Quote:
Originally Posted by hotspur
Its just so sad 
Its as if man has reached the peak of areospace manufacture and now going down hill,.....) |
I remember the overhauling F111 G sensors. I could get them to .1G accuracy....well that was the spec but we used to get abound 1/2 that. These were about the size of a bake-bean can. I was proud of getting better than specs.
Then, with the new pavetack repair facility we were using pizeo G (acceleration) sensors that were sealed and much cheaper, smaller (around thumbnail size) and accurate to .01 of a G! Flap me! I couldn't believe it.
Newer aircraft can afford luxuries of poorer aerodynamics (compared to the F111) as they have higher power smaller engines and advanced flight controls.
An F18 losing all of the outer 1/3 wing, from the wing fold joint outwards) and still flew back ok. An F18 losing a flap...a major piece of wing surface used all the time in flight...and flew back ok...the marvels of modern systems.
This would never happen on an F111.
Still it was sad to see the demise of the old girl. Everyone who was involved with it remembers the pig fondly ....a class act as they say.
But times have moved ahead! Less class more capabilities!