video of take of and crash, this deserves a holy shit
edit:
Video: Stealth Bomber Crashes
By Noah Shachtman June 06, 2008 | 9:22:00 AMCategories: Planes, Copters, Blimps, Video Fix
In February, a B-2 stealth bomber crashed in Guam. Now we know why. And we’ve got video of the scene.
On takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base, the $1.4 billion plane abruptly “pitched up, rolled and yawed to the left before plunging to the ground,” the AP describes. The reason why: “Water distorted preflight readings in three of the plane’s 24 sensors, making the aircraft’s control computer force the B-2 to pitch up on takeoff, resulting in a stall and subsequent crash.” Luckily, “both pilots ejected safely just after the left wing made contact with the ground in the first crash since the maiden B-2 flights nearly 20 years ago.”
I was going to say pilot error based on the way it pitched up on takeoff but then remembered the B2 isn’t so much flown as “directed” by the pilots. It is probably the most involved fly by wire plane in the sky today. Basically it’s so unstable that if the pilot were in direct control of it they could never fly it. So even if the pilot pulled back on the stick as hard as he could the computers wouldn’t let the plane pitch up like that at such a slow airspeed.
Did a little searching and found this:
Yep, fly-by-wire is great right up until the computer isn’t getting good inputs from the sensors.
I believe from what I got from the avionics guys that take off, landings, and in air refueling are the pilot’s job.
Anything from getting to cruise altitude, the actually bombing run, auto pilot to and from target, and when locked on. The computer takes over.
I guess its a scary feeling when the plane takes control and you are just going along for the ride. Obviously its something they practice so the pilots don’t freak out when they get locked on to for the first time. lol
At least I think this is publicly known lol
Meh, sure its got a cool mission but. In terms of maneuverability the F-16 takes the cake. And The gun… AC-130 has 25mm 6 barrel gatling, 40 mm, and a 105mm howitzer.
C-130 is probably the most badass the AF has
check that out I’m dreading being in an assault landing
It’s their job, but it’s not a direct connection at any point. When they move the stick left the computer says “hey, I see you want to go left. If I moved the elevons (the combined aileron/elevator on a flying wing) the way you want without mixing in some throttle and up elevon we’d go into a spin and die, but here,this is what we really need to do to go left”. And then the computer does what it needs to do for the plane to make a smooth left turn, all in real time.
It’s cool that they can make a plane that is inheriently unstable fly using these computer aided systems but I’d much rather be in a plane that just flys right and does exactly what I ask it.
Gotta be a shitty feeling to be in that plane as it’s pitching up, and you’re pushing forward on he stick trying to level off but the plane just keep pitching up because some wet sensor thinks the plane is still pitched down. “I’M STARING AT CLOUDS… WE ARE NOT PITCHED DOWN YOU STUPID PLANE. Fuck it, eject!”
LOL, you make it sound like I haven’t been an Aircraft mechanic for 6 years and had extreme interest in military aircraft for another 10 years.
I know what fly by wire is. There is a sense of stability that the cpu offers with the plane, but interms of what the pilot is doing he is taking off and landing computer assisted for stability.
Other than that its auto pilot run all preloaded 1 hour before flight. On the fly changes are done by the pilots mid air.
I’ve also talked to the pilots of the B-2s and they’ve said that its not “That unstable” it just a not enough aileron and rudder (there is no rudder) input to really make it easy. In a sense you have to be flawless.
I would never want to be a B-2 pilot, I’ve been in some pretty forgiving aircraft during landings… and fuck that. Flying into hawaii you are ALL OVER the place. any kind of cross wind screw it. this shit is difficult.
I’m dreading being in an assault landing