Glider crash at Wichita Flight Festival

[The Ruptured Duck]

Today while I was working at the airshow, a motor glider crashed on takeoff killing the pilot instantly.  

I can't believe I just talked to the pilot before he took off.

[Fozzer]

It's times like that when you realise just how dangerous flying is... ...!
...and makes you wonder if you should be thinking about something else much safer.... ...!

Paul...very close to the ground... ...!

[expat]

It's times like that when you realise just how dangerous flying is... ...!
...and makes you wonder if you should be thinking about something else much safer.... ...!

Paul...very close to the ground... ...!

Like being on the motorway with a couple other thousand idiots who think  that they know what they are doing  ;D

Matt

[Fozzer]

The trouble with aeroplanes is that they are designed to fly in the air, which means that they are built with light materials; aluminium cooking foil, or bits of wood covered with bed sheets, and in the event of a collision they are quickly reduced to a pile of unrecognisable scrap.
No air bags, side impact bars, rollover bars, crush-able bonnet areas, padded dash, etc, etc.... ...!

A low speed collision with a 6 inch high wooden fence at my local airfield a few years ago, reduced a Vans R4 to a heap of wood and fabric which was shovelled up by a dumper truck and emptied into the back of a lorry.... ...!

Paul....Invincibility Mode.......!

[expat]

The trouble with aeroplanes is that they are designed to fly in the air, which means that they are built with light materials; aluminium cooking foil, or bits of wood covered with bed sheets, and in the event of a collision they are quickly reduced to a pile of unrecognisable scrap.
No air bags, side impact bars, rollover bars, crush-able bonnet areas, padded dash, etc, etc.... ...!

A low speed collision with a 6 inch high wooden fence at my local airfield a few years ago, reduced a Vans R4 to a heap of wood and fabric which was shovelled up by a dumper truck and emptied into the back of a lorry.... ...!

Paul....Invincibility Mode.......!

I was watching Discovery Channel last night. The program was about disposing of old aircraft, mainly airliners. A JCB reduced an old L1011 Tri Star to crusher-sized bites in about an hour. It is scary to see just how weak aircraft are.  Mind you I have seen my fair share of loaders and catering trucks driven into the sides of aircraft so I should not have been as taken back I was

Matt

[beaky]

Every structure has its limits, but some airplanes are very strong indeed:

This B17 made it home safely after being rammed by a Me109. Nothing holding that tail on but a few lower longerons (and possibly an angel or two).



But yes, they're built to be flown, not crashed... unlike cars.

[Iwannabeapilot]

It is scary to see just how weak aircraft are.

I recall seeing some footage of an F-4 being thrown into a concrete block for some kind of test. When the Phantom hit the block it simply turned to dust  :o at least thats how i remember it anyway

Vulcan1

[expat]

I recall seeing some footage of an F-4 being thrown into a concrete block for some kind of test. When the Phantom hit the block it simply turned to dust  :o at least thats how i remember it anyway

Vulcan1

It was a test to show that nuclear transport flasks are.........safe when hit by a rocket powered Phantom as I recall.

Matt

[jb2_86_uk]

I read a story about an F15 pilot who was hit by a missile or some kind of anti aircraft artillery, I dont remember the exact details, but he continued to fly the badly damaged plane, unaware of the extent of this damage. He made it back to a base and put the aircraft down safely, came to a stop and promptly got out, only to see that the majority of one of his wings was missing! Even delicate little fighters are suprisingly robust!

JB

[Jakemaster]

Every structure has its limits, but some airplanes are very strong indeed:

This B17 made it home safely after being rammed by a Me109. Nothing holding that tail on but a few lower longerons (and possibly an angel or two).



But yes, they're built to be flown, not crashed... unlike cars.

Umm, when I think of 'reliable' one plane comes to mind:  DC-3.  A C-47 was once rammed by a zero, left a gaping whole in the fuselage, came home fine.  A C-47 once ran out of fuel and the whole crew bailed out.   The plane landed itself safely a few miles away.  In Iceland a C-47 was found buried under ice.  They dug it up, moved it to a flat glacier, started it up and flew it home

[SkyNoz]

The trouble with aeroplanes is that they are designed to fly in the air, which means that they are built with light materials; aluminium cooking foil, or bits of wood covered with bed sheets, and in the event of a collision they are quickly reduced to a pile of unrecognisable scrap.
No air bags, side impact bars, rollover bars, crush-able bonnet areas, padded dash, etc, etc.... ...!

A low speed collision with a 6 inch high wooden fence at my local airfield a few years ago, reduced a Vans R4 to a heap of wood and fabric which was shovelled up by a dumper truck and emptied into the back of a lorry.... ...!

Paul....Invincibility Mode.......!

LOL!! this is too funny, "are built with light materials; aluminium cooking foil, or bits of wood covered with bed sheets"

I read a story about an F15 pilot who was hit by a missile or some kind of anti aircraft artillery, I dont remember the exact details, but he continued to fly the badly damaged plane, unaware of the extent of this damage. He made it back to a base and put the aircraft down safely, came to a stop and promptly got out, only to see that the majority of one of his wings was missing! Even delicate little fighters are suprisingly robust!

JB

As I recall, this incedent occured with a IAF F-15, which was ramed by I think.. a mig-29, but yah he lost his complete right wing and made it home to base. The aircraft was built with that capabillity in mind, notice the large horizontal stabilizers and dual rudders...

[Hagar]

LOL!! this is too funny, "are built with light materials; aluminium cooking foil, or bits of wood covered with bed sheets"

That's not far from the truth but the Vans RV4 is all-metal.

As I recall, this incedent occured with a IAF F-15, which was ramed by I think.. a mig-29, but yah he lost his complete right wing and made it home to base.

It was an A-4. http://www.uss-bennington.org/phz-nowing-f15.html
There was a vid of the incident posted here not long ago. Look through the recent topics on this forum.

The aircraft was built with that capabillity in mind, notice the large horizontal stabilizers and dual rudders...

Not so. The manufacturers said it would be impossible.

[Fozzer]

That's not far from the truth but the Vans RV4 is all-metal.

...Jodel...?

http://www.jodel.com/

...from what I saw of it in the back of the lorry, it could have been the remains of my garden shed....  :o...!

Only the small cockpit area remained reasonably intact, protecting the pilot.... ...!

Paul...Not too familiar with aeroplane types.... ...!