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Lockheed Martin F-16 Promo The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics (GD) for the United States Air Force. Designed as a lightweight fighter, it evolved into a successful multirole aircraft. The Falcon's versatility is a paramount reason it has proven a success on the export market, having been selected to serve in the air forces of 25 nations.The F-16 is the largest Western fighter program with over 4,400 aircraft built since production started in 1976.Though no longer being bought by the US Air Force, advanced versions are still being built for export customers. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation,which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.The Fighting Falcon is a dogfighter with numerous innovations including a frameless, bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while under high g-forces, and reclined seat to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot. It was also the first fighter aircraft deliberately built to sustain 9-g turns. It has a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one, providing enough power to climb and accelerate vertically -- if necessary.Although the F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", it is known to its pilots as the "Viper", after the Battlestar Galactica starfighter.The F-16 is a single-engined, supersonic, multi-role tactical aircraft. The F-16 was designed to be a cost-effective combat "workhorse" that can perform various kinds of missions and maintain around-the-clock readiness. It is much smaller and lighter than its predecessors, but uses advanced aerodynamics and avionics, including the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire (RSS/FBW) flight control system, to achieve enhanced maneuver performance. Highly nimble, the F-16 can pull 9-g maneuvers and can reach a maximum speed of Mach 2+. The F-16 is equipped with an M61 Vulcan 20 mm cannon in the left wing root, and early models could be armed with up to six AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking short-range air-to-air missiles (AAM), including a single missile mounted on a dedicated rail launcher on each wingtip. Some variants can also employ the AIM-7 Sparrow long-range radar-guided AAM, and more recent versions can be equipped with the AIM-120 AMRAAM. It can also carry other AAM; a wide variety of air-to-ground missiles, rockets or bombs; electronic countermeasures (ECM), navigation, targeting or weapons pods; and fuel tanks on eleven hardpoints under the wings and fuselage -- eight under the wings and three under the fuselage. Tags: Boeing F-18 F-15 Airbus A380 Crash accident fighter jet air force usaf iraq war military Aviation Space Environment

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Boeing F-15 Emergency Landing USAF F-15 emergency landing.The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F-15 Eagle is an all-weather tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It was developed for the U.S. Air Force, and first flew in July 1972. The F-15E Strike Eagle derivative is an all-weather strike fighter that entered service in 1989.In the Korean War, the swept-wing F-86 Sabre was the only US fighter that could challenge and defeat the Soviets' MiG-15. Later, in 1965, the fighter community was shocked when post-Korean War era MiG-17s shot down sophisticated Mach 2 F-105 Thunderchiefs on a bombing mission over Vietnam. Air Force intelligence was later shocked to find that the Soviet Union was building a large fighter aircraft, known as the MiG-25 Foxbat. It was not known in the West at the time that the MiG-25 was designed as a high-speed interceptor, not an air superiority fighter; as such, its primary asset was speed, not maneuverability. The MiG-25's huge tailplanes and fins hinted at a very maneuverable aircraft, which worried the Air Force that its performance might be higher than its American counterparts. In reality, the MiG's large stabilizer and stabilators were necessary to prevent the aircraft from encountering inertia coupling in high-speed, high-altitude flight. The F-4 Phantom II of the USAF and US Navy was the only fighter with enough power, range and maneuverability to be given the primary task of dealing with the threat of old Soviet fighters while flying with visual engagement rules. As a matter of policy, the Phantoms could not engage targets without positive visual identification, so they could not engage targets at long ranges as designed. Medium-range AIM-7 Sparrow missiles, and to a lesser degree even the AIM-9 Sidewinder, were often unreliable and ineffective at close ranges where it was found that guns were often the only effective weapon. The Phantom did not originally have a gun, as it was intended that only missiles would be used to engage slowly moving and maneuvering Warsaw Pact bombers and fighter aircraft at longer ranges. When experience in Vietnam showed this not to be the case, attempts to use external gun pods had mixed results: not only was drag increased, but hardpoint mounting of the gun pod generated tremendous vibrations and proved too unstable for precise aiming; later a gun, the 20mm M61 Vulcan, was integrated internally into the Phantom.There was a clear need for a new fighter that overcame the close-range limitation of the Phantom while still retaining long-range air superiority. After rejecting the US Navy VFX program (which led to the F-14 Tomcat) as being unsuited to its needs, the US Air Force issued its own requirements for the FX (Fighter Experimental), a specification for a relatively lightweight air superiority fighter. Three companies submitted proposals: Fairchild Republic, North American Rockwell, and McDonnell Douglas. The Air Force announced the selection of McDonnell Douglas on December 23, 1969. The winning design resembled the twin-tailed F-14, but with fixed wings. It would not be significantly lighter or smaller than the F-4 that it was to replace. The initial version, designated F-15A for the single-seat configuration and F-15B for the twin-seat, would be powered by new Pratt & Whitney F100 engines to achieve a combat thrust-to-weight ratio in excess of 1 to 1. A proposed 25 mm Ford-Philco GAU-7 cannon with caseless ammunition was dropped in favor of the standard M61 Vulcan gun due to development problems. The F-15 retained conformal carriage of four Sparrow missiles like the Phantom. The fixed wing was put onto a flat, wide fuselage that also provided an effective wing lifting surface. Some questioned if the zoom performance of the F-15 with Sparrow missiles was enough to deal with the new threat of the high-flying MiG-25 Foxbat; its capability would eventually be demonstrated in combat.The F-15's maneuverability is derived from low wing loading (weight to wing area ratio) with a high thrust-to-weight ratio enabling the aircraft to turn tightly without losing airspeed. The F-15 can climb to 30,000 feet (10,000 m) in around 60 seconds. The thrust output of the dual engines is greater than the aircraft's weight, thus giving it the ability to accelerate in a vertical climb. The weapons and flight control systems are designed so that one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat. Tags: F-15 military fighter bomber jet aircraft accident crash avation usaf airbus sukhoi mig eads a380 787 iraq war terror

User: zeoul001

USAF Lockhed Martin F-16 Accident Major Yarema Sos ejected while the landing gear collapsed on touch-down at Luke AFB. The aircraft came down three quarters of the way down the runway. The F-16 was caught in the turbulence of the aircraft before him and hit the ground well over the structural design limit of the aircrafts landing gear system resulting in a collapse.The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft developed by General Dynamics in the United States. Designed as a lightweight fighter, it evolved into a successful multi-role aircraft. The Falcon's versatility is a paramount reason it was a success on the export market, serving 24 countries. The F-16 is the largest and probably most significant current Western fighter program, with over 4,000 aircraft built since production started in 1976. Though no longer produced for the United States Air Force, it is still produced for export.The Fighting Falcon is regarded as a superb dogfighter, with innovations including a frameless canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while under high g-forces, and reclined seat to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot. It was also the first fighter aircraft to be deliberately built to sustain 9g turns. It is also one of the few jets with a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one, giving the Falcon excellent acceleration.In 1993 General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.Block 50/52 Plus (F-16U) Ordered by Polish Air Force. These aircraft are fitted with the latest avionics (including the ALE-50 Towed Decoy System) and provisions for Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFTs). On 9 November, 2006, it was unveiled that the Polish F-16s will be named Jastrzab (Hawk). Limited operational readiness will be achieved in 2008 and last F16 should be delivered by 2012. The Hellenic Air Force ordered this version with the CFTs. All two-seat "Plus" airframes include the enlarged Avionics Dorsal Spine which adds 30 cubic feet (850 L) to the airframe for more avionics with only small increases in weight and drag. This version is sometimes called F-16U and is the foundation of F-16E/F Block 60.[citation needed] The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) also ordered two-seat versions of the Block 52+. Singapore's most recent order consists of an aircraft model rumored to be the exact same configuration as the venerable F-16I, but re-designated to avoid sensitivity. The latest D+ models ordered by the RSAF can be noted to have the exact same antennas, sensor locations, cockpit configurations as that of the F-16I. These planes are also fitted with DASH-3 Helmet-mouted sighting system, 600-Gallon tanks, CFTs, AMRAAM, HARM and laser-guided weapons, fully-configured for long-range strike. Tags: F-16 military fighter bomber jet aircraft accident crash avation usaf airbus sukhoi mig eads a380 787 iraq war terror

