how are you always facing into the wind if it's a circle, and inertia would be the problem on slick surfaces, no?
Posted on 04/25/2017 2:09:26 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
Last month we published a video arguing the case for circular runways at airports, as part of a series called World Hacks. It took off and went viral.
The video has had more than 36 million views on Facebook and generated heated debate on social media - including within the aviation community. Many people are sceptical about the concept.
So we decided to hand-pick some of the top concerns and put them straight to the man proposing the idea: Dutch engineer Henk Hesselink.
This is what he had to say.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
What could possibly go wrong?
Hah!!! GMTA.
All landings cross
winds , but varrying cross wind? Sounds like it would require new skills like Mountain flying
At the vital time of touchdown, you’d always be facing into the wind. That’s one of the pluses.
As for slick surfaces, I’m not sure it would be any worse, and since there would be no sidewind at impact, you could actually be better off.
Change the airplanes first. IF one can. Truth is that physics is an unforgiving mistress
All landings would be headed into the wind at touchdown.
As you taxi the wind would swing around to the side, but at reduced aircraft speeds.
It would work if all pilots are required to spend their previous night at a Holiday Inn Express............
Thanks for the work.
This would dissipate as speed was reduced, but that does introduce an interesting aspect of this, and one nobody else mentioned in this context (I don’t believe).
Braking on a curve is not a good idea. It would seem that it could be okay though, if you were flying in the sweet spot on the runway.
If you got out of it, you’d have to let it coast as you returned to the sweet spot.
The track he described was to have a 3.5 kilometer circumference.
It’s diameter would be 1.114 kilometers.
It’s radius would be 0.557 of one kilometer.
how are you always facing into the wind if it's a circle, and inertia would be the problem on slick surfaces, no?
Amen, front strut will snap like a toothpick with the lateral forces. Not even taking into consideration digging the wingtip into the runway with the slightest alteration.
Confucius say man who circle airplane on ground buy round-trip ticket
” how are you always facing into the wind if it’s a circle,”
Read his post.
When a car is on an inclined track, inertia is defeated due to the car being in the sweet spot. This same type of dynamic would apply.
As for the circular aspect of the track, yes the aircraft would swing around to a point where the wind would be 10, 15, 25, 45 degrees off center. By that point the aircraft would have slowed down and it wouldn’t be as critical as it would have been on initial touchdown.
I’m kind of defending this concept when I don’t have the experience or training to do so. I’m going with logic and I may be off base.
I like new ideas. At times in life I have dismissed some kooky ideas, but later on they proved to have some merit.
About all I’m trying to do here, is to prevent folks from dismissing it before all the research is in on it.
It may have merit.
multiple planes getting up to speed (or down) on the same piece of tarmac
= = =
Would that combination produce a tornado, from the exhausts?
Which brings up a better idea!
Put wind mills at the end of the runways, to spin up and collect the energy of the departing jets.
Now, that is a WAY BETTER idea than that dizzy runway stuff.
Seaplane pilots and those working towards that rating practice circular takeoffs, it is a given....
“Amen, front strut will snap like a toothpick with the lateral forces.”
You don’t engage nose-wheel steering at high speeds. Nose-wheel steering is only used at lower speeds.
At higher speeds the rudder has enough force to control the direction.
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