| The gravel idea is making more sense now that I think about it, though I don't think that it's a universal solution. If the gear sheared, the plane would land onto its belly (hopefully) and the force due to friction would increase. The only question is whether or not it would increase enough to overcome the overall momentum of the plane (there's a LOT of momentum there. Plus you have to deal with the nose gear shearing first, thus plummeting the plane nose first into the ground (pilots would really give you grief here).
What about a catapault system similar to that used on carriers? Naturally, the hydraulic rams would have to be several times bigger (haven't taken fluid dynamics yet, so I can't really say how much bigger). If you placed the trip wire at a position where the plane could travel another 150, with the wire catching on the rear wheels, would that work? You would have to design, of course, a catcher (hook). What if you had Boeing and Airbus design retrofits to existing aircraft some kind of hook in that fashion? I realize that it would be very difficult to pull off, but when you think about the cost of a plane running head on into a highway or building, it seems cheaper. And I'm sure the FAA has come up with dumber rules before.
__________________
Michael Smith
Hullabaloo: The official band of Texas A&M Basketball
Kanstul 1537/ Schilke 14
LA Olds Studio |