757 Winglets - Page 4 - Airline Pilot Central Forums

#31

III Corps , 07-10-2008 05:04 AM

No one's home

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justdoinmyjob

Somehow, I get an image of a paper airplane model, and a bunch of engineers throwing it around.

Hmmmm... no idea why?

Here is the full address.
http://www.aist-nara.ac.jp/~rieken/p..._Confpaper.pdf

Oh, and I am sure the engineers are not 'throwing it around' but studying the launch characteristics of a recycled, frangible aerial vehicle in static air.

You know how touchy aero-engineers can be.

#32

Cubdriver , 07-10-2008 07:21 AM

Moderator

Quote:

Originally Posted by III Corps

Actually you would be surprised. We are very childlike in our approach to design at times. One of the guys brought in an electric helicopter recently and we played with that in the office all day tinkering with it and talking about what's good about it. We also make model airplanes and go outside sometimes and try new ideas, garage level engineering. It's not so much that you can figure out anything too amazing by fooling around, it has more to do with keeping the spark alive.

#33

III Corps , 07-10-2008 08:21 AM

No one's home

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cubdriver

We also make model airplanes and go outside sometimes and try new ideas, garage level engineering. It's not so much that you can figure out anything too amazing by fooling around, it has more to do with keeping the spark alive.

Sounds like Whitcomb 'stumbling' upon the area rule and later the winglets. Funny thing is today, pondering or mulling or contemplating or just thinking is not front page stuff. Sit at your desk and do some heavy thinking and someone is going to believe you are wasting time... as if tapping away constantly on a blackberry is being productive.

Went to a AAA ballgame recently in IND. Good game, cold beer, nice night to watch future big leaguers. But what is going on around me? tap tap tap.. tap tap tap... I looked around and half the crowd was on the phone, studying their I-Phone, blackberry or whatever. ???? Why even come to the game?

#34

Cubdriver , 07-10-2008 10:12 AM

Moderator

Many, in fact most of the novel new ideas spoken of in news and trade articles have been around for decades and were never implemented. When the underlying circumstances finally change, an old idea often receives fresh attention. Prop-pusher airliners have been around for years (Boeing UDF) but were never made because oil was too cheap to justify it. We can safely predict such a design will see the light of production now perhaps as a replacement for the 737. The saucer shaped UAV shows a renewed interest in designs that are also pretty old. Round designs were fielded in the years shortly after WWII. Now they are again current because of changing war tactics in Iraq and Afghanstan, the need for tighter border control and the invention of microchips that allow unstable aircraft design.

#35