red750 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 The world’s largest airplane, weighing more than 500,000 pounds and with a wingspan of 385 feet, may be the future’s most affordable and reliable way to carry satellites into space. This past Sunday, the Stratolaunch aircraft completed milestone land control tests, including a new runway taxi top-speed of 40kt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboplanner Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Impressive machine. Interesting that in the 70 years since the Spruce Goose was built we have only been able to increase wingspan by 20% Mass is 67% heavier, but no doubt the performance from its 6 big engines will be way better than the 8 rather tiny piston engines in the Spruce Goose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDQDI Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I guess it is just the farmer in me but I would love to see something else holding the two fuses together and not just that middle wing section. 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Those elevators look a bit small to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red750 Posted February 28, 2018 Author Share Posted February 28, 2018 You wouldn't want a disagreement to abort between the two fuses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Old Ma Emu wants to know where the pilot and co-pilot sit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 No way those small rudders will control much asymmetry. Is that thing for real? Nev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboplanner Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 No way those small rudders will control much asymmetry. Is that thing for real? Nev It’s going to launch Satellites into space FH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 No way those small rudders will control much asymmetry. Is that thing for real? Nev It's real all right. I'm assuming that they've done all the aerodynamics & engineering, but it just looks wrong to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunder Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I guess it is just the farmer in me but I would love to see something else holding the two fuses together and not just that middle wing section. Joining the Hor stab's would have been easy and given some strength and stability I would have thought. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgmwa Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Yes, there will be a lot of bi-axial bending and torsion on that connecting spar that would have been greatly reduced if they'd just connected the tails together, but no doubt they have good reasons for doing it the way they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunder Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I was thinking maybe they got the tails or at least the parts from an existing manufacturer ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexrbetter Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I guess it is just the farmer in me but I would love to see something else holding the two fuses together and not just that middle wing section. Yes, but then again it's not their first time either ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsam Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Joining the Hor stab's would have been easy and given some strength and stability I would have thought. Yes, and I’m sure it would burn nicely once the rocket lights up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Watching it move in turbulence will be interesting. That wing will have massive aeroelastic requirements with those two structures connected only through it. It would need computer controlled damping. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnm Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 brute of a plane .................. make a good cropduster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmick Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 hope there is a toilet in each side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I guess it is just the farmer in me but I would love to see something else holding the two fuses together and not just that middle wing section. I was thinking the same thing, just looks all wrong! In some ways mankind hasn't changed a thing since the Wright Bros first left the ground! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboplanner Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I was thinking the same thing, just looks all wrong! In some ways mankind hasn't changed a thing since the Wright Bros first left the ground! Well at least the WB had cross bracing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmccarthy Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 If only one toilet they will need a non- slip walkway and a hand rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raytol Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 Not really an unusual concept aircraft. See Australia's own Transavia Airtruck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red750 Posted March 4, 2018 Author Share Posted March 4, 2018 Concept - yes, but comparison - hardly. That's like comparing the QM2 to an aluminium 'tinny'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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