Whale Tail Strike ... 380

[Metro752]

http://pluchette.free.fr/a380_2.jpg

http://pluchette.free.fr/a380_3.jpg

http://pluchette.free.fr/a380_1.jpg

 

[WMUchickenhawk]

Any idea if they were intentional?

 

[THE Flying Ace]

While I don't know for sure, I would guess and say they were intentional. During certification they will drag the tail to check for minimum unstick speed. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Clutch_Cargo]

I'm going with Vmu tests.

Edit: Damn Ace, quicker on the keys than me!

 

[WMUchickenhawk]

While I don't know for sure, I would guess and say they were intentional. During certification they will drag the tail to check for minimum unstick speed. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thats what I figured.

 

[Flying Illini]

VMu tests. (I know it's already been said, but I was prepping our aircraft here in TEB...that's my excuse)

 

[surplus1]

Is the pic a takeoff or a landing?

 

[wmuflyguy]

looks like a take off(i'm basing that off of the flap position, looks like they are only partially extended)

 

[Metro752]

ruin all the fun in bashing the whale

 

[Flying Illini]

ruin all the fun in bashing the whale

Sorry...here we go..."hahahaha! Look that that stupid french POS! They can't even take-off without dragging the tail! Hahahahaha!"
Better?

Vmu tests are done during t/o. This isn't a description of the procedure, but it's my understanding of it.
1)position and hold
2)hold yoke full aft
3)apply t/o thrust
4)wait for speed at which aircraft unsticks from runway (minimum unstick speed)

 

[Pugh]

What weight does the test have to be done at? Or is it several different weights?

 

[2000flyer]

Vmu = Minimum Unstick Speed. Done during takeoff. Over rotate to drag the tail and note the speed at which the aircraft becomes airborne.

 

[Flying Illini]

I would guess MGTOW.

 

[mzaharis]

I remember watching some footage of a 707 undergoing Vmu tests - when it finally got into the air, it was just over stall speed and wallowing like a, well, whale. I imagine it would be rather high pucker factor for the pilots, being in an aircraft, just off the ground, barely over stall speed.

 

[EagleRJ]

The Vmu test is performed to ensure that the aircraft can still take off if it is rotated too early by the pilot. Some early types (DC-6, I think) would stop accelerating if they were rotated early, so even though you were trying to fly, it was never going to happen.
Certification standards under Part 25 require an aircraft to be able to take off at any speed above that where the elevator physically has the authority to raise the nose off the ground. The high alpha involved in the test means the tail usually scrapes along the runway before liftoff.

 

[Singlecoil]

I think the purpose of this test is to prove the aircraft can become airborne if over-rotated, or rotated too early. I can't remember which plane it was, but an early jet was over-rotated onto its tail and subsequently crashed because it was not able to get airborne after that event. Part of the certification of new jets is to make sure they can power out of that situation.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Pretty impressive....the tail even stayed intact.

 

[ATR-DRIVR]

Line operations Vmu testing is always fun too!
http://airliners.net/open.file/632272/L/

 

[wmuflyguy]

ouch! I would hate to be the guy who had to explain that one.

Line operations Vmu testing is always fun too!
http://airliners.net/open.file/632272/L/

 

[ATR-DRIVR]

Easy one.."Tab Express F/O....