lots of neat replica or real aircraft on this show -- the Me109's, the formation of Heinkel bombers, and the de Haviland Dragon transport. The latter is the twin-engine biplane with a single pilot squeezed into the pointy nose. I have no idea how realistic the ground interactions are, but they make a good story. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opinions outside attributed quotations are mine alone. Satirical material may not be specifically labeled as such. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- | phil@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG | Phil Gustafson | (ames|pyramid|vsi1)!zorch!phil | UNIX/Graphics Consultant | | 1550 Martin Ave., San Jose CA 95126 | | 408/286-1749