Metal strips above airliner's doors.
 

Does anybody know what the thin metal strips are for above the main doors on airliners. As a Boeing driver, mine has them, as does the 777, A320 etc.

I presume they are for directing the air around them, as they angle up at the front, and down at the back. Do they reduce noise or something?

The strip is u shaped from thin metal, with one edge attached to the fuselage.

Rain gutters.

would you rather get dripped on?

:p

ohhhh!! That simple hey? :o :o Oops!
Here's me trying to think of some high-brow aerodynamic reason for them!! :) DOH!
Don't look very aerodynamic to me!!

Retires to a distance, slightly embarrassed.......
:o

"Subsonic hydrodynamic flow directors"

"rain gutters" is such a coarse description;)

SHFD's

Lomapaseo, you might be on to something here. :):) After all everything in aviation must have an acronym.

Mutt

quote - "As a Boeing driver"
quote - "what the thin metal strips are for above the main doors on airliners"

does this scare any other passengers reading this ???? :)

There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers. ;-)

It's not sufficiently technical for anybody to bother explaining it to the pilots during TR training. Until you've seen them working - on a rainy day off-pier, it's hard to imagine what they are for.

EGLD,

They also don't mention that the big, black wheels under the wings are supposed to rotate. Doesn't that worry you too?

Some things are considered either self evident or simply irrelevent. :rolleyes:

He obviously doesn't have a Flight Engineer aboard.
Just imagine what else he is unsure of, but is to embarrassed to ask!
Cheers

Tinstaafi
How can they rotate; they're flat on the bottom.:D

As someone said, Boeing flight manuals are strictly on a 'need to know' basis. I guess the type rating would take about 3 times as long if we knew everything about everything. Pilots know a little about a lot, if you know what I mean. I certainly had to learn a lot of different stuff, from how a jet engine works, to the toilet flush motor!! Saying that, I think it says it all that the chapter on our engines is about the smallest in the book.

I love the way that there is actually a big arrow pointing forward on the thrust lever quadrant saying 'Increase Thrust' - Duh!

sorry guys, was meant to be a little lighthearted :(

far be it from me to mock an airline pilot, and I do mean that, its my dream job

I'll slip back into the shadows ! :(

sky9

so THAT'S why they don't mention the wheels! Dohhh!!

And here I was thinking that the 'thump....thump....thump...' was just me getting the nosewheel on the centerline lights...:p

Is Tech Log always this funny? Blimey, if it's actually meant for really stupid questions, maybe I'll start posting... :)

All,
Back in the "Good Old Days", when we were expected to know "everything", like every hole in the cowl, bump and fitting, tyre pressures etc ( Yep, even pilots).

Picture very senior Captain, having just completed a differences course from the early 707, to the -320 series.

Very junior Training Captain, as we walk to the aircraft for the base training, pointing to a NACA vent for one of the ignitors cooling air supply, asks: " Wot's that".

The VSC reply was " I know that , wait, I remember, its on the tip of my tongue, just a minute, yes, that's a Boeing 707".

That was the end of silly and meaningless questions for the day.

Pitty he wasn't asked other standards, such as "How many holes in the overhead speaked face?" or "How many zeros on the DME indicator drums", the reply would have been well worth waiting for.

Tootle pip !!

Just to add:

The angle of the rain gutters is dependent on the airflow at that point on the fuselage (so that when the aircraft is flying at high speed, it offers the least amount of drag). This is why some slope down and some slope up ;)

Rgds.
Q.

QAVION: Ha Ha!:D

You're having a laugh, aren't you?!! They ALL slope down, or they wouldn't be much good at getting rid of water, would they?

Talking of silly questions, anyone else heard of the SLF who couldn't understand how an aircraft could get moving on an icy taxiway. "Surely the wheels will spin?" he said!:D

This actually happened when a senior captain converted to the L1011, Tristar from another jet, during the walkround:

Check Capt., 'How many fan blades are there on an engine?'

Senior Capt., 'Don't know, but if one is missing I reckon I'll spot it'!

So lets see...These natty little rain gutters stop the water dripping on your head when you exit the plane onto the steps. Nice idea so far. Then you go down the steps and dash accross the apron to the bus in the pouring rain. Humm, perhaps they need to be a bit bigger.