Originally Posted by Astro14
Originally Posted by tcp71
What happens when the pilots in the two cockpits disagree? It looks like a Siamese red headed stepchild. What happens when the rocket engine wash hits it? Not to downplay the engineering, but it strikes me much like a Howard Hughes spruce goose project rather than a viable space launch vehicle. Call me cynical...
Other large airplanes have two pilots. Are you assuming that they won't be able to talk to each other?
I'm not certain how many pilots will be at the controls on this thing, but I don't see crew coordination as an issue.
The Spruce Goose was a fascinating airplane, but underpowered. With 6 4056, this airplane will have over 330,000# of thrust. About the same power/weight at max gross takeoff as a 747-400, which had good power. With the relatively straight, and very long wing, it should lift off at lower speed than the 747-400 and climb more rapidly.
The airplane is viable.
Personally, as an engineer, I'd like to see some connecting support structure around the tail area.
Initial look is that there's huge rotational inertial loads around the centroid of the joining wing structure (pitch up/down of the two aircraft structures), plus differential aerodynamic loads (the inertial will be WAY more)....it looks like a hard ( but necessary) design.
Originally Posted by tcp71
What happens when the pilots in the two cockpits disagree? It looks like a Siamese red headed stepchild. What happens when the rocket engine wash hits it? Not to downplay the engineering, but it strikes me much like a Howard Hughes spruce goose project rather than a viable space launch vehicle. Call me cynical...
Other large airplanes have two pilots. Are you assuming that they won't be able to talk to each other?
I'm not certain how many pilots will be at the controls on this thing, but I don't see crew coordination as an issue.
The Spruce Goose was a fascinating airplane, but underpowered. With 6 4056, this airplane will have over 330,000# of thrust. About the same power/weight at max gross takeoff as a 747-400, which had good power. With the relatively straight, and very long wing, it should lift off at lower speed than the 747-400 and climb more rapidly.
The airplane is viable.
Personally, as an engineer, I'd like to see some connecting support structure around the tail area.
Initial look is that there's huge rotational inertial loads around the centroid of the joining wing structure (pitch up/down of the two aircraft structures), plus differential aerodynamic loads (the inertial will be WAY more)....it looks like a hard ( but necessary) design.