User: zeoul001

Boeing F/A-18 USN Carrier oprations Im reuploading this vid about USN F-18..Hope this time will not be removed.(Music:3 doors down-Kryptonite (c)Universal Music.The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. Designed in the 1970s for service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, the Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations. It has been the aerial demonstration aircraft for the Blue Angels since 1986. Its primary missions are fighter escort, fleet air defense, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), interdiction, close air support and reconnaissance. Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized for its lack of range and payload compared to its contemporaries. A version exported to Finland and Switzerland without ground attack capabilities is called the F-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a distinct, evolutionary upgrade to the F/A-18 designed to serve a complementary role with Hornets in the U.S. Navy.Development of the F/A-18 came as a result of the U.S. Navy's Naval Fighter-Attack, Experimental (VFAX) program to procure a multirole aircraft to replace the F-4 Phantom II, A-4 Skyhawk, and A-7 Corsair II, and to complement the F-14 Tomcat. Vice Admiral Kent Lee, then head of Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), was the lead advocate for the VFAX against strong opposition from many Navy officers, including Vice Admiral William D. Houser, deputy chief of naval operations for air warfare - the highest ranking naval aviator.In August 1973, congress mandated that the Navy pursue a lower-cost alternative to the F-14. Grumman proposed a stripped F-14 designated the F-14X, while McDonnell Douglas proposed a navalized F-15, but both were nearly as expensive as the F-14. That summer, Secretary of Defense Schlesinger ordered the Navy to evaluate the competitors in the Air Force's Light Weight Fighter (LWF) program, the General Dynamics YF-16 and Northrop YF-17.[4] Though the competition specified a day fighter with no strike capability. In May 1974, the House Armed Services Committee redirected $34 million from the VFAX to a new program, the Navy Air Combat Fighter (NACF), intended to make maximum use of the technology developed for the LWF program.Though the YF-16 won the LWF competition, the Navy was skeptical that an aircraft with one engine and narrow landing gear could be easily or economically adapted to carrier service, and refused to adopt an F-16 derivative. The Navy fought for and won permission to develop an aircraft based on the YF-17. Since the LWF did not share the design requirements of the VFAX, the Navy asked McDonnell Douglas and Northrop to design a new aircraft around the configuration and design principles of the YF-17. The new aircraft, designated the F-18, shared not a single essential dimension or primary structure with the YF-17. Secretary of the Navy W. Graham Claytor announced on March 1, 1977 that the name of the aircraft would be "Hornet".In the 1990s the US Navy faced the retirement of its aging F-14 Tomcat, A-6 Intruder, EA-6 Prowler airframes without proper replacements even in development. To answer this deficiency, the Navy had the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet developed. Despite its designation, it is not an upgrade of the F/A-18 Hornet, but rather, a new, larger airframe utilizing the design concepts of the Hornet. Until the deployment of the F-35C Lightning II, Hornets and Super Hornets will serve complementary roles in the US Navy carrier arsenal.The F/A-18 is a twin engine, mid-wing, multi-mission tactical aircraft. It is superbly maneuverable, owing to its good thrust to weight ratio, digital fly-by-wire control system, and leading edge extensions (LEX). The LEX allow the Hornet to remain controllable at high angles of attack. This is because the LEX produce powerful vortices over the wings, creating turbulent airflow over the wings and thus delaying or eliminating the aerodynamic separation responsible for stall, allowing the Hornet's wings to generate lift several times the aircraft's weight, despite high angles of attack. * Crew: F/A-18C: 1, F/A-18D: 2 (pilot and weapons system officer) * Length: 56 ft (17.1 m) * Wingspan: 40 ft (12.3 m) * Height: 15 ft 4 in (4.7 m) * Wing area: 400 ft² (38 m²) * Airfoil: NACA 65A005 mod root, 65A003.5 mod tip * Empty weight: 24,700 lb (11,200 kg) * Loaded weight: 37,150 lb (16,850 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 51,550 lb * Powerplant: 2× General Electric F404-GE-402 turbofans o Dry thrust: 11,000 lbf (48.9 kN) each o Thrust with afterburner: 17,750 lbf (79.2 kN) each # Maximum speed: Mach 1.8 (1,190 mph, 1,915 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m) Tags: F-18 hornet us navy fighter attack military jet aircraft aviation airplane sukhoi mig airbus eads iraq boeing raytheon

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Arado 196 Flight tests The Ar 196 was a shipboard reconnaissance aircraft built by the German firm Arado starting in 1936. The next year it was selected as the winner of a design contest, and became the standard aircraft of the Kriegsmarine throughout World War II.In 1933 the German Navy looked for a standardized shipboard reconnaissance aircraft. After a brief selection period the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Air Ministry, RLM) decided on the Heinkel He 60 biplane. This was one of a line of developments of a basic biplane frame that appeared as a number of floatplanes, trainers, and even the He 51 fighter. Deliveries started in a matter of months.By 1935 it was clear that the He 60's performance was lacking, and the RLM asked Heinkel to design its replacement. The result was the He 114. Depending on how you looked at it you could call it a radical sesquiplane, or a parasol monoplane with stubby supports where a lower wing would have been. The first prototype was powered by the Daimler-Benz DB 600 engine, but it was clear even then that supplies of this engine would be limited, and the production versions turned to the BMW 132 radial engine instead.The plane proved to have only slightly better performance than the He 60 it replaced, and its sea-handling was poor. Rushed modifications resulted in a series of nine prototypes in an attempt to solve some of the problems, but they didn't help much. The Navy gave up, and the planes were eventually sold off to Romania, Spain and Sweden.In October 1936 the RLM asked for a He 114 replacement. The only stipulations were that it would use the BMW 132 engine, and they wanted prototypes in both twin-float and single-float configurations. Designs were received from Dornier, Gotha, Arado and Focke-Wulf. Heinkel declined to tender, thinking that the 114 could still be made to work.With the exception of the Arado design, they were all conventional biplanes. That gave the Arado better performance than any of the others, and the RLM ordered four prototypes. The RLM was also rather conservative by nature, so they also ordered two of the Focke-Wulf Fw 62 design as a backup. It quickly became clear that the Arado would work effectively, and the Fw 62 was built only as the V-1 and V-2 prototypes.The Ar 196 prototypes were all delivered in summer 1937, V-1 (which flew in May) and V-2 with twin-floats as A models, and V-3 and V-4 on a single float as B models. Both versions demonstrated excellent water handling, and there seemed to be little to decide one over the other. Since there was a possibility of the smaller outrigger floats on the B models 'digging in', the twin-float A model was ordered into production. A single additional prototype, V-5, was produced in November 1938 to test final changes.The plane was loved by its pilots, who found it handled well both in the air and on the water. With the loss of the German surface fleet the A-1s were added to coastal squadrons, and continued to fly reconnaissance missions and submarine hunts into late 1944. Two notable operations were the capture of HMS Seal, and the repeated interception of RAF Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley bombers. Although it was no match for a fighter, it was considerably better than its Allied counterparts, and generally considered the best of its class. Owing to its good handling on water, the Finnish Air Force utilized Ar 196 solely on transporting and supplying special forces patrols behind enemy lines, landing on small lakes in remote areas. Several fully equipped soldiers were carried in the fuselage. * Crew: Two (pilot and observer) * Length: 11.7 m (38 ft 6 in) * Wingspan: 15.1 m (49 ft 6 in) * Height: 5 m (16 ft 5 in) * Wing area: 37.9 m² (408 ft²) * Empty weight: 2,980 kg (6,580 lb) * Max takeoff weight: 3,720 kg (8,200 lb) * Powerplant: 1× Bramo 323 9-cylinder radial engine, 620 kW (830 hp) * Maximum speed: 311 km/h (193 mph) * Range: 1,080 km (670 mi) * Service ceiling 7,010 m (23,000 ft) * Rate of climb: 300 m/s (980 ft/min) * Wing loading: 98.2 kg/m² (20.1 lb/ft²) * Power/mass: 167 W/kg (0.101 hp/lb) * Guns: o 1 × 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 15 machine gun o 1 × 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 17 machine gun o 2 × 20 mm MG FF cannons * Bombs: 2 × 50 kg (110 lb) bombs Tags: Arado 196 flight tests crash accident nazi reconnaissance prop military aircraft seaplane aviation boeing eads airbus

