I fly an experimental Vans RV6 and I don't consider it safely landed until it is parked in the hangar. Nothing remarkable about the RV6 handling; it's the nature of the craft.
Here's a turntable for you. It's the German Zeppelin hangar at the Landflugstation Nordholz, circa 1918. It's 200 meters long, 70 wide, and 30 high. It could hold two Zeppelins. It took the turntable 1 hour to make a full turn. With it the airships could safely be pointed into the wind before lift off.
I'm an aviation buff. I don't remember exactly where I found this pic. But here's a forum thread with pics from the "Aeronauticum" museum in Germany. http://mainescenery.proboards.com/thread/11076 There is an interesting picture of some of the 8 wheelpacks under the turntable. (See the 9th pic in the first post.)
You've got to admit that's a space-saver if you apply that to railroading - combine both the roundhouse and the turntable! Just have tracks radiating away to wherever. Think of the big blimp hangars at NASA Ames... They could probably hold all of the Big Boys ever built... :wideeyes:
I just missed to ground-loop twice with my own airplane (that appears below). Once a long time ago, the second time one last year... Every time I managed to recover with full opposite stick and rudder and full power (well, if one can speak of full power on a 60-hp engine:teeth, going around. But I'm not too in a hurry that it really occurs... Dom
Funny, I was EXACTLY wondering about the same when reading this post a few seconds ago....:teeth: Dom
Rather true... Although a twin-seater it's quite impossible for me to load a strong see thick passenger. On the opposite, the right hand seat is perfect for any pretty young lady....:teeth: Dom
That's why they make them that way! Though it would be prudent to land before engaging in any post-flight inspections...
My sister-in-law had a harrowing experience on a DC-3. When she was a teen, her parents wanted to take her to the Bahamas, via DC-3 from Ft. Lauderdale. During the flight one of the engines went out. The pilots decided to head back to Ft. Lauderdale, although the Bahamas were within site. She believes the thinking was that Ft. Lauderdale was better equipped for emergency landings. As the plane flew, just above the water, the crew advised the passengers to pay attention for instructions on where to go once the plane stopped. My sister-in-law remembered thinking "Heaven or Hell?" The plane landed with a collapsed landing gear. Fortunately no injuries.
