Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    jungle queen's Avatar
    jungle queen Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Jun 8, 2007, 05:24 PM
    Aircraft / reverse gears
    Why are there no reverse gears on aircraft?
    letmetellu's Avatar
    letmetellu Posts: 3,151, Reputation: 317
    Ultra Member
     
    #2

    Jun 8, 2007, 05:38 PM
    Because the thrust is always to make the plane go forward. I would hate to have a reverse and some how get in in the wrong gear at 30,000 feet.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
    Uber Member
     
    #3

    Jun 9, 2007, 10:56 AM
    I have heard at least 1 aircraft with reverse gear, for on the ground.
    Hope your not talking about in the Air. Early studies reminded us, aircraft need forward
    (usually) airspeed to fly. Problem was you had to Stop before putting into reverse. They dropped like a rock
    Aircraft with Slow airspeed and good headwind, you can fly backwards. Fuel Consumption
    Sucks, Not the best view.
    dflak's Avatar
    dflak Posts: 18, Reputation: 3
    New Member
     
    #4

    Jun 11, 2007, 04:18 PM
    Actually, there are quite a number of aircraft with "reverse gears."

    Jet aircraft thrust reversers work by having the cowling come back sort of like a clamshell behind the exhaust and redivert the thrust. Done for a long enough time and without sufficinent airflow, this can cause engine overheating and possible compressor stall. That why jets seldom back away from the gate. Mostly reverse thrust is used to slow down on landing.

    Prop aircraft (including turboprops) back by changing the pitch of the propellor so the air blows forward instead of backwards.

    The big thing about backing aircraft is to use forward thrust to stop. Don't use the brakes, since the airplane tends to settle on the tail if you do that.

    As far as using reverse thrust in the air -- it's been done. Back in the 1980's the Navy was experimenting using C-130 aircraft to resupply carriers (no tailhook - no catapult). The aircraft was put into reverse thrust on final approach and crashed onto the deck in typical Navy landing fashion. Normal assault landing (Air Force) is done at up to 500 feet per minute rate of descent. (Herky Birds are tough). I have no idea how hard the C-130s hit the carriers, but I'll bet a cup of Navy coffee, that it could be felt throughout the ship. It'a a classic case of an irresistible force impacting an immovable object.

    The Navy did quite a bit of testing but with only 3 feet between wingtip and tower, thought better of the idea.
    Flying Blue Eagle's Avatar
    Flying Blue Eagle Posts: 2,056, Reputation: 225
    Ultra Member
     
    #5

    Nov 5, 2007, 08:56 PM
    dflak& Stratmando- I first was on the b-47 jet bomber,{ six engine jet, then the props. c-123, c130 H, Plus civil aircraft Ive flown, I still hold {asmelI} license . Stratma ndo, most people won't and don't believe about flying ,backwards,( YES IT CAN BE DONE , When you nose into a head wind that is above the stall speed of the aircraft,pull throdle back and nose up , and the head wind WILL carrier you backward. ) Now , yes aircraft " DO" have reverseon them , jets have spoillers on leading edges that come out a little bit,and the flaprons are dropped down, causeing the exhust gas from the jets to hit the flaps or flaparons, causeing push back on the a/c, slowing it down. Props- On the throtle control ,after on the ground, the throtles are pulled all the way back ,lifted and pulled into reverse position, which causes the blades of the props to rotate, and they will be pushing into the wind, (PUSHING AIR FORWARD AGAINST THE AIR, sloweing the a/c down without heating up the brakes and burning them up, it is possible to cause a fire at the wheels.. not only military have these systemsd ,so do cilvil a/c, GOOD DAY & GOD BLESS;;;;GOOD FLYING;;;' F.B.E.
    lobrobster's Avatar
    lobrobster Posts: 208, Reputation: 26
    Full Member
     
    #6

    Nov 13, 2007, 02:03 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by letmetellu
    Because the thrust is always to make the plane go forward. I would hate to have a reverse and some how get in in the wrong gear at 30,000 feet.
    Uh, don't most commercial jets have reverse thrusters which are used to slow the aircraft during landing?
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
    Uber Member
     
    #7

    Nov 13, 2007, 04:05 PM
    Jungle Girl hasn't been here since June. Was thinking she meant reverse driven wheels?
    Flying Blue Eagle's Avatar
    Flying Blue Eagle Posts: 2,056, Reputation: 225
    Ultra Member
     
    #8

    Nov 13, 2007, 11:08 PM
    Lobrobster::::- In answer to commercial jets have Reverse thuresters. The answer is ( YES ) Even the commercial prop. Aircraft do Have a good day GOD BLESS :::: F.B.E.
    Flying Blue Eagle's Avatar
    Flying Blue Eagle Posts: 2,056, Reputation: 225
    Ultra Member
     
    #9

    Nov 13, 2007, 11:14 PM
    Stratmando ::::- Maybe she was on the aircraft that was susposed to be trying to take off on the question (will this aircraft take off) Hope not because it will. HaHa. GOOD DAY GOOD FLYING ;; F.B.E.
    Mylittlesunshyne's Avatar
    Mylittlesunshyne Posts: 60, Reputation: 5
    Junior Member
     
    #10

    Nov 14, 2007, 03:58 PM
    HAHA! Quite an imagination my friend! Well, if there was reverse, they would have to reverse the wings now wouldn't they? And the jets, and how exactly would the pilots see behind them? It's easier and more logical to make a turn.
    Flying Blue Eagle's Avatar
    Flying Blue Eagle Posts: 2,056, Reputation: 225
    Ultra Member
     
