# The Great Ongoing Aviation Thread (general and other) (Part 1)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [October 23, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499 "2011-10-23T02:17:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 339
### Author:  [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6763 "2024-10-07T20:36:39Z")
Def. Louder than my fridge
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### Author:  [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2024, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6764 "2024-10-07T21:08:33Z")
A friend of mine had significant hearing loss on one side thanks to a wrong place, wrong time incident involving an Allison V-12 startup.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2024, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6765 "2024-10-07T23:26:43Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> But it does make a very impressive noise if you stand nearby.
Merlins were the preferred engines in unlimited hydroplanes for years, leading to the term “thunderboats”. They’ve been using turbines a few decades, and I still see complaints sometimes about the lack of noise, now.
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### Author:  [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2024, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6766 "2024-10-08T04:49:05Z")
Don’t forget the Bentley Meteor, a one-off bespoke car featuring a Merlin engine on a Rolls Royce chassis. Top Gear tested it back in 2012 against the even more absurd Brutus, which has a 47 litre BMW aero engine: [Bentley Meteor | Top Gear Wiki | Fandom](https://topgear.fandom.com/wiki/Bentley_Meteor)
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6767 "2024-10-09T00:07:13Z")
I could imagine some turbine-electric machine that delivers 2K horsepower to each of 4 wheels.
Zero to warp speed in 0.0001 seconds.
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### Author:  [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6768 "2024-10-09T00:12:35Z")
You’ll need to divert a portion of that power to a large fan that sucks it down to the track. Gonna be traction limited otherwise, at least at low speed.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6769 "2024-10-09T00:29:16Z")
Depends on how many yards / meters wide your tires are. 😉
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### Author:  [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6770 "2024-10-09T00:34:54Z")
It only slightly depends on that! Double the contact patch, halve the ground pressure. Partially balances out.
There are some non-linearities, and something like a dragster can be literally glued to the surface, so it’s not quite as simple as that. But without special preparation, it’s gonna be hard to deliver 8000 hp to the wheels. Top Fuel dragsters manage it, but not much else. But that’s without fans! With _active_ downforce, you can do a lot more.
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### Author:  [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6771 "2024-10-09T01:26:10Z")
Isnt there an EV with succión fan that has crazy tracción?
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### Author:  [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6772 "2024-10-09T01:28:03Z")
This is the only one I know about:
> **[McMurtry Automotive Spéirling Pure Electric Fan Hypercar - McMurtry Automotive](https://mcmurtry.com/speirling-pure/)**
>
> A pure electric single-seater hypercar was envisioned by one of Britain’s most successful businessmen, billionaire, and prolific inventor Sir David McMurtry. The ultimate track weapon in its purest form, it offers all the power and performance...
0-60 in 1.55 s is pretty good. But they could do better…
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### Author:  [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6773 "2024-10-09T03:46:56Z")
How about under one second?
> **[There's a New 0-60 MPH World Record for EVs: 0.965 Seconds](https://www.thedrive.com/news/watch-a-302-pound-ev-do-0-60-in-less-than-a-second-to-set-a-new-world-record)**
>
> This modified student-built Formula car set an EV acceleration world record with less power than a Tesla Model Y.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6774 "2024-10-09T15:00:01Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#):
>
> It only slightly depends on that! Double the contact patch, halve the ground pressure. Partially balances out.
D’oh! 🤦♂️
Thank you.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6775 "2024-10-09T15:06:07Z")
> **[Turkish Airlines Pilot Dies During Flight, Forcing Emergency Landing in NYC](https://www.tmz.com/2024/10/09/turkish-airlines-pilot-dies-during-flight/)**
>
> Tragedy hit a Turkish Airlines flight when it was forced to make an emergency landing after the pilot died mid-flight.
‘At least he died doing what he loved.’
Also: ‘I’d like to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather; not screaming in terror like his passengers.’
59 years old seems very young, especially when pilots are subjected to stringent medical examinations.
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### Author:  [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6776 "2024-10-09T15:12:37Z")
Presumably Boeing can’t be blamed for this one.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6777 "2024-10-09T15:14:31Z")
The incident occurred in an Airbus. Unless… Boeing engineered it to shift scrutiny from themselves! (♫ DUH-duh-duh ♫) 😉
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### Author:  [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6778 "2024-10-09T15:17:48Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> The incident occurred in an Airbus. Unless… **Boeing engineered it** to shift scrutiny from themselves! (♫ DUH-duh-duh ♫) 😉
So it **is** Boeing’s fault, I _knew_ it!
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6779 "2024-10-09T15:32:37Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> 59 years old seems very young, especially when pilots are subjected to stringent medical examinations.
As the docs will corroborate, in about 25% of cases in the general public the first sign of coronary artery disease is the sudden cessation of living. Screening catches some high risk patients, but not all.
There’s always the question of how thoroughly the docs are looking. I don’t mean to cast aspersions on the airline or authorities. But a professional pilot with an inkling of a health issue faces the ticklish decision to vigorously pursue the testing needed for diagnosis and treatment and perhaps end their lucrative career. Or look the other way at whatever symptoms they may be experiencing and hope for the best. Everywhere I’ve ever worked there were lists of which docs would pass you as long as you were strong enough to sign the credit card chit. I personally never subscribed to that approach, but some folks did/do.
Human nature being what it is, at least _some_ pilots choose option B.
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### Author:  [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6780 "2024-10-09T23:19:24Z")
Nah - if we’ve learned one thing, it’s that they can’t engineer shit.
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### Author:  [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6781 "2024-10-10T19:17:39Z")
The recent incident in Las Vegas by Frontier is confusing. Initial public reports were smoke in the cockpit, no communication with pilots and then very hard landing. I assume tires blew from stress of hard landing but does anyone know what caused original issue with smoke?
Just a curious layman.
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### Author:  [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2024, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/6782 "2024-10-10T19:40:54Z")
I haven’t heard anything about an incident with Frontier in Las Vegas. Can you provide a link?
But generally speaking, if this was very recent it’s likely too soon to know the exact cause.
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