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FW: Interesting

To: fot@autox.team.net
Subject: FW: Interesting
From: Dave Riddle <dave@microworks.net>
Date: Wed, 20 Jul 2005 14:21:13 -0700
When an airplane's landing gear are configured like a locked rear end on a 
race car.

>         Big trouble for Airbus......
>For those of you who aren't passingly familiar with what this is all About 
>... someone was trying to turn AirBus' great big, brand-new, A380 aircraft 
>a little too sharply (we don't know whether under it's own power, or while 
>it was under tow).
>
>AirBus elected NOT to make their main landing gear system (four separate 
>gear with four wheels apiece) steerable.  Unlike the 747.
>Why?  You save a considerable amount of weight -- not to mention some 
>serious extra cost -- by not doing so.  There is a trade-off, however ...
>
>When you have non-steerable gear that are configured like they are on this 
>aircraft, you have scuffing/skidding going on whenever you turn the 
>aircraft.  This isn't an unusual design for a wheeled vehicle, though.
>
>For instance, a dual-axle semi-trailer does the same thing when it's being 
>maneuvered sharply within a warehouse parking lot.  What makes the A380 so 
>special, is the incredible amount of weight on each huge tire, in 
>conjunction with the widely-spaced gear.  In concert, these two aspects 
>considerably magnify the inherent problem -- to the point where the 
>asphalt (not just the rubber tire) is taking it in the shorts ... not to 
>mention the stress and overload that's happening to the entire structure 
>between the tire and the gear attaching points in the wing 
>structure.  Note the apparent bending of the gear in one of the 
>shots!  No, Mildred, that is NOT a good thing to be happening to your 
>aircraft's main landing gear.   Unless they're making everything out of 
>rubber, those stress loads have GOT to be off the scale!
>
>As new-aircraft design problems go, this will likely prove to be a 
>very  expensive one for AirBus to deal with. It's either that, or the 
>aircraft will only be able to operate in and out of airports that have the 
>extra fifty-acres it ! will nee d to get safely turned-around.  It'll be 
>interesting to see how they solve this one.
>
>     It hurts to be you, AirBus.
>
>
>     ******************
>
>     I don't know any more about the story, but I wonder how hard they 
> were trying to turn the plane???
>
>     Just a little look at some big tires..
>
>      Looks like Airbus didn't think the extra weight needed for steerable 
> MLG was worth it...
>
>     The A380 has a real problem with their gear in addition to the 
> structure problem on the body.
>    FYI

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