User: zeoul001

AN/ALQ-39 chaff dispenser on a CH-53 The CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy-lift transport helicopters. Originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps, it is also in service with Germany, Mexico, Iran, Israel, and as the MH-53 Pave Low with the United States Air Force.The USAF also operated the HH-53 "Super Jolly Green Giant" during the late- and post-Viet Nam War era.The dimensionally-similar CH-53E Super Stallion is a heavier-lifting, improved version designated S-80E by Sikorsky. Its third engine makes it more powerful than the Sea Stallion, which it has replaced in the heavy-lift mission.The Sea Stallion has a fuselage design similar to the Sikorsky S-61R/Jolly Green Giant series. It has passenger doors on each side of the fuselage behind the cockpit and a power-operated rear loading ramp. The fuselage was watertight, though not intended for amphibious use, and only landed on water in emergencies. The Stallion has mechanical flight controls which are backed by two independent hydraulic systems. Armor protects crew and vital systems.The CH-53A carries a crew of four; pilot, copilot, crew chief, and "aerial observer", a load of 38 troops, 24 litters with medical attendants, an internal cargo load of 8,000 pounds (3,630 kg) or an external load of 13,000 lb (5,900 kg) on the single-point sling hook. The CH-53A is equipped with a pair of M60 0.308 in (7.62 mm) machine guns that point out to each side of the fuselage.The CH-53A features the six-bladed main rotor and four-bladed tail rotor proven on the S-64. To save space on board naval vessels, the tail boom and the rotors folded. The rotor system was initially driven by twin GE T64-GE-6 turboshafts providing 2,850 shp (2,125 kW) each, with an engine on each side of the forward fuselage. It was later produced with the T64-GE-1 with 3,080 shp (2,300 kW) and then the T64-GE-16 with 3,485 shp (2,600 kW).The HH-53B featured T64-GE-3 engines producing 3,080 shp (2,297 kW).The CH-53D features uprated engines, initially T64-GE-412 with 3,695 shp (2,755 kW) then the T64-GE-413 with 3,925 shp (2,930 kW) with an uprated transmission. Its interior added seats to allow for 55 troops. CH-54Ds are generally armed with twin 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2/XM218 machine guns.In later years, CH-53Ds have been fitted with defensive countermeasures including an AN/ALQ-39 chaff dispenser and an AN/ALQ-157 infrared set.Later production CH-53Ds featured a Blade Inspection Method (BIM) scheme to detect cracks in its metal rotors. BIM involved pressurizing the interior of the rotor blades. If a crack is present pressure is lost and a red indicator on the rotor blade tip was tripped. Later, the BIM system was connected to a cockpit display. BIM reduced the need to swap out rotor blades on a routine basis. * Crew: 2 Pilots, 1 or more Crew Chiefs * Capacity: 37 troops (55 in alternate configuration) or 24 stretchers * Length: 88 ft 6 in (26.97 m) * Rotor diameter: 72 ft 2.7 in (22.01 m) * Height: 24 ft 11 in (7.6 m) * Empty weight: 23,628 lb (10,740 kg) * Loaded weight: 33,500 lb (15,227 kg) * Powerplant: 2× General Electric T64-GE-413 turboshafts, 3,925 shp (2,927 kW) each * Width (overall): 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m) * Width (fuselage): 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m) * Maximum takeoff (Internal Load): 69,750 lb (31,666 kg) * Maximum takeoff (External Load): 73,500 lb (33,369 kg) * Maximum speed: 130 kn (241 km/h) * Range: 540 nmi (1,000 km) * Service ceiling 16,750 ft (5,106 m) * Rate of climb: 2,460 ft/min (750 m/min) Tags: Ch-53 sea stalion military transport helicopter jet aircraft us navy boeing eads airbusairplane space mechanics

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AH-1 Cobra Crash AH-1 Cobra Crashes in Desert.The AH-1 Cobra is an attack helicopter manufactured by Bell. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey"). The AH-1 is also sometimes referred to as the "HueyCobra" or "Snake".The AH-1 was once the backbone of the United States Army's attack helicopter fleet, but has been replaced by the AH-64 Apache in Army service. Upgraded versions continue to fly with the United States Army National Guard and several other users. The AH-1 twin engine versions remain in service with United States Marine Corps as the service's primary attack helicopter.By June 1967, the first AH-1G HueyCobras had been delivered. Originally designated as UH-1H, the "A" for attack designation was soon adopted and when the improved UH-1D became the UH-1H, the HueyCobra became the AH-1G.The AH-1 was initially considered a variant of the H-1 line, resulting in the G series letter.Bell built 1,116 AH-1Gs for the US Army between 1967 and 1973, and the Cobras chalked up over a million operational hours in Vietnam.The AH-1 Cobras were in use by the Army during the Tet offensive in 1968 and through the end of the Vietnam War. Huey Cobras provided fire support for ground forces, escorted transport helicopters and other roles. They also formed "hunter killer" teams by pairing with OH-6A scout helicopters. A team featured one OH-6 flying slow and low to find enemy forces. If the OH-6 drew fire, the Cobra could strike at the then revealed enemy.Huey Cobras supported U.S. Marine operations, during 1983 invasion of Grenada.During Gulf War of 1990-91, the Cobras and SeaCobras deployed in a support role. The Marines deployed 91 SeaCobras and the Army 140 Cobras. Three AH-1s were lost in accidents during fighting and afterwards.U.S. Cobras were also used in operations throughout the 1990s.Cobra helicopter gunships were also used widely by the Israeli Air Force in the 1982 Lebanon War to destroy Syrian armor and fortification.IAF Cobras destroyed dozens of Syrian armored fighting vehicles, including many of the modern Soviet T-72 main battle tanks.The Pakistan Army has also used the AH-1 as its primary gunship helicopter during the mid-1970s tribal uprising in Pakistan's Baluchistan province, where donated Iranian AH-1J were used against tribal insurgents. The recent insurgencies in the Waziristan regions has seen Pakistani AH-1s seeing action against Taliban & Al Qaeda fighters and their tribal allies, as well as operations against insurgents in another more recent Baluch tribal uprising recently led by armed Bugti and Marri tribesmen under the late Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and the Balochistan Liberation Army since the mid-2000s.AH-1 Cobras continue to operate with the US military, by the US Marine Corps notably in the ongoing conflict in Iraq. The US Army phased out the AH-1 during the 1990s and retired the AH-1 from active service in March 1999.The Army retired the AH-1 from reserves in September 2001. The retired AH-1s have been passed to other nations and to the USDA Forest Service # Crew: 2 - one pilot, one CPG (co-pilot/gunner) # Length: 44 ft 5 in (13.4 m) # Rotor diameter: 44 ft (13.4 m) # Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.1 m) # Empty weight: 6,073 lb (2,754 kg) # Max takeoff weight: 9,500 lb (4,309 kg) # Powerplant: 1× AVCO Lycoming T53-L-13 turboshaft, 1,100 shp * Maximum speed: 190 knots (219 mph, 352 km/h) * Range: 310 nmi (357 mi, 574 km) * Service ceiling 11,400 ft (3,475 m) * Rate of climb: 1,230 ft/min (6.25 m/s) Tags: Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter military aircraft usa army airplane aviation space mechanics boeing airbus sukhoi mig

