NIGD3,
Thanks, but I won't be retracting anything much soon.
My source was various Test Pilots - I, though not a pilot, was alongside them, sometimes literally.
I would hope, and understand it is the case ( ? ) that main standby instruments are pretty much in a standard configuration whether Boeing, Airbus, whatever - & the same is begiining to apply to military aircraft ?
I can't help thinking that along with a RAT for control surface hydraulics, one can barely imagine a much better place for a solar panel to handle electrics / keep a standby battery topped up than the upper surface of an airliner.
Of course this would require a cleaning system, therefore money; I remember being at a Scottish test range when the c/o organised an air to air photo-shoot from an Andover ( thankfully I was not involved ) and all the shots showed the upper surfaces of the Buccaneer covered in Guano !
It's quite a big aircraft, wings way above head level ( have a look at the undercarriage up close ) but it didn't say much for inspection procedures.
Last edited by Double Zero; 12th January 2009 at 18:13.