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First images of the world's largest airplane
Holy crap, it's real! Behold the first glimpse of Paul Allen's crazy space venture: The largest airplane in history, a 385-foot (117-meter) wingspan beast designed to carry and launch a giant rocket to space, with a combined weigh of 1,200,000 pounds (540,000 kg)! Check out the mind-blowing photos. (sploid.gizmodo.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
The separate tails is identical to the earlier designs of White Knight, and White Knight II - the launchers for Space Ship I and II - Flying from the right (I'll call it a) sponson - pilots just fly their seats - the rest of the airplane (and passengers) are along for the ride...
I wonder it there is utility in in-air refueling (fueling) It could get the plane off the ground with a lighter weight, then increase speed/lift, and then fill up to allow climb to altitude. I don't know if this had been considered in the past, If so, then I would like someone to tell me, thanks to my esteemed colleagues.
That is a complex trade-off. It works better for extremely fast aircraft than the extremely heavy. Ref SR-71. The bottom line is you have to get some X tons of fuel off the ground, and if you are already building an mega-plane the relativly slow fuel transfer rates mid-air make the fuel burn during refueling a serious additional cost. The structural issues of large aircraft far outweigh the weight of fuel at lift-off issue.
The USA is in need of a aircraft that will assist in stopping unwanted wildfires. Center section retardant tank designed (gravity) to deliver 28,000 gallons in twelve seconds. Sounds crazy, N3N, TBM, B17, DC4,6&7's, DC10, 747, SuperLauncher.
Canadair (Bombardier) has it, the CL 215 and 415. In areas with lakes or big rivers they can refill on the fly and carry a lot of water to a wildfire.
Most DNR's around here that do this sort of thing are using these planes because we have lots of lakes and rivers and they can refill on the move from a large lake. They are much more effective at putting water on a fire than a plane that has to return to base every load and they are equipped to mix in retardant if needed. They can hold about 1400 gallons of water and can often make drops on a 10 minute cycle or less, depending on how far the lake is from the fire.
In Minnesota they are actually giving up their CL 215's for modified turboprop powered crop duster planes (Air Tractor AT 802's) that hold about 820 gallons and can refill on the go from even smaller lakes. This spring will be their first fire season and we'll see how effective they are.
The MNDNR is citing too high operating and maintenance cost for the 215's. Rotary engine mechanics are getting harder and harder to find around here and new 415's with turboprops are too expensive.
They also use helicopters that can fill from something as small as a beaver pond.
Most DNR's around here that do this sort of thing are using these planes because we have lots of lakes and rivers and they can refill on the move from a large lake. They are much more effective at putting water on a fire than a plane that has to return to base every load and they are equipped to mix in retardant if needed. They can hold about 1400 gallons of water and can often make drops on a 10 minute cycle or less, depending on how far the lake is from the fire.
In Minnesota they are actually giving up their CL 215's for modified turboprop powered crop duster planes (Air Tractor AT 802's) that hold about 820 gallons and can refill on the go from even smaller lakes. This spring will be their first fire season and we'll see how effective they are.
The MNDNR is citing too high operating and maintenance cost for the 215's. Rotary engine mechanics are getting harder and harder to find around here and new 415's with turboprops are too expensive.
They also use helicopters that can fill from something as small as a beaver pond.
You are wasting time and money fighting unwanted wildfires. It's actually cheaper to pay for all the homes burned up than to fight the fire with aircraft.
Great point - who has marshmallows?
Unless it is your house.