User: zeoul001

P-38 Lightning Crash at Duxford The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the pilot and armament. The aircraft was used in a number of different roles, including dive bombing, level bombing, ground strafing, photo reconnaissance missions,and extensively as a long-range escort fighter when equipped with droppable fuel tanks under its wings. The P-38 was used most extensively and successfully in the Pacific Theater of Operations and the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations, where it was flown by the American pilots with the highest number of aerial victories to this date. America's top ace Richard Bong earned 40 victories (in a Lightning he called Marge), and Thomas McGuire (in Pudgy) scored 38. In the South West Pacific theater, it was a primary fighter of United States Army Air Forces until the appearance of large numbers of P-51D Mustangs toward the end of the war.The P-38 was the only American fighter aircraft in active production throughout the duration of American involvement in the war, from Pearl Harbor to VJ Day.The aircraft was performing at the 'Flying Legends' Air Displayat Duxford, which was being staged over the two days of the weekendof 13/14 July 1996. The display on 13 July was completed withoutincident. On 14 July, the aircraft had taken off at 1435 hrsas the lead aircraft in a formation comprising one Curtiss P-40BTomahawk and one Bell P-63 King Cobra fighter aircraft. The display'slot' commenced at 1439 hrs and after several formation passesin front of the assembly of spectators, the trio split up in orderto enable each aircraft to carry out a solo display. The P-38was the final aircraft to perform its solo routine and was dueto clear the display area by 1455 hrs. The aircraft commencedits run in from the east of the airfield, in a shallow dive togain speed, then carried out a loop. This manoeuvre was followedby a 'Cuban Eight' manoeuvre, which involved two short periodsof flight under negative 'g'. As the aircraft returned to normalpositive 'g' flight after each of these periods, a slight trailof light coloured vapour was noted coming from under the mainbody of the aircraft (post-accident consideration of the aircraftsystems concluded that this was most likely to have been vapourescaping from the fuel tank vent lines). At the end of the 'Cuban Eight', the aircraft was passing fromeast to west (crowd left to right). It pulled up and to the leftinitially, levelled the wings, then performed a 270° rollto the left. The aircraft then came back to pass acrossthe front of the crowd from west to east. With the aircraft appearing to be at a normal entry height andspeed, an aileron roll to the left was commenced as the aircraftcrossed the western threshold of the hard surfaced Runway 06. The first 360° roll was completed apparently normally butthe aircraft continued, without pause, into a second full roll. While the aircraft was inverted in this second roll, the nosepitched towards the ground and the aircraft began to lose heightwhile the roll continued. By the time the aircraft became uprightagain, it had descended to a very low height above the runway. The aircraft continued to roll left and struck the runway withits left wing, with some 30° of left bank applied, abouttwo thirds of the way along Runway 06. The left outer wing ruptured and collapsed, followed by an impactof the left engine. At this time, a large fireball erupted asthe aircraft began to cartwheel across the airfield, breakingup into multiple fragments as its trajectory took it diagonallyaway from the main spectator area towards a row of parked lightaircraft on the south side of the airfield. Several of theseaircraft were destroyed or severely damaged in the wreckage'spath Tags: Lockheed P-38 lightning Duxford 1996 crash fatal accident airplane aviation space mechanics boeing airbus sukhoi mig

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Turkish Stars Aerobatic Team The Turkish Stars (Turkish: Türk Yıldızları) are the aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force and the official national aerobatics team of Turkey.The team was formed on November 7, 1992 and was officially named the Turkish Stars on January 11, 1993. Turkish Stars fly with 8 Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighters, making them one of the few national aerobatics teams to fly supersonic aircraft, and the only one with formations of 8 supersonic jets. The total number of F-5s available to the team is 14. The team also has its own C-130 Hercules cargo planes, which have the same Turkish Stars paintwork.The F-5A/B Freedom Fighter and F-5E/F Tiger II are part of a family of widely used light supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop in the United States, beginning in 1960s.Hundreds remain in service in Air Forces around the world as of the early 21st century, and the type formed the basis for a number of other aircraft.Production ended in 1972 and 1987 for the F-5A and the upgraded F-5E respectively.The aircraft family started as a privately funded light fighter by Northrop in the 1950s.The first generation F-5 Freedom Fighter entered service in the 1960s.Over 800 were produced through 1972 for U.S. Allies during the Cold War.The USAF had no need for a light fighter but it did need a trainer and procured about 1,200 of the same basic airframe to this purpose, the T-38 Talon.The much improved second generation F-5E Tiger II family was, again, primarily used by U.S. cold war allies and in the US as training and aggressor aircraft; the Tiger II family production amounted to 1,400 with production ending in 1987. Many F-5s continuing in service into the 1990s and 2000s have undergone a wide variety of upgrade programs. The major sub-family variants of the F-5 fighter were various dedicated reconnaissance versions, the RF-5 Tigereye.The first contract for the production F-5A was issued in 1962, the first overseas order coming from the Royal Norwegian Air Force in February 1964. 636 F-5As were built before production ended in 1972. These were accompanied by 200 two-seat F-5B aircraft. These were operational trainers, lacking the nose-mounted cannon but otherwise combat-capable.The USAF made a combat evaluation of the F-5A under the Skoshi Tiger program in 1965. 12 aircraft were delivered for trials to the 4503rd Tactical Fighter Wing (subsequently the 10th Fighter Commando Squadron), redesignated F-5C. They performed combat duty in Vietnam, flying more than 3,500 sorties from the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Bien Hoa in South Vietnam. Two aircraft were lost in combat. The program was short-lived, more a political gesture than a serious consideration of the type for U.S. service. It may be noted that the double-sonic F-104 Starfighter and the sophisticated F-102 Delta Dagger were also tried, but completely withdrawn from Vietnam. # Crew: 1 # Length: 47 ft 4¾ in (14.45 m) # Wingspan: 26 ft 8 in (8.13 m) # Height: 13 ft 4½ in (4.08 m) # Wing area: 186 ft² (17.28 m²) # Airfoil: NACA 65A004.8 root, NACA 64A004.8 tip # Empty weight: 9,558 lb (4,349 kg) # Max takeoff weight: 24,664 lb (11,187 kg) # Powerplant: 2× General Electric J85-GE-21B turbojet # Maximum speed: 917 kn (1,060 mph, 1,700 km/h, mach 1.6) # Combat radius: 760 nmi (870 mi, 1,405 km) # Ferry range: 2,010 nmi (2,310 mi, 3,720 km) # Service ceiling: 51,800 ft (15,800 m) Tags: Turkish stars aerobatic team military aviation TUAF space airplane f-5 f-16 f-22 f-35 war usa iraq sukhoi mig boeing sk

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Simulated Emergency Landing Simulated emergency landing on Cessna 182.Cessna Aircraft Company, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, is a manufacturer of general aviation aircraft, primarily specializing in small, piston-powered aircraft and medium-sized business jets.The company traces its history to June 1911, when Clyde Cessna, a farmer in Rago, Kansas, built a wood-and-fabric plane and became the first person to build and fly an aircraft between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.Clyde Cessna started his aircraft ventures in Enid, Oklahoma testing many of his early planes on the salt flats. When bankers in Enid would not loan him the money to build his planes, he moved to Wichita.In 1924, Cessna partnered with Lloyd C. Stearman and Walter H. Beech to form the Travel Air Manufacturing Co., Inc., a biplane manufacturing firm, in Wichita. In 1927 he left Travel Air to form his own company, the "Cessna Aircraft Company", to build monoplanes. The first plane flew on August 13, 1927.Cessna Aircraft Company closed its doors from 1932--1934 due to the state of the economy. In 1934, Dwane Wallace, with the help of his brother Dwight, took control of the company and began the process of building it into a global success.After World War II, Cessna created the 170, which, along with later models (notably the 172), became the most widely produced light aircraft in history.Cessna's advertising boasts that its aircraft have trained more pilots than those of any other company.Cessna was bought by General Dynamics Corporation in 1985. Production of piston-engine was discontinued in 1986, with the company citing product liability as the cause; then-CEO Russ Meyer said that production would resume if a more favorable product liability environment were to develop. In 1992, Textron Inc. bought Cessna, and production of the piston-engine 172, 182, and 206 designs was resumed after passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994.On 27 November 2007 Cessna's parent company, Textron, announced that Cessna had successfully purchased bankrupt Columbia Aircraft for USD$26.4M and would produce its Columbia 350 and 400 as the Cessna 350 and Cessna 400 at the current Columbia factory location in Bend, Oregon. Tags: Cessna 182 light weight prop aircraft emergency landing scary accident crash airplane military aviation space mechanics

