World’s largest airplane is getting ready to fly

[hpman66]

:shock:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-to-fly/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.76f931f21888
It would be the world's largest airplane. It's being built by a billionaire. And it's getting ready to fly.
by Christian Davenport April 16 at 1:26 PM

 

[Salmoneye]

My God, do they need a proof reader...

 

[Mus408]

That thing might just fold up in the middle in turbulence!

 

[Dave P.]

I believe Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites built that beast, I suspect It'll
fly just fine.
Dave

 

[nekvermont]

That thing might just fold up in the middle in turbulence!

Sure looks like it would.

 

[graygun]

stunt plane? :shock: :lol:

 

[Poco Oso]

Crop duster. :wink:

 

[bogus bill]

What can possibly go wrong? That does look scary to me too. Of course long ago (Burt Rutan) already flew around the world in a small one of that configuration. I can just picture that spar breaking between the fuselages. I suppose they have ejection seats.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager

 

[wizofwas]

And here I am thinking that the Spruce Goose was getting ready to fly again.

 

[mistermills357]

I ain't the smartest guy in the World, but that aircraft looks like, one side would fight the other. It is ungainly, and may not work.

 

[Snake45]

What can possibly go wrong? That does look scary to me too. Of course long ago (Burt Rutan) already flew around the world in a small one of that configuration. I can just picture that spar breaking between the fuselages. I suppose they have ejection seats.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager

I believe it was his brother Dick.

 

[Snake45]

But Allen's main goal is making space more accessible and helping launch constellations of small satellites that could help monitor the health of the planet, track animals, spot illegal fishing and assess the effects of global warning.

Oh, good. :roll:

 

[bobski]

takeoffs and landings will certainly be limited...to one runway.

 

[hpman66]

I ain't the smartest guy in the World, but that aircraft looks like, one side would fight the other. It is ungainly, and may not work.

That crossed my mine as well. There must be a lot of metal fatigue on the section of the wing between the to fuselages, I would think. I would also imagine that control of the plane would get pretty hairy/scarey if the all the engines on one side shut down.

 

[bobski]

billionares dont think about those things. lol.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

What is wrong with you people?????
All of the weight of the modules/rockets are loaded on the center section. GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE I would want to make that kind of strong :wink:

Don't you think they know how to design an airplane???
Burt Rutan isn' a dumb arsh neither is Paul Allen. OH WAIT He got to be a billionaire from being a dumb arsh.
Lets see now he did put a person in space on his own $$$$$$

 

[hpman66]

Here's the Stratolaunch taxiing - not taking off.

https://youtu.be/S3QfbtrfBjA
Another Milestone for World's Biggest Plane: Daily Planet
Discovery Canada
Published on Feb 28, 2018

 

[nekvermont]

My question is Why?? Is a Siamese plane more practical or useful than 2 separate planes? Or is it so they can just say they built the worlds largest plane? Couldn't they just of built a worlds largest "non conjoined" plane?

 

[bogus bill]

The article says this: [Stratolaunch would be used to "air launch" small rockets that could take satellites to orbit. The plane would reach about 35,000 feet, the rockets would drop, fire their engines and then blast into space.]
I suspect they need the space on the wing/spar to carry and drop the rocket powered satellites. Remember the purpose would be to start the satellite off at 35,000 feet, not 30 feet above sea level. I would think the rockets used at that high altitude would need be only a small fraction of what is needed at sea level.

 

[bobski]

x15 from b52....same same concept. nothing new.