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 ...
“As a former AF pilot, this idea horrifies me. The last thing I want to do is engage nose-wheel steering immediately after touchdown.”
Answers like yours are why pilots have to be certified in specific platforms before acting as PIC.
LOL
There’s reason enough not to do it right there.
“:^)
Harrison Ford would have a field day.
“I’m not convinced the curvature will require you to engage the nose-wheel immediately, but perhaps I’m not understanding your point clearly.”
Ignore his post. Nosewheel deviation is restricted to small angles and at high speeds the deviation is zero even at full pedal input.
You think it’s a stupid idea.
His team doesn’t.
They have their rep on the line. You don’t.
I’m not convinced it’s a great idea, but I’m nowhere near as convinced as you are that it couldn’t work.
Yeah, that could work. Just bank it like a NASCAR track. /s
I like it! Sign me up to be a trial passenger. I will definitely hit the airport bar first though.
“Doesn’t matter what he has to say. This was looked at seriously 50 years ago, when I was in flight school. The Physics alone make it unsafe. “
Fifty years ago a twin-engine could not be certified for trans-Pacific
Not sure what airframe you are certified in, but that is simply not the case with commercial airliners. At takeoff and landing speeds full input would take you off the runway in a heartbeat.
Should be good in icy condition, or for Chinese pilots.
“On a windy day you eventually are going cross wind if you’re in a circle, so altering the approach accomplishes nothing.”
Of course it does. You could plan for the touchdown to occur at a lesser cross wind velocity.
How about a loop-de-loop?
(I don’t even like landing on the old, boring straight ones)
“It’s a stupid idea, it’s obviously a stupid idea. “
Same was said when some dude put a ICE on a horse buggy ...
See my 41 and 45.
Well, he couldn’t miss the proper runway this way.
He could hit it from any direction.
I suspect he’d land, leave it on the runway, and walk away from the plane and hand the first airport authority figure walking up $20.00, and tell them to park it close by.
“At takeoff and landing speeds full input would take you off the runway in a heartbeat.”
Of course it would. But not by the nose-wheel.
I was responding to your posts at 41 and 45. lol
Both of you are more knowledgeable then I am on this aspect of it.
I do appreciate the mention.
“I was responding to your posts at 41 and 45. lol”
LOL. Do your homework. Or just ask someone certified in a real airliner...
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