F-117 slipping quietly into history - Page 3

sonar732 · 03-11-08, 10:23 PM

It's kind'of scarry to see autonomous UAV's flying around picking their own targets though.

Not to mention that the pilots still have a lot of clout on R&D.

Reminds me of the Carter Administration trying to work on a British style VTOL carrier and the current carrier pilots having their say thank god.

CCIP · 03-11-08, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldorak

Yes but what happens if the computer goes caput on unstable aircrafts ?
Can the pilot still bring the plane down safely ? :hmm:

No. You are going down. If this happened anyway, the plane is probably full of bullet holes and can't fly worth a damn anyway.

That is also why there are 3 computers. Its a majority rules situation too, so if two agree and one doesn't, majority rules and the plane flies with the data from the two only. If all 3 disagree, then the lead computer is chosen, and you better damn well hope its right! You can fly with only one computer by the way in case 2 get shot out.

-S

Actually as far as I know, not only would the pilot lose control over the aircraft, but the airframe would disintegrate within moments of this happening unless it happened at very low speed. I think the consequences of this sort of (theoretical?) failure are supposed to be very violent for the F-16.

Hey, do you know if said failure ever actually happened? I don't think it has... I've heard rumors here and there that a couple of F-16 accidents were related to this, but I never saw any official confirmation that the system ever failed.

And think of the hundreds of thousands of flight hours that all the F-16s have between them! Unstable planes are a very very good thing, performance wise, in my view :hmm:

elite_hunter_sh3 · 03-11-08, 11:26 PM

stealthy???

( i wont even start :rotfl

baggygreen · 03-11-08, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elite_hunter_sh3

stealthy???

( i wont even start :rotfl

Take a look at the age of them, and the fact they were able to defeat radar for nearly 20 years. Then, take a look at how many other stealth aircraft have been developed throughout the world.

Then laugh.

Its a beautiful looking aircraft imo, its a shame that both it and the F14 are being retired so close together.

PeriscopeDepth · 03-11-08, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elite_hunter_sh3

stealthy???

( i wont even start :rotfl

Start what? Mention that a few Serbs got lucky and bagged one by optically guiding a 1960s era Russian SAM?

PD

Sailor Steve · 03-11-08, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCIP

Hey, do you know if said failure ever actually happened? I don't think it has... I've heard rumors here and there that a couple of F-16 accidents were related to this, but I never saw any official confirmation that the system ever failed.

See my post above. Not only not confirmed, but actively denied.

Quote:

Unstable planes are a very very good thing, performance wise, in my view :hmm:

Also in the view of the Wright Brothers. They made their first flyer, if not actively unstable, at least without any dihedral at all, so it would be proven that they actually had to fly it the whole way instead of just riding.

sonar732 · 03-12-08, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elite_hunter_sh3

stealthy???

( i wont even start :rotfl

Only because the Serbs were able to pinpoint it's flightpath from "spies" essentially. As for this SAM battery commander turned baker...that's classic...saying that he listened to our AWACS and pilots sqauwk, I don't know...did you want buttercream or whipped icing with that? :rotfl::rotfl:

Konovalov · 03-12-08, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldorak

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

I've been feeling old ever since people stopped using West Germany and East Germany

I still have an old toy knocking about somewhere that had "Made in West Germany" on it.

All my Deutsche Grammophon cd's have the label "Made in West Germany". :p

Me too.

geetrue · 03-12-08, 11:54 AM

I would save all of these F-117 stealth fighters and turn them into a way
to launch from a ship, much like the old regulas missiles were launched.

Aim, point and shoot ... with or without a pilot.

The USAF built them for war ... not airshows.

XabbaRus · 03-12-08, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeriscopeDepth

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldorak

Yes but what happens if the computer goes caput on unstable aircrafts ?
Can the pilot still bring the plane down safely ? :hmm:

The flight control computers are designed with redundant back up systems of course. But if that fails...something like this: .

Hey listen to the sound at the very end of the clip. Sounds like a TIE fighter to me flying over.

SUBMAN1 · 03-12-08, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCIP

Hey, do you know if said failure ever actually happened? I don't think it has... I've heard rumors here and there that a couple of F-16 accidents were related to this, but I never saw any official confirmation that the system ever failed.

See my post above. Not only not confirmed, but actively denied.

I thought those were chocked up to G-Lock?

-S

StarFox · 03-13-08, 01:31 AM

sad to see them go, but they had their run. Hope they do a better job saving them then they did the Tomcats

Sailor Steve · 03-13-08, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCIP

Hey, do you know if said failure ever actually happened? I don't think it has... I've heard rumors here and there that a couple of F-16 accidents were related to this, but I never saw any official confirmation that the system ever failed.

See my post above. Not only not confirmed, but actively denied.

I thought those were chocked up to G-Lock?

-S

Probably, but none of us plane-watchers were convinced. Rumors abound. You should hear the one about Dugway and the dead sheep.

TarJak · 03-13-08, 04:16 AM

Anyone remember playing the F117 Flightsim?

It used to be one of my favourites back in the day. Not bad graphics for it's time either.

nikimcbee · 03-13-08, 12:15 PM

What was the operating cost for these planes? They seem expensive to up keep.

03-12-08, 11:54 AM	#39
geetrue Cold War Boomer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Walla Walla Posts: 2,837 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	I would save all of these F-117 stealth fighters and turn them into a way to launch from a ship, much like the old regulas missiles were launched. Aim, point and shoot ... with or without a pilot. The USAF built them for war ... not airshows. __________________

03-13-08, 01:31 AM	#42
StarFox Engineer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Denver, Colorado, USA Posts: 216 Downloads: 59 Uploads: 0	sad to see them go, but they had their run. Hope they do a better job saving them then they did the Tomcats __________________ Devoted fan of the SS United States, America's Flagship! I dream of her second life....

03-13-08, 12:15 PM	#45
nikimcbee Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Patroling the Slot. Posts: 17,952 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	What was the operating cost for these planes? They seem expensive to up keep. __________________

03-11-08, 10:23 PM	#31
sonar732 The Old Man Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Central MO Posts: 1,562 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	It's kind'of scarry to see autonomous UAV's flying around picking their own targets though. Not to mention that the pilots still have a lot of clout on R&D. Reminds me of the Carter Administration trying to work on a British style VTOL carrier and the current carrier pilots having their say thank god.

03-11-08, 11:26 PM	#33
elite_hunter_sh3 The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,376 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	stealthy??? ( i wont even start :rotfl

03-13-08, 04:16 AM	#44
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	Anyone remember playing the F117 Flightsim? It used to be one of my favourites back in the day. Not bad graphics for it's time either.