plane & pilot

planeandpilotmag.comEditor-in-Chief Isabel GoyerAssociate Editor Matthew BernatSenior Editors Bill Cox, Lou Churchville, Jeremy KingContributing Editors Peter Katz, Jason Blair, Jeff Van West, Bethany WhitfieldART & PRODUCTIONArt Director Carolyn V. MarsdenSenior Designer Nate SilvaSALES & MARKETINGVice President, Media Solutions Stuart CrystalMedia Solutions Manager Michael Echevarria617-279-0216 | mechevarria@madavor.comClient Services clientservices@madavor.comMarketing Director Andrew YeumMarketing Associate Tommy GoodaleSocial Media Manager Tim DoolanContent Marketing Associate Anthony BuzzeoOPERATIONSVP, Strategy Jason PomerantzOperations Coordinator Toni EuniceHuman Resources Generalist Alicia RoachClient Services Supervisor Cheyenne CorlissSenior Client Services Associate Tou Zong HerClient Services Aubrie Britto, Darren Cormier, Andrea PalliAccounting Director Amanda JoyceAccounts Payable Associate Tina McDermottAccounts Receivable Associate Wayne TuggleDIGITAL OPERATIONSSenior Director, Digital Products Renee DextradeurWordPress Developer David GlassmanSenior Digital Designer Mike DeckerEXECUTIVEChairman & Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey C. WolkChief Operating Officer Peter MaddenSVP, Sales & Marketing Robin MorseVP, Business Operations…

parachutes

An artist's recreation of the first credible, successful parachute jump, by Louis-Sebastien Lenormand, 1783, Montpellier, France.Derivation of “parachute:” From the Italian “para,” meaning “prevent,” and the French word “chute,” for fall. A device for preventing a fall.First known parachute concepts: China: Han Dynasty writer Sima Qian in a book of historical legendsQian’s parachute concept: Two big hats grasped by handFirst modern parachute design: Leonardo da Vinci, 1485Inventor of the modern parachute: Louis-Sébastien Lenormand, late 1700s, in FranceFirst successful parachute jump: Lenormand, 1783, from a balcony of Tour de la BaboteApproximate height of balcony: 60 feetOutcome: Lenormand was unhurtWitnesses: DozensFirst parachute jump from an aircraft: Jean-Pierre Blanchard, 1785, FranceBlanchard’s first “guinea pig:” A local dog, who survived the eventFirst use of parachute as a rescue device from an aircraft: Blanchard again,…

737 max crisis and light airplanes

Unlike small planes, airliners hardly ever crash. Their safety record isn’t perfect, but it’s close enough to that mark that when one does go down, the world takes notice. And when one crashes, especially when it’s under mysterious or particularly horrific circumstances, the aviation world comes together at its best to figure out just how to prevent such accidents in the future. And more often than not, we’re successful in doing just that. That’s why commercial air travel on per-mile basis is the safest mode of transportation the world has ever known.Only in this case, it doesn’t appear to have happened that way.In the crashes of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air 610, the answers we’re coming up with to explain why those two new Boeing 737 Max planes…

comets crashing

THE MYSTERYWhat was causing the crashes of the pioneering jet the de Havilland Comet.THE BACKSTORYWhen it comes to lists of planes, the de Havilland Comet jetliner is often mentioned prominently. It was not only the first jet airliner, but many regard it as one of the most beautiful aircraft of all time. Others note that its place in history is assured as a design with an early history of mysterious, fatal crashes.Commissioned in the early 1940s by the British government in its quest to find a fast and capable mail plane, famed designer Geoffrey de Havilland answered the call with the Comet, a jet-powered design that would likely be the first such plane in history. The idea was risky. Jet engines, while more reliable than large piston radial engines, like…

the truth

By testing the structure of an existing Comet in a water tank under repeated pressurization cycles, the truth became clear when the fuselage of the test article came apart in an explosive decompression. This was after just over 3,000 pressurization cycles. The cause of the two planes breaking up in mid-flight was found. It was metal fatigue. Engineers redesigned the structure of the plane for what became the Comet 2, and that was the end of that issue. The company went on to produce 114 of the aircraft, ending with the Comet 4 model, which was last produced in 1959.Sadly, the Comet, even after the cause of its mystery woes was diagnosed, had a terrible safety record, with 26 hull losses during its short operational life, resulting in more than…

cross check

ACROSS1 A wispy cloud or a small jet4 Aka: Pathfinder9 Direct, ______ x 210 The “T” in CFIT11 What the majority of airplanes are these days12 Big alloy maker14 Agency most concerned about 100LL16 North or South ___, abbr.17 __ Al18 What a pilot essentially does21 Letters you type after “K” to go to Medford23 Euphemism for “collided”25 The dreaded _____ ______ ______ approach, 3 words28 __, shucks29 State of Garrett turboprop engines on the ramp31 Relaxes (on the controls)34 Makes a boo-boo35 State mostly traveled by small planes36 Object of anxiety37 It may be hot, cold or thinDOWN1 Piper introduced this low-wing line in 19602 Instrument ___ pilot3 Applicants’ fear about check ride5 Having to do with planes and flying6 The queen of Runways with 87 Routine plane inspection,…