PanAm 747 Tail Strike — Civil Aviation Forum

Sponsor Message:


My Starred Topics \| Profile \| New Topic \| Forum Index \| Help \| Search

PanAm 747 Tail Strike

Bigphilnyc From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 4073 posts, RR: 56
Posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 2708 times:

This site here has some nice aviaition videos:

http://www.fromtheflightdeck.com/videos/index.htm

But while I was there, I saw this really wild clip of a Pan Am 747 tail strike (right click to save or jsut click to view):

http://www.fromtheflightdeck.com/videos/PAA747TailScrape.WMV

Can anyone tell me about this incident? Does anyone know the story behind it or anything?

Thanks,

-Phil

Phil Derner Jr.

9 replies: All unread, jump to last

COAB767 From Guam, joined Nov 2003, 1377 posts, RR: 10
Reply 1, posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 2662 times:

Excellent videos they were really good I liked it alot.

Continental Micronesia: "Fly With The Warmth Of Paradise"

KLM777 From Netherlands, joined Dec 2003, 372 posts, RR: 0
Reply 2, posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 2613 times:

Could it be a early 747 used for testing on behalf of the certification?? If you look at the top of the tail, there is a sensor (I guess) hanging wired to the tail, probably for registration, so I guess this is test flight...

Kind regards,

Jeroen

Every landing is a controlled crash

Rendezvous From New Zealand, joined May 2001, 499 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 2600 times:

Looks like a test to me.. there's something attatched to the underside of the tail, and attatched to the top of the tail fin. Maybe minimum unstick speed test?

B741 From Canada, joined Jan 2004, 716 posts, RR: 1
Reply 4, posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 2584 times:

I think it was at SFO in the early 70s. Hit the runway light posts. I will do more checking on this incident.

Being Bilingual, I Speak English And Aviation

OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 5, posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 2534 times:

>>>Can anyone tell me about this incident? Does anyone know the story behind it or anything?

The fact that there is a piece of instrumentation trailing off the end of the vertical stabilizer tells me that this was still Boeing's aircraft when the footage was shot, and as such, was probably a "Vmu" test where they -intentionally- drag the tail to see at what speed the aircraft will fly itself off. The aircraft in question was not yet in passenger service.

OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 6, posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 23 hours ago) and read 2415 times:

Try this one...

View Large View Medium
Click here for bigger photo!

Photo © French Frogs AirSlides

DAirbus From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 587 posts, RR: 2
Reply 7, posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 22 hours ago) and read 2291 times:

Support Airliners.net - become a First Class Member!

Definitely a certification test. They attached a huge piece of wood to the aircraft and deliberately dragged the tail to determine Vmu as someone already mentioned. The 777 had a similar test when it was being certified.

"I love mankind. It's people I can't stand." - Charles Shultz

Goomba From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 306 posts, RR: 1
Reply 8, posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 22 hours ago) and read 2190 times:

I see the A340-600 at ATL every day. I freaks me out every time that I see her as I think for sure that there will be a tailstrike. Amazing!!

MD11LuxuryLinr From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 1385 posts, RR: 16
Reply 9, posted (9 years 2 months 1 week 22 hours ago) and read 2160 times:

That was N747PA. It was 747 #2 during the 747 testing phase, wearing full Pan Am colors. Yes it was the VMU test. I have a different angle of the aircraft doing this test on a DVD. Pretty neat Wink/being sarcastic

Caution wake turbulence, you are following a heavy jet.

Top Of Page

Forum Index

This topic is archived and can not be replied to any more.

Printer friendly format

Similar topics: