PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - AF 447 Thread No. 9
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Old 27th July 2012 | 09:33
  #766 (permalink)  
Linktrained
 
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 297
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From: Devonshire
I have yet to fly or hover a Harrier and I do not know its stalling speed when relying solely on its wings to stay airborne. In the hover it must be relying on thrust to stay up - there is no "Proper Lift" from the wings.

AF447 was no Harrier and lacked sufficient thrust to remain aloft without very considerably more thrust than TOGA. ( Three or four times ?)

I would guess that the aeroelasticity of the wing would have increased the effective dihedral, tending to help the lateral stability when descending.

Think of this as a "thought exercise", not to be attempted without further thought !
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