this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2024
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Showerthoughts

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It's crazy that a 60 ton metal airplane can just fly (lemmy.world)
submitted 6 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I flew for the first time on a plane last week and I've seen planes take off at the airport. It looks crazy. But being on one is totally different like holy shit. The thing just FLIES. It just.... Soars... Through the sky! Like whoa man. Wtf... It's crazy. With how much these things weigh, it's insane to me the thing can just go up and bam, there we are, we're flying now. Like wow... Dude crazy.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Not really. The thrust those engines produce is only about 1/3 the weight of the aircraft. It's in part thanks to the engines for sure though.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

You make it sound like 1/3 is a small number. That's enough to accelerate the plane quickly and the speed is what generates lift.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I just meant that thrust is only 1/3rd the equation. The rest is the wings that convert thrust into lift at 3 to 1 ratio. And then there is all the systems that keep it controllable and safe etc.... it's a miracle machine really....

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

A few jobs back I was working was on a little learjet that had a .75 thirst to weight ratio. Now that was a fun jet. Now I have 54k lbs if thrust in a plane that weighs anywhere from 100-160k lbs.