[lug] can't make this stuff up, folks...

[Nate Duehr]

On Oct 20, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Zan Lynx wrote:

> On 10/20/09 1:59 PM, Kenneth D Weinert wrote:
>
>> One of the first things the Air Force test pilots tried on an early  
>> F-16
>> was to tell the computer to raise the landing gear while standing  
>> still
>> on the runway. Guess what happened? Scratch one F-16. (my friend says
>> there is a new subroutine in the code called 'wait_on_wheels' now...)
>
> I can see this bug two ways. Sure, the computer is able to keep the
> wheels down. But why should it have to?
>
> In a smaller plane pulling the manual/hydraulic gear lever is going to
> raise the landing gear too. You could also lower the wing flaps and  
> rip
> the wings apart.

Actually in everything I've flown that had retractable gear, there  
were "squat switches" that disable the gear whenever the weight of the  
aircraft is pushing on extended gear.  Well, I take that back... the  
Mooney M20C had completely manual gear with a huge handle for  
leverage, that locked into a clip when placed either all the way up or  
down.  Hard to screw that one up.

So... I don't think I believe they'd leave such safety interlocks off  
a multi-million dollar fighter.

As far as moving the handle while on the ground... it could happen...  
someone reaching for the flap handle (even though they're purposely  
SHAPED like the item they actuate these days as another memory  
jogger... flap handles are flat paddles, gear handles are round with a  
little wheel on the end... sounds "cutsie", but it works... you reach  
without looking and feel "wheel" in your hand... you know it's not the  
right handle to set the flaps for takeoff...)

> These are just things the pilot isn't supposed to do!

Stupid pilot tricks... agreed.  I wholeheartedly endorse leaving the  
bloody handles alone until I *look* at the handle and confirm *out  
loud* that I'm moving the flaps/gear, whatever.  I don't move a handle  
without an out loud statement of intent unless I've hit a severe state  
of single-pilot overload.

So I'm a little skeptical of the F-16 story.  But I do get the overall  
point that even Aerospace isn't perfect!  (GRIN!)

--
Nate Duehr
nate at natetech.com

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