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JG 54 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Captured by Soviets The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger ("shrike"), often called Butcher-bird, was a single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft of Germany's Luftwaffe, and one of the best fighters of its generation. Used extensively during the Second World War, over 20,000 were manufactured, including around 6,000 fighter-bomber models. Production ran from 1941 to the end of hostilities, during which time the aircraft was continually updated. Its final incarnations retained qualitative parity with Allied fighter planes, although Fw 190s lagged far behind in production numbers.The Fw 190 was well liked by its pilots, and widely regarded as superior to the front line Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V on its combat debut in 1941.Compared to the Bf 109, the Fw 190 was a "workhorse," employed in and proved suitable for a wide variety of roles, including ground attack, long-range bomber escort, night-fighter and (especially in the "D" version) high-altitude interceptor.For the first few months of the Fw 190's combat career, the Allies, being entirely unaware of the new fighter, attributed pilots' reports of a new "radial-engined fighter" to Curtiss P-36 Mohawks captured from the French. The new fighter outperformed the Spitfire Mk. V then in service with the RAF in all aspects except turning radius. As Allied fighter losses rose and local air superiority over the Channel front passed to the Luftwaffe, Allied plans were tentatively made to launch a Commando raid on a Luftwaffe airfield to snatch a Fw 190 for evaluation. However, the British acquired an intact Fw 190 A-3 in late June 1942, when Jagdgeschwader 2 pilot Oblt. Armin Faber landed on a British airfield by mistake.Taking advantage of this, the RAF was quick to study the aircraft for any novel design elements.In particular, the cooling system and installation of Fw 190's radial engine was a direct influence on Hawker Siddeley's Tempest II. The British confirmed that the Fw 190 could outperform, in most aspects, the then top-of-the-line Spitfire Mk V. In terms of firepower, rate of roll and straight line speed at low altitude, the Fw 190 was considerably better, a discovery which prompted the rush development of the Spitfire Mark IX with the new two-stage supercharged Merlin 61 engine.At least 28 Fw 190s exist in museums, collections and in storage worldwide, with 15 displayed in the United States. Two of these survivors are Fw 190 Ds located in the United States, including one at the Museum of Flight in Seattle (formerly of the Champlin Fighter Museum) and a second example at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. (on loan from the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian since 1975). The NASM also stores a rare Ta 152 H-0/R-11 at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration and Storage Facility in Suitland, Maryland. Other surviving Fw 190s include four in the United Kingdom (Imperial War Museum, RAF Museum with a rare two-seat S-8), three in Germany (Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum) and two in Norway; individual examples exist in France, Serbia (Museum of Aviation in Belgrade) Macedonia (FYR), Russia, South Africa and Brazil. * Crew: One * Length: 9.00 m (29 ft 0 in) * Wingspan: 10.51 m (34 ft 5 in) * Height: 3.95 m (12 ft 12 in) * Wing area: 18,30 m² (196.99 ft²) * Empty weight: 3,200 kg (7,060 lb) * Loaded weight: 4,417 kg (9,735 lb) * Max takeoff weight: 4,900 kg (10,800 lb) * Powerplant: 1× BMW 801D-2 radial engine,1,272 kW(1,730 hp)1,471 kW (2,000 hp)with boost # Maximum speed: 656 km/h at 4,800 m, 685 km/h with boost, up to 750 km/h # Range: 800 km (500 miles) # Service ceiling: 11,410 m (37,430 ft) # Rate of climb: 13 m/s (2560 feet/min) # Wing loading: 241 kg/m² (49.4 lb/ft²) # Power/mass: 0.29 - 0.33 kW/kg (0.18 - 0.21 hp/lb) Tags: world war luftwaffe historical fighter bomber german aircraft airplane aviation space mechanics iraq russia soviet sky

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B-1B Lancer The B-1 Lancer is an American supersonic strategic bomber with variable-sweep wings. Its origins began in the 1960s as a supersonic bomber with sufficient range and payload to replace the B-52 Stratofortress. The B-1B production version has been in service with the United States Air Force (USAF) since 1986. The Lancer serves as the supersonic-capable component of the United States's long-range bomber force with the B-52 and the B-2 Spirit. As with several official popular names, the Lancer is commonly called the Bone within the US Air Force. With the retirement of the EF-111 Raven in 1998, as well as the F-14 Tomcat in 2006, the B-1B is the last swing-wing aircraft remaining in the U.S. inventory.The B-1 was conceived as the Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft (AMSA) program circa 1965. AMSA was the last in a series of programs through the 1960s that looked at replacing the B-52 Stratofortress with a multi-role supersonic aircraft capable of long-range bombing and missile launching with nuclear weapons.A series of cancellations led to its service introduction being greatly delayed, until the later half of the 1980s, over twenty years after the program first started.The B-1 has a blended wing body configuration, along with canards and variable-sweep wing design and turbofan engines, to improve range and speed with enhanced survivability. Forward wing settings are used for takeoff, landings and high-altitude maximum cruise. Aft wing settings are used in high subsonic and supersonic flight, enhancing the B-1's performance. The wings of the B-1B originally were cleared for use at settings of 15, 25, 55, and 67.5 degrees. The 45-degree setting was later cleared in 1998--1999.Unlike the B-1A, the B-1B made no attempt at Mach 2+ speeds. Its maximum speed at altitude is Mach 1.25 (about 950 mph or 1,530 km/h), but its low-level speed increased to Mach 0.95 (about 700 mph/1,118 km/h). Technically, the current version of the aircraft can exceed its speed restriction, but not without risking potential damage to its structure and air intakes. The B-1A's engine was modified slightly to produce the F101-102, with an emphasis on durability, and increased efficiency.he B-1's offensive avionics include the Westinghouse (now Northrop Grumman) AN/APQ-164 forward-looking offensive passive electronically scanned array radar set with electronic beam steering (and a fixed antenna pointed downward for reduced radar observability), synthetic aperture radar, ground moving target indicator (MTI), and terrain-following radar modes, Doppler navigation, radar altimeter, and an inertial navigation suite. # Crew: 4: # Length: 146 ft (44.5 m) # Wingspan: * Extended: 137 ft (41.8 m) * Swept: 79 ft (24.1 m) # Height: 34 ft (10.4 m) # Wing area: 1,950 ft² (181.2 m²) # Empty weight: 192,000 lb (87,100 kg) # Loaded weight: 326,000 lb (148,000 kg) # Max takeoff weight: 477,000 lb (216,400 kg) # Maximum speed: *At sea level:Mach .95(600+ mph,965+km) *At altitude:Mach 1.25(950 mph,1,529km) # Combat radius: 2,993 nm (3,445 mi, 5,543 km) # Maximum range: 6,478 nm (7,456 mi, 11,998 km) Tags: B-1B lancer american strategic bomber jet aircraft military aviation space mechanics Boeing Northrop Eads Lockheed Iraq

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YF-16 Test Flight Problems The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft developed by General Dynamics in the United States. Designed as a lightweight fighter, it evolved into a successful multi-role aircraft. The Falcon's versatility is a paramount reason it was a success on the export market, serving 24 countries. The F-16 is the largest and probably most significant current Western fighter program, with over 4,000 aircraft built since production started in 1976. Though no longer produced for the United States Air Force, it is still produced for export. The Fighting Falcon is regarded as a superb dogfighter, with innovations including a frameless canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while under high g-forces, and reclined seat to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot. It was also the first fighter aircraft to be deliberately built to sustain 9g turns. It is also one of the few jets with a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one, giving the Falcon excellent acceleration.In 1993 General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.Block 50/52 Plus (F-16U) Ordered by Polish Air Force. These aircraft are fitted with the latest avionics (including the ALE-50 Towed Decoy System) and provisions for Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFTs). On 9 November, 2006, it was unveiled that the Polish F-16s will be named Jastrzab (Hawk). Limited operational readiness will be achieved in 2008 and last F16 should be delivered by 2012. The Hellenic Air Force ordered this version with the CFTs. All two-seat "Plus" airframes include the enlarged Avionics Dorsal Spine which adds 30 cubic feet (850 L) to the airframe for more avionics with only small increases in weight and drag. This version is sometimes called F-16U and is the foundation of F-16E/F Block 60.[citation needed] The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) also ordered two-seat versions of the Block 52+. Singapore's most recent order consists of an aircraft model rumored to be the exact same configuration as the venerable F-16I, but re-designated to avoid sensitivity. The latest D+ models ordered by the RSAF can be noted to have the exact same antennas, sensor locations, cockpit configurations as that of the F-16I. These planes are also fitted with DASH-3 Helmet-mouted sighting system, 600-Gallon tanks, CFTs, AMRAAM, HARM and laser-guided weapons, fully-configured for long-range strike. The Pakistan Air Force ordered 18 Block 52 Plus F-16s with an option for 18 more as part of a $5.1 arms package. Pakistani F-16s will be equipped with AIM-120C5 AMRAAM, AIM-9M-8/9, JDAM, Harpoon Block II, Joint-Helmet Mounted Cueing System, CFTs and possibly IRIS-T. Tags: Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet aircraft usaf military aviation crash space mechanics boeing war iraq afghanistan

