MacD?
Machinbird
In a long discussion re: Narita, the main spar fractures came up. One cannot help but remember that the design and manufacture of this a/c (MD-11) was the effort of a company that designed another heavy a/c made to plant on the carrier deck.
As a Phantom driver, I'd be interested in your take on the placement of the Main Landing Gear struts directly under and to the Main Wing Spars. The focal energy on the wing is apparent in watching that tragic vid at Narita. Likewise, the Nose Gear remains (undamaged?) after the intense Nose Plant on the final hop.
Given that this a/c lands heavy and with Pitch issues, would some attention paid to sacrificial structures have been indicated in its design/service/survivability?
fdr: just read your note re: hard landings. What do you think of the gearMate?
Last edited by Lyman; 27th Feb 2012 at 14:32.