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| Re: Missed GWB by 900 Ft US Airways Accident (crashed in Hudson River) (403743) | |||
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Re: Missed GWB by 900 Ft US Airways Accident (crashed in Hudson River) |
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Posted by AlM on Fri Jan 16 11:11:34 2009, in response to Re: Missed GWB by 900 Ft US Airways Accident (crashed in Hudson River), posted by Charles G on Fri Jan 16 10:47:46 2009. I don't know that he had as much control as you imply. It isn't like he had the ability to make the plane climb -- though I believe he probably had the ability to impact the rate of descent.At a given speed and configuration of flaps, etc., a plane has a lift/drag ratio. IIRC commercial airlines are around 7 (maybe a bit higher with the flaps fully extended). The lowest possible rate of descent of an unpowered airplane is the reciprocal of that ratio, i.e., about 1 foot of descent for every 7 feet of forward motion. Very small planes have much higher ratios, IIRC around 14, and gliders still higher. A supersonic fighter might be around 3. |
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