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AIM-132 ASRAAM The AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile is a British infrared homing ("heat seeking") air-to-air missile. It is currently in service in the Royal Air Force and Australian Air Force, replacing the AIM-9 Sidewinder in those services.In the 1980s, NATO countries signed a Memorandum of Agreement that the United States would develop a medium-range air-to-air missile to replace the AIM-7 Sparrow, while Britain and Germany would develop a short-range air-to-air missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder. The US design developed as the AIM-120 AMRAAM, while the UK-German design started as the AIM-132 ASRAAM. The starting point for the ASRAAM design was an experimental short-range missile designed by Hawker Siddeley in the 1970s, "Taildog". Studying combat reports from the air war during the Vietnam War, it was clear that a missile with better maneuverability and a wider seeker angle was needed in order to successfully intercept the target in the types of shots the pilots were attempting to make. The US response was to train their pilots to only fire under certain condition, and use the cannon under others. Taildog attempted to address this problem with a better missile instead, one that would guide properly under these same conditions. Taildog was highly maneuverable through the use of thrust vectoring for all flight control, rotating small vanes into the rocket exhaust from their "hiding" positions behind the rocket body. The aerodynamic surfaces were reduced to vestigial surfaces near the rear, and were unmovable. In 1970 the Ministry of Defense awarded them a development contract under the name "SRAAM-100", which was later changed to SRAAM. The contract was cancelled in 1974, but retained as a technology demonstration program. The SRAAM work was dusted off as the starting point of the UK portion of the program in the 1980s, while the Germans supplied a new advanced seeker. Unlike SRAAM, however, outright maneuverability was no longer the main concern. The new AIM-120 had a fairly long range and could be expect to be fired against targets around 20 miles away, while Taildog, and Sidewinder, were much shorter-range weapons with useful ranges of only a few miles. There was a fairly large range gap between the two designs that the UK-German team felt was the most important problem to solve. Although portions of the original SRAAM design were used, the airframe was extensively redesigned to produce a missile will less maneuverability, but greater speed and range, closing the distance gap as well as making it difficult to avoid simply because it was so fast. The new ASRAAM dropped the thrust vectoring system in favor of conventional aerodynamic surfaces, in the form of four small delta-wings at the extreme rear of the missile. While ASRAAM was being developed, re-unification of Germany gave the Luftwaffe their first look at the Russian Vympel R-73 missile, known in the west as the AA-11 Archer. This proved to be far more advanced than either the Sidewinder or the ASRAAM, outperforming them particularly in the ability to guide in high off-axis attacks, but also in terms of field of view, acquisition range, maneuverability, ease of target designation, and target lock-on. Concluding that they needed a missile with better performance than the Archer, the UK-German partnership broke down in the early 1990s, with the Luftwaffe deciding in 1995 to produce a greatly improved Sidewinder, the IRIS-T built by Bodensee Geraetetechnik GmBH (BGT). Due to the numerous developmental delays caused by the UK-German bickering over ASRAAM design with no solution in sight, and in light of threat of Archer, the US could not wait any longer and began development of their own improved version of the Sidewinder, the AIM-9X in 1990.The main improvement, which was also made on the latest version of the AIM-9 Sidewinder, is a new focal plane array FPA (128x128 resolution imaging infrared) seeker developed by Hughes before they were acquired by Raytheon. This seeker has a long acquisition range, high countermeasures resistance, approx. 90 degrees off-boresight lock-on capability, and the possibility to designate specific parts of the targeted aircraft (like cockpit, engines, etc). The ASRAAM also has a LOAL (Lock-On After Launch) ability which is a distinct advantage when the missile is carried in an internal bay such as in the upcoming F-35 Lightning II. Tags: AIM-132 ASRAAM heat seeking missile aviation space mechanics military MBDA USAF RAF RAAF IAF war pilot iraq afghanistan

User: zeoul001

Before the Wright Brothers.. Aviation history deals with the development of mechanical flight, from the earliest attempts in kite-powered and gliding flight, to the demonstration of sustained, controlled and powered heavier-than-air flight, and beyond. Humanity's desire to fly possibly first found expression in China, where human flight tied to kites is recorded (as a punishment) from the sixth century AD. Subsequently, the first hang glider was demonstrated by Abbas Ibn Firnas in Andalusia in the 9th century AD. Leonardo da Vinci's (15th c.) dream of flight found expression in several designs, but he did not attempt to demonstrate flight. It was in post-industrial Europe from the late 18th century that serious attempts at flight took place, with progression from lighter-than-air (hot-air balloons, 1783), unpowered heavier-than-air (Otto Lilienthal, 1891), and finally, powered, sustained, flight (Wright Brothers, 1903).Since then, Aircraft designers have struggled to make their craft go faster, further, fly higher, and be controlled more easily: * Control: Initially gliders were controlled by moving one's entire body (Otto Lilienthal) or warping the wings (Wright brothers). Modern airplanes are controlled with the help of flaps such as ailerons and elevators, and these are stabilized by a computerized system to the extent that it is not possible to fly certain military aircraft without these controllers. * Power: Aircraft engines have become lighter and more efficient, from Clement Ader's steam engine to piston, jet and rocket engines. * Material: Initially made of canvas and wood, aircraft materials moved to doped fabric and steel tubing, all aluminum monocoque construction (around WWII), and increasingly today, composites. * Use: Commercialization kept pace along with technology, leading to rapid progress in civilian, as well as military applications.The dream of flight is fueled by our observation of the birds, and is illustrated in myths across the world (e.g. Daedalus and Icarus in Greek mythology, or the Pushpaka Vimana of the Ramayana). The first attempts to fly also often drew on the idea of imitating birds, as in Daedalus' building his wings out of feathers and wax. Attempts to build wings of various materials and jump off high towers continued well until the seventeenth century.Although many people think of human flight as beginning with the aircraft in the early 1900s, in fact people had already been flying for some 200 years. The first generally recognized human flight took place in Paris in 1783. Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes went 5 miles (8 km) in a hot air balloon invented by the Montgolfier brothers. The balloon was powered by a wood fire, and was not steerable: that is, it flew wherever the wind took it.The first published paper on aviation was "Sketch of a Machine for Flying in the Air" by Emanuel Swedenborg published in 1716. This flying machine consisted of a light frame covered with strong canvas and provided with two large oars or wings moving on a horizontal axis, arranged so that the upstroke met with no resistance while the downstroke provided lifting power. Swedenborg knew that the machine would not fly, but suggested it as a start and was confident that the problem would be solved. He said, "It seems easier to talk of such a machine than to put it into actuality, for it requires greater force and less weight than exists in a human body. The science of mechanics might perhaps suggest a means, namely, a strong spiral spring. If these advantages and requisites are observed, perhaps in time to come some one might know how better to utilize our sketch and cause some addition to be made so as to accomplish that which we can only suggest. Yet there are sufficient proofs and examples from nature that such flights can take place without danger, although when the first trials are made you may have to pay for the experience, and not mind an arm or leg." Swedenborg would prove prescient in his observation that powering the aircraft through the air was the crux of flying. Tags: First Flight Military jet aircraft Boeing Eads Lockheed Martin Sukhoi Mig F-22 T-50 F-18 Mig-29 Su-35 A380 747 787

