SurClaro Flight Simulator Resources

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 2:41 am Post subject: Men pushing older planes.

I have this book that explains aviation from the roots. There are several early pictures in it showing at least three men pushing older planes while it's running with a pilot in it. What is this all about? Isn't the plane powerful enough to get its own self moving? Or is that even what it is?

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:55 am Post subject: heh....

Heh, yeah, aint modern technology wonderful? Yes, you have to remember, those were also the early days of internal combustion engines when 100 horsepower was a dream. There was no advanced aeronautical engineering available, everything was hand fabricated and machined to fit. It was thought that powered flight was mere folly and a waste of resources. Thankfully, more forward thinking individuals won out and we have the most efficient transportation devices ever conceived of by man.

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:58 am Post subject:

GS is half right.

The other part, part 2, is this. Given static weight, it takes almost twice as much power to get it to start moving. Once it starts moving, you use half the power to keep it moving.

RD

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 12:21 pm Post subject:

That's kind of what I figured. You're right, groundsquirell, even 40 horsepower was outstanding back then.

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:57 am Post subject:

Also, very few of the early aircraft , if any, had tail wheels. Most were equipped with a metal tail skid, that had a tendency to dig into the dirt runways.

Jesse

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:02 pm Post subject:

a lot of aircraft in the early years didnt have brakes or very reliable brakes so it is still in practice today to hold onto the struts whilst in vicinity of other aircraft until clear of said obstructions
they also had the tendency to ground loop if too much power was applied in the turn more a common prob with tail draggers and on weather conditions ie crosswinds