5 replies to this topic

[sledgehammer]

Some on here are pilots - so may already know this & can correct me - but still interesting 

 

http://www.theverge....n-fly-backwards

 

it can stay airborne at 25 mph - so has a lot of lift (Bi Plane)

 

still made in china when required

 

IIRC any plane can fly (move) backwards if a head wind is constant & faster than the planes stall speed -

 

& plane is going slower than head wind (I may be wrong on this) , I doubt there is much room for error at 25 mph

 

but still quite amazing to think 25 mph head wind & this plane can hover - sort of

 

& take off at 25 mph & carry 12 passengers (edit - I expect the 25 mph takeoff is for no passengers)

Edited by sledgehammer, 02 August 2015 - 10:32 AM.

[Ethel]

I wonder if, in theory, you could  do VTOL from the back draft of the prop going over the wings?

 

No doubt it's way too turbulent in practice.

[Steve220]

I wonder if, in theory, you could  do VTOL from the back draft of the prop going over the wings?
 
No doubt it's way too turbulent in practice.

Unfortunately that isn't possible, nice idea though.

The stall speed is incredibly low on the AN2 due to the advancements at the time for flaps and slats as well being nice and light. Biplanes can easily hover in string headwinds and sometimes fly backwards if the wind is strong enough and over it's Vso (stall speed with full flap).

[R1mini]

This plane always amazed me

 

 

David

[sledgehammer]

That is something else ^^ , must be as light as a fart

[sonikk4]

The only reason why the Harrier could go backwards was due to the vectoring nozzles and the wing tip puffer jets to enable it to maintain control.

There are a lot of small aircraft out there with very low stall speeds but to physically go backwards in flight while maintaining control is practically impossible. The larger the wing surface area the lower the stall speed, also the shape plays a major part as well. If You look at a 747 wing with everything faired compared to flaps and slats fully deployed there is a huge difference and also helps to maintain lift at low speed. Now seeing a 747 flying backwards would be a sight to behold

However it goes to show that 40's technology still works really well. No powered flying controls, no auto pilot in fact nothing but wires, pulleys and the human interface.

Compare it to something like the Airbus 320 or 787 where everything is controlled by computers. Fly backwards are you sure, Mmm no programming for that so let's just go fwd.