User: zeoul001

Ejection Decision a Second too Late... In(mostly military) aircraft, the ejection seat is a system designed to rescue the pilot or other crew in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an explosive charge or rocket motor, carrying the pilot with it. The concept of an ejectable escape capsule has also been tried. Once clear of the aircraft, the ejection seat deploys a parachute, and descends safely to earth.While a bungee-assisted escape from an aircraft took place in 1910, the modern pattern for an ejection seat was invented in Germany in 1938 and perfected during World War II. Prior to this, the only means of escape from an incapacitated aircraft was to jump clear ("bail-out"), and in many cases this was difficult due to injury, the difficulty of egress from a confined space, g-forces, the airflow past the aircraft and other factors.The first ejection seats were developed independently during the World War II by Heinkel and SAAB. Early models were powered by compressed air and the first aircraft to be fitted with such a system was the Heinkel He 280 prototype jet fighter in 1940. One of the He 280 test pilots, Helmut Schenk, became the first person to escape from a stricken aircraft with an ejection seat on January 13, 1942 after his control surfaces iced up and became inoperable.The first operational type to provide ejection seats for the crew was the Heinkel He 219 Uhu night fighter in 1942.In late 1944, the Heinkel He 162 featured a new type of ejection seat, this time fired by an explosive cartridge. In this system the seat rode on wheels set between two pipes running up the back of the cockpit. When lowered into position, caps at the top of the seat fitted over the pipes to close them. Cartridges, basically identical to shotgun shells, were placed in the bottom of the pipes, facing upward. When fired the gases would fill the pipes, "popping" the caps off the end and thereby forcing the seat to ride up the pipes on its wheels, and out of the aircraft. By the end of the war, the Do-335 Pfeil, Me-262 Schwalbe and Me-163 Komet also were fitted with ejection seat.The purpose of an ejection seat is pilot survival, not pilot comfort. Many pilots have suffered career-ending injuries while using ejection seats, including crushed vertebrae. The pilot typically experiences an acceleration of about 12 to 14 g (117 to 137 m/s²). Western seats usually impose lighter loads on the pilots; 1960s-70s era ex-Soviet technology often goes up to 20-22 g (with SM-1 and KM-1 gunbarrel type ejection seats). Career-ending injuries are quite common, partly because eastern military pilots usually continue to fly into their late 40s or early 50s and end (retire) their flying career afterward, while most western jet pilots retire from the military in their late 30s.Lt. William Belden ejects from an A-4 Skyhawk on the deck of the Shangri-La. Lt. William Belden ejects from an A-4 Skyhawk on the deck of the Shangri-La.The Russian K-36 ejector seat manufactured by NPP Zvezda is considered by many as the world's most advanced. It was studied at length by the US Navy and Airforce and IBP Aircraft opened up a factory in the US to manufacture it for the F-22 Raptor and the Joint Strike Fighter. The US Government however selected the Martin Baker seat from the UK in a political move for the new US fighters. The amazing capabilities of the K-36 were convincingly demonstrated at the Fairford Air Show on 24 July 1993 when the pilots of two MiG 29 fighters successfully ejected after a mid-air collision.By May 2006, Martin-Baker ejection seats had saved 7196 lives.The "standard" ejection system operates in two stages. First, the entire canopy or hatch above the aviator is opened or jettisoned, and the seat and occupant are launched through the opening. In most earlier aircraft this required two separate actions by the aviator, while later egress system designs, such as the Advanced Concept Ejection Seat model 2 (ACES II) will perform both functions on a single action.The ACES II ejection seat is used in most of the United States Air Force's mainline fighters, including the A-10, F-15, and F-16. The A-10 uses connected firing handles that activate both the canopy jettison systems, followed by the seat ejection. The F-15 has the same connected system as the A-10 Seat. Both handles accomplish the same task, so pulling either one suffices. The F-16 has only one rubber handle located between the pilot's knees, since the cockpit is too narrow for side-mounted handles. Unlike the F-15 and A-10, however, the F-16 does NOT have canopy breaking systems installed. The angle of the ejection seat inside the aircraft is so extreme that a pilot's head would strike the canopy before any installed canopy breakers would. Also, the canopy is constructed of highly durable composite material which cannot be shattered by seat ejection. Tags: Ejection Seat test Military jet aircraft Boeing Eads Lockheed Martin Sukhoi Mig F-22 T-50 F-18 Mig-29 Su-35 A380 747 78

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Peruvian Air Force The Peruvian Air Force (Spanish: Fuerza Aérea del Perú, abbreviated FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding internal security, conducting disaster relief operations and participating in international peacekeeping operations. It celebrates on July 23 the anniversary of the death of Captain José Quiñones Gonzáles in the war against Ecuador (1941).On May 20, 1929, the aviation divisions of the Peruvian Army and Navy were merged into the Cuerpo de Aviación del Perú (Peruvian Aviation Corps, abbreviated CAP). During the Colombian-Peruvian War of 1933, its Vought O2U Corsair and Curtiss F11 Hawk planes fought in the Amazon region. The corps was renamed Cuerpo Aeronáutico del Perú (Peruvian Aeronautical Corps, also abbreviated CAP) on March 12, 1936. In 1941, the CAP participated in the Peruvian-Ecuadorian War. At that time, the CAP were equipped with Caproni Ca.114 and North American NA-50 Torito fighters, Douglas 8A-3P attack fighters and Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio bombers,among others. During this war, Captain José Quiñones Gonzáles died in action and later became the principal hero of the Air Force of Peru.During the presidency of Manuel A. Odría the corps was reorganized again and on July 18, 1950 it became the Fuerza Aérea del Perú (Air Force of Peru, abbreviated FAP). The service underwent a period of considerable expansion through out the 1970s and early 1980s which included the introduction of an important number of soviet-made aircraft. In 1982, during the Falklands War, the Peruvian Air Force transferred ten of their Mirage 5P to the Argentine Air Force as a measure of solidarity. The economic crisis of the later 1980s forced reductions in the fleet size as well as cuts in training and general readiness. Under those conditions the FAP fought the Cenepa War against Ecuador in 1995 and lost nine planes and helicopters. After the war, the FAP acquired new material, including MiG-29 fighters and Su-25 attack fighters which, along with Mirage 2000 fighters, are currently the main combat elements of the FAP. Aircraft flown Attack A-37, Mirage 5, Su-22, Su-25 Bomber Canberra Interceptor MiG-29, Mirage 2000 Reconnaissance Lear Jet 25, Lear Jet 36 Trainer EMB-312, MB-339, Zlin 242 Transport An-32, An-72, Boeing 707, Boeing 737, C-26, DC-8, DHC-6, Falcon 20, F-28, L100, PC-6, Y-12 Tags: Peruvian Airforce armed forces military aviation south america war iraq afghanistan usa usaf naval attack aircraft sky