    #11

    Nov 14, 2007, 10:46 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Mylittlesunshyne
    HAHA!! quite an imagination my friend! Well, if there was reverse, they would have to reverse the wings now wouldn't they? and the jets, and how exactly would the pilots see behind them? It's easier and more logical to make a turn.
    Mylittlesunshyne::-There is NO imaginayion about it .please read all answers on this subject, on this piece of thread. True a aircraft, mostley a jet will fly better at a high altatude then at low.the reason is because the colder the air is the closer the molacues are, the hoter it is the thiner the air is , this is true for jet or prop. But this is true up to certain alt. because the higher you go the thiner the air is. (called the CEILING<for that a/c.) Your civelian aircraft, flyes at 30,000 FT. up tp about 38,000. The B47 Jet bomber , we usually crused at Around 50,000. After top was reached we , didn't use full throttle, unless needed. I have logged closed to 5000 hours as pic. A lot of it was jet, rest was prop, single ,multi,turbo.. Since you have logged about 50 hrs. you have access to talk to exper. Pilots ,ones that have flown larger a/c they need to explain about the reversing of the engines, on prop. And jets, or go to libery and get a book on a/c ,that has about engine reverse on a/c, on a prop the eng. Blades rotate,to push against the air, to slow down. Jet eng do not reverse, they use drop the flaparons down behind the engs. The push of eng, exhust pushes against them, slowing the a/c. I've,e loved Astrom. Since a young boy. If you ever see ( FLYING BLUE EAGLE , that's me.) I hope you cont. your pilot traing training Id rather be flying ,then to eat:::: I'd give anything to fly on the shuttle and go into space:: Have a good day, GOD Bless, Happy and safe flying, F.B.E. PS ,do read all of the QUESTION & ANSWERS ON ( WILL this aircraft take off) ::
    Old_Fart's Avatar
    Old_Fart Posts: 15, Reputation: 2
    New Member
     
    #12

    Nov 16, 2007, 02:59 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Flying Blue Eagle
    most people wont and dont believe about flying ,backwards,( YES IT CAN BE DONE , When you nose into a head wind that is above the stall speed of the aircraft,pull throdle back and nose up , and the head wind WILL carrier you backward. )
    There's another way to fly backwards, and that is literally to fly backwards. It happened to me once. I pulled up vertically out of a dive and had the nose pointed straight up (or nearly so).

    I had NO load on the aircraft. I was demanding zero lift from the wings. Gravity was pulling along the longitudinal axis of the airplane, and I was laying back in my seat. Since I was demanding zero lift I was not stalled.

    The airspeed dropped and pegged below the minimum value. The altimeter started to unwind and the VVI indicated a decent. It took me a while to figure out what was going on and then I realized I was falling down tail first.

    I suppose some can argue that falling isn't flying. It was an adrenaline-producing experience, nonetheless.

    It took me a second or two to figure how to get out of the situation. Instinct told me that the rudder was the safest flight control to use so I gave a gentle push on one of the pedals. I immediately wheeled over on a wing and was now falling nose first. It was the fastest change in attitude I've ever made. The maneuver might have exceeded a full second but it seemed even more quick than that.

    I picked up airspeed rapidly, and pulled out of the ensuing dive.

    In the back of my mind was possible damage to the flight surfaces; airplanes are not designed to fly backwards. The airspeed indicator was useless but the VVI gave me a clue. The highest value I saw was 2,000 fpm. If I did my math right, this works out to be about 27 mph. I am sure that aircraft are subject to this kind of tailwind on the ground frequently.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
    Uber Member
     
    #13

    Nov 16, 2007, 07:19 PM
    Hey Old Fart, hope all is well, Do you know the forward air speed, and decent rate of a 172
    In a power on stall, with reduced power(high decent rate)? Was alwas always curious, felt sometimes like I was going backwards, and seemed like you could get to the ground fast with the stall and recover before landing. Take Care
    Flying Blue Eagle's Avatar
    Flying Blue Eagle Posts: 2,056, Reputation: 225
    Ultra Member
     
    #14

    Nov 16, 2007, 08:57 PM
    OLD Fart;;;-Go back to your traing days. #1- When you drop into a spin, push your youk or stick full forward. Throttle full off::: you are susposed to be able to recover in ( 1 1/2 turns) if you can't yopu keep doing spins one right the other until you can like clock and it becomes instant autom. When you go in a spin you loose altuitude real fast. If you say are at 5000 ft. if you recover in the 1 1/2 turns you will probley be at about 2000 to 2500 FT. Both of youall have a good day GOD Bless. SAfe flying. F.B.E. Stratmandio- Hello Im Writing to both of you ,you and old fart

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Anyone know if there are any games for ps2 that are almost exactly like gears of war? [ 20 Answers ]

I would rreally appreciate it if someone knew if there was a game that's alost exactly like gears of war except it would be for either ps2 or psp, someone help me

Transmission doesn't shift gears [ 1 Answers ]

Well hey guys..! Well I have got Toyota Camry 96(Automatic). Well the problem with my car is that transmission doesn't shift into second gear..! I have to release the xcelerator a couple of tymz to make it shift into scnd..! Really annoying..! I've been having this problem for about three days or...

1991 Honda gears slipping [ 1 Answers ]

My 1991 Honda Accord keeps slipping into sport gear. My husband disconnected the battery and reconnected and it ran OK for about a week then slipped back. It feels like gears are slipping. What can be done?

Electricity in aircraft [ 4 Answers ]

Hello: One of the characteristiscs of the electric current used in major aircraft is its frequency: 400+/- 10 Hz. What happens if I connect any device that uses 60 Hz like cellphones battery chargersk? Is this bad for the component?


View more questions Search