Circular runways could revolutionize how planes takeoff and land

Posted by $ nickursis 8 years ago to Technology
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I'm not so sure this makes sense, in that in the attitude used, the slightest cross wind will tend to grab under the upwards wing and tilt the lower one into the runway. Seems sort of strange....


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  • Posted by $ DriveTrain 8 years ago
    Not to dish on "outside the box" stabs at innovation, but in context of basic physics alone this would introduce a whole lot of complexity to an already complex and critical phase of flight. In addition, congestion is not just a problem on the ground - every plane in transit to and from an airport has to be routed to and from that airport. There is a certain level of congestion in the air that acts as a limit to air traffic, independent of the limitations of runways.

    And just imagine the uneven tire wear and the bills for tire rotation. Seriously, I'm thinking this would likely require a complete redesign of aircraft tires to handle the massive added lateral forces, particularly (but not exclusively) on landings.
    .
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  • Posted by chad 8 years ago
    It does fix crosswind problems by being able to land into the wind no matter which direction the wind is coming from. Fighting a cross wind on a straight runway creates the same problem of trying to keep the plane level while attempting to land with a wind trying to lift one wing on one side. This idea was floated about 30 years ago and makes sense. It would take a large loop and bank to allow for putting the plane down and then not requiring a tight turn with all taxiways then coming off the inside of the circle and moving to the terminal eliminating cross traffic over runways and other obstacles.
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  • Posted by mia767ca 8 years ago in reply to this comment.
    that was my first flight as a child...co-pilot took me and my brother into the cockpit....all i wanted to do after that was fly airplanes....
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  • Posted by $ 8 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Yes indeed, I have always loved the Connie and Super Connie, they were the definition of beauty, and served the military for many years, some good videos on YouTube of them that have been preserved.
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  • Posted by mia767ca 8 years ago in reply to this comment.
    mia....miami based pilot...

    767...dual qualified on 757 & 767...

    ca...captain

    or...

    now a "missing-in-action" pilot...
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  • Posted by $ 8 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Thats the reason for 767 in your nomenclature? Nice to hear from an experienced person, but you bring up some of the things we amateurs said, so we are not too far off base here...thanks!
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  • Posted by mia767ca 8 years ago
    flew jets for 40 years...interesting concept...crosswinds would be a major safety issue...which would change as you land in a circle and become a tailwind because once you are into ground effect, the airplane will fly round and round...
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  • Posted by $ blarman 8 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Smaller market, but my understanding is that it wasn't the profitability factor, but the safety issues which arose late in the aircraft life that ultimately doomed the Concorde. They couldn't find a replacement for it so the sheer age of the craft made them unsafe.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 8 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I'm suprised supersonic flights like those on the Concord were not profitable. Customers would rather have nice little alcove that turns into desk or a bed than a faster trip in a smaller seat.
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  • Posted by Owlsrayne 8 years ago
    I would love to see a banked circular runway on top of Airport Mesa here in Sedona, Az, It would be a gas! When It's not in use rent it out as a racetrack! LOL
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  • Posted by evlwhtguy 8 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Lets not give him too hard of a time....that first accident...the landing was very good in light of the area he was flying in and the fact that the motor packed in on the climbout...it is a bad moment. I do think that he really does need to quit...he does seem to be having a lot of problems recently. Sooner or later you have to assume pilot error!
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  • Posted by $ 8 years ago in reply to this comment.
    There are some ideas for emergency llading and abort ramps that have been experimented, along with mushy runway strips to stop planes at the end of runways. Makes sense..sort of..
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  • Posted by mspalding 8 years ago
    I once met a guy pushing another great idea for airports. He said they should all be built on top of a hill with the runways sloping down from the terminals. That way you use less fuel building up speed to take off and you don't need to brake as much when you land.
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  • Posted by $ 8 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Maybe, it might be more suited to small aircraft, but I would not like to be behind the one if front that has an emergency...
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