[mdlug-discuss] [mdlug] [Fwd: [opensuse-offtopic] And now the Manchurian microchip]

[Aaron Kulkis]

Garry Stahl wrote:
> Aaron Kulkis wrote:
>> Helicopters, on the other hand, every time the land or take
>> off, basically do some sand-blasting of their body surfaces.
>> Glossy paint on a helicopter doesn't stay glossy for long.
>>   
> 
> If they land in a sandy environment.  The average executive chopper
> lands on concrete pads and roof tops.  Sand is not so much of a
> problem.  I notice the Coast Guard uses a glossy paint scheme.  Most of
> their ships deal with a salty environment, pure Hell on any aircraft. 
> It doesn't beat the gloss off the paint, but it does beat the machine up.

Good point.


> 
> A job wrenching choppers would be steady work, they constantly need
> maintenance.  People get a little paranoid about mechanical failures in
> the middle of the sky.  What ever for I just don't understand.  :)


Actually, as long as you don't have an engine failure between about
50 feet, and some upper bound (a few hundred feet), the vehicle can
land safely.  Below the lower bound, the landing gear takes the
impact.  Above the upper bound, the pilot takes it into autorotion
mode. (Both upper and lower bounds depend on the helicopter,
primarily on the strength/flexibility of the landing gear, and
the upper bound is determined by the rotor system -- but if you
lose the tail rotor, the bird goes into a spin (conservation
of rotational momentum is the root of it all), as depicted in the
movie, "Blackhawk Down"