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Mil Mi-28 "Havoc" The Mil Mi-28 (NATO reporting name "Havoc") is a Russian tandem two-seat anti-armour attack helicopter. It is a dedicated attack helicopter with no intended secondary transport capability, better optimized than the Mil Mi-24 for the anti-tank role. It carries a single gun in an undernose barbette, plus external loads carried on pylons beneath stub wings.In January 1988 the first Mi-28A prototype flew (no. 032). It was fitted with stronger engines and "X" type tail rotor instead of a standard three-blade variant. This new version debuted at the Paris Air Show in June 1989. In 1991 second Mi-28A was built (no. 042). The Mi-28A program was cancelled in 1993 because it was deemed uncompetitive with the Ka-50, and in particular, it was not all-weather capable. In 1990 the design bureau signed an agreement to export Mi-28A parts to Iraq and for assembly as the Mi-28L [citation needed], but these plans were disrupted by the Gulf War. Yet another variant, the Mi-28N, was unveiled in 1995, the N designation meaning "night". The prototype (no. 014) flew on November 14, 1996. The most significant feature is a radar in a round cover above the main rotor, similar to that of the American AH-64D Longbow Apache. It also has improved Tor vision and aiming device under the nose, including a TV camera and FLIR. Due to funding problems, development was interrupted. A second prototype with an improved rotor design was unveiled in March 2004 at Rosvertol.The Mi-28 has two heavily armoured cockpits, a nose full with electronic equipments, and a narrow-X tail rotor. Two 2200hp Isotov TV-3-117VM. (t/n 014) X-type tail rotor (55 deg) to reduce noise. While the Mi-28 is not intended for use as a transport, it does have a small passenger compartment capable of carrying three persons. The planned purpose of this is to enable the rescue of downed helicopter crews. * Crew: 1 pilot (rear), 1 navigator/weapons operator (front) * Length: 17.01 m (55 ft 9 in) * Rotor diameter: 17.20 m (56 ft 5 in) * Height: 3.82 m (12 ft 7 in) * Empty weight: 8,095 kg (17,845 lb) * Loaded weight: 10,400 kg (22,930 lb) * Max takeoff weight: 11,500 kg (25,705 lb) * Powerplant: 2× Klimov TV3-117VMA turboshaft, 1,450 kW (1,950 hp) each * Maximum speed: 300 km/h (187 mph) * Range: 1,100 km (640 mi) * Service ceiling: 5,800 m (19,000 ft) * 1x chin-mounted 30 mm Shipunov 2A42 cannon with 300 rounds (220° horizontal fire) * up to 2,300 kg of disposable stores on four hardpoints, including bombs, rockets, missiles, and gunpods Tags: Mil mi-28 havoc russian attack helicopter jet aircraft fighter bomber sukhoi mig boeing airbus miliatry aviation war sk

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Shuttle Carrier Aircraft The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) are two extensively modified Boeing 747 jetliners that NASA uses to transport a space shuttle orbiter. One is a 747-100 model, while the other is a short range 747-100SR. The SCAs are used to ferry space shuttles from landing sites back to the launch complex at the Kennedy Space Center, or more specifically, the NASA Shuttle Landing Facility, and to and from other locations too distant for the orbiters to be delivered by ground transport. The orbiters are placed on top of the SCAs by Mate-Demate Devices, large gantry-like structures which hoist the orbiters off the ground for post-flight servicing, and then mate them with the SCAs for ferry flights.The first aircraft, A 747-100 N905NA, was originally manufactured for American Airlines and still carried visible American markings while testing Enterprise in the 1970s. It was acquired in 1974 and initially used for trailing wake vortex research as part of a broader study by NASA Dryden, as well as Shuttle tests involving a F-104 flying in close formation and simulating a "release" from the 747.The aircraft was extensively modified in 1976: its cabin was stripped, mounting struts added, and the fuselage strengthened; vertical stabilizers were added to the tail to aid stability when the Orbiter was being carried. (In practice, these were very rarely removed). The avionics and engines were also upgraded, and an escape system similar to that used on Boeing's first 747 test flights was added to ship N905NA. The flight crew escape tunnel system was later removed following the completion of the Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) due to concerns over possible engine ingestion of an escaping crew member.Flying with the additional drag and weight of the Orbiter imposes fuel and altitude penalties - the range is reduced to just over 1000 nautical miles (1900 km), compared to an unladen range of 5500 nautical miles (10,000 km), requiring a SCA to stop several times to refuel on a transcontinental flight. The SCA has an altitude ceiling of 25,000 feet and a maximum cruise speed of 0.7 mach, with or without the orbiter attached. It takes a crew of about 170 a week to prepare the shuttle and SCA for flight, and each transcontinental trip costs about $1.7 million.Studies were conducted to equip the SCA with aerial refueling equipment, a modification already made to several U.S. Air Force 747s. However, during formation flying with a tanker aircraft to test refueling approaches, minor cracks were spotted on the tailfin of N905NA. While these were not likely caused by the test flights, it was felt that there was no sense taking unnecessary risks. Since there was no urgent need to provide an aerial refueling capacity, the tests were suspended., in the wake of the Challenger accident, NASA procured a surplus 747-100SR N911NA from Japan Airlines on recommendation from the review board. N911NA as it was newly registered, entered service with NASA in 1990 after similar modifications. It was first used in 1991 to ferry the new shuttle Endeavour from the manufacturers in Palmdale, California to Kennedy Space Center. Tags: Boeing 747 jumbo jet shuttle carrier aircraft nasa usaf military aviation space exploration airbus a380 war iraq sky air

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Finnish Defence Forces (F.D.F) The Finnish Defence Forces (Finnish: Puolustusvoimat; Swedish: Försvarsmakten) is the armed force of Finland, encompassing an army, a navy, and an air force. The Finnish Defence Forces is a cadre army of 16,500, of which 8,700 professional soldiers (officers), with a standard readiness strength of 34,700 people in uniform (27,300 army, 3,000 navy, and 4,400 air force) at time of peace. The expenditure equals about 1.3% of the GDP. A universal male conscription is in place, under which all men above 18 years of age serve from 6 to 12 months. The defence is based on a large trained reserve. After the end of the Cold War, Finland has constantly reduced its military reserve strength, partly due to budget cuts and partly due to a change in the military doctrine. Today the military reserve numbers some 350,000. The Finnish Defence Forces is commanded by the Chief of Defence, who is directly subordinated to the President of the Republic in matters related to the military command. The current Chief of Defence is Admiral Juhani Kaskeala.The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the General Staff and three defence branches: * Finnish Army (Maavoimat) * Finnish Navy (Merivoimat) * Finnish Air Force (Ilmavoimat) The Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) is under the Ministry of the Interior but can be incorporated fully or in part into the defence forces when required by defence readiness. The Army is divided into three commands (Finnish: maanpuolustusalue) (Western, Eastern and Northern) which bear the command responsibility for all brigade-level units. In addition, the commands direct the local military administration organization consisting of 12 military provinces (Finnish: sotilaslääni). The military provinces are responsible for conscription and management and training of the reserve personnel and the use of war-time local defence units. The Navy consists of headquarters, supporting elements and two maritime commands (Finnish: meripuolustusalue): Archipelago Sea and Gulf of Finland maritime commands. These commands are brigade-level units responsible for conscript training and the integrity of Finland's territorial waters. They include both ship and coastal units. The Airforce consists of headquarters, supporting elements and three air commands (Finnish: lennosto): Satakunta, Lapland and Karelia Air Commands. They are responsible for securing the integrity of the Finnish airspace during peace and for conducting aerial warfare independently during a crisis.The Finnish defence forces is based on an universal male conscription. All men above 18 years of age serve either 6, 9 or 12 months. The conscripts first receive basic training, after which they are assigned to various units for special training. Privates who are trained for tasks not requiring special skills serve for 6 months. In technically demanding tasks the time of service is 9, or in some cases 12 months. Those selected for NCO or officer training serve 12 months. At the completion of the service, the conscripts receive a reserve military rank of private, lance corporal, corporal, sergeant or second lieutenant, depending on their training and accomplishments. Military service can be started after turning 18. The service can be delayed due to studies, work or other personal reasons until the 28th birthday. In addition to lodging, food, clothes and health care the conscripts receive between 3.9 and 9 euros per day, depending on the time they have served. The state also pays for their rent and electricity bills. If the conscripts have families, they are entitled to benefits as well. It is unlawful to fire an employee due to military service. Voluntary female conscripts receive a small additional benefit, because they are expected to provide their own underwear and other personal items.The Finnish military doctrine is based on the concept of total defence. The term total means that all sectors of the government and economy are involved in the defence planning. In principle, each ministry has the responsibility for planning its operations during a crisis. There are no special emergency authorities, such as the US FEMA or Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. Instead, each authority regularly trains for crises and has been allocated a combination of normal and emergency powers it needs to keep functioning in any conceivable situation. In a war, all resources of the society may be diverted to serve the national survival. The legal basis for such measures is found in the Readiness Act and in the State of Defence Act, which would come into force through a parliamentary decision in a case of a crisis. Tags: Finnish defence forces military aviation helicoter aircraft iraq war nato boeing airbus a380 usa sukhoi mig mil kamov

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