Just curious... do airliners view go-arounds unfavorably against pilots in, say, their appraisals or performance reports? Ramapriya

http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/february/102809.htm

.... necessarily have Autopilot? Ramapriya

Excerpt from Colombo Times... On 26th Dec '04 early morning several hrs before the catastrophe happened, Honolulu Tsunami Monitoring center have been trying to call our Meteorological Dept. monitoring center in Palekelle and Colombo but failed. They also got in touch with presidents' office...

Wanted to know if you guys occasionally practice, at a safe altitude with not too many passengers on board, stuff that *might* come in handy should something dreadful happens - for example, shutting off an engine or both and trying to judge, from the aircraft's rate of descent and distance covered...

1. I more or less know the effects of windshear during landing but how does it affect an aircraft during takeoff, if at all? Will it induce a reduced angle of climb? 2. And does windshear show up as a distinct feature in the flight weather radar? A link to any site that explains the mechanics of...

During a cruise, just pressing on one of the rudders should make an aircraft turn horizontally in that direction, when no ailerons are used. Reducing power in the opposite engine should logically accelerate such a turn. Makes me wonder why then was it that, in the crash at the end of 2001 just...

During a cruise, just pressing on one of the rudders should make an aircraft turn horizontally in that direction, when no ailerons are used. Reducing power in the opposite engine should logically accelerate such a turn. Makes me wonder why then was it is that, in the crash at the end of 2001 just...

If my understanding is correct, an aircraft stalls beyond that AOA which, when increased any further, produces no (further) lift. If correct, would it be logical to infer that an aircraft's stalling AOA: a. is dependent on its airspeed, and is independent of its weight and weight distribution,...

Is it possible to land without using the flaps at all? Just a combination of the throttle (forward thrust too, perhaps?), elevator and ailerons... I know this will sound like a shocker but I'd appreciate a definitive NO, so that at least one doubt is bedded :) Ramapriya

Hi there, Is a non-aviator airing a doubt ok with you folks? I know cars and trucks tend to skid even at low speeds in sleet and on ice, with braking often proving ineffectual. This leaves me wondering why is it that we don't ever hear of aircraft skidding and going off-track while taxiing or...

I've done a fair bit of international commuting and have always noticed the pilots getting dropped close to the airport approximately 45 min or 1 hour prior to takeoff, whereon they simply embark the plane and get down to business in the cockpit. I've not till date seen even one pilot actually do a...

Any idea how much it might cost to build a simulator at home - say of a 747? Also, how good is Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 for use on a desktop PC? What additional hardware would I require to act as a control column, rudder pedal, etc.? Inputs welcome, thank you. Ramapriya

Is it not possible to have buttons inside the cockpit that perform a set of checklist actions that pilots normally do at various phases of flight and save pilots that bother? I'd have thought it nice for a button to activate an electronic pre-flight check and report an...

Another simplistic Q... is there any difference piloting them? Ramapriya

Folks, At the only flight training center here in Dubai where I presently live, about 40 flying classes would cost USD 6000. How much would a similar duration course in the east coast of the US cost? I know costs will vary, but what can I assume to be the average? Just for information, a return...

1. If the principles of flight are universally applicable, why is it that birds don't stall or spin? I wonder especially because I'm sure I've seen some gulls hover in mid-air doing pretty much nothing except having their wings spread! 2. We know it's possible for an aircraft to fly at angle to...

.... has piloted a 747? Just curious :) While we're at it, which is the biggest aircraft each of you have flown? Ramapriya

Hi guys, Unlike the elevators and rudder that change an aircraft's pitch and yaw with no other secondary effect, why does the banking of wings by the use of ailerons not just roll an aircraft but also produces a turn (yaw)? Logically, one would expect an aircraft to keep going straight ahead even...

Hi all, I'm encouraged by your non-disparaging response to my first posting here yesterday. I have a few more Qs that will look utterly idiotic to you guys -- but remember that I'm not a pilot :) 1. Is there a way of mathematically justifying the dictum that a successful takeoff is guaranteed if...