When the 744 lands, the inboard forward slats retract underneath the wing, just after the thrust reverse deploys.
I've never noticed this before.
What purpose does it serve, is it automatic, and is this the way those slats usually store themselves, or is a different motion? (I was under the impression that they slide back into place, not pivot around the wing).
Thanks a bunch.
TIS
www.stellaryear.com: Canon EOS 50D, Canon EOS 5DMkII, Sigma 50mm 1.4, Canon 24-70 2.8L II, Canon 100mm 2.8L, Canon 100-4
Not to be confused with the leading edge droop on the Trident 1C.
This was a very efficient lift device, as was proved by the crash in Staines of RPI when they were inadvertantly retracted.
When I was young I used to help rig these terrors, it was a never ending job!. Every time you got one clearance right, another one went out.
Later Tridents had slats.
AJ From Australia, joined Nov 1999, 2376 posts, RR: 27 Reply 5, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 3148 times:
The 747's leading edge flaps are beautiful to watch, however once I observed them being extended in a quiet hangar and the noise they made was somewhat offputting. Bending fibreglass etc. Lucky they normally run with the engines running!
After watching this 747 land at HND I was amazed that the broken flap just outboard of #3 still folded away neatly...I just hope it was noticed as the flaps were retracted when it arrived at the gate.
JetMech From Australia, joined Mar 2006, 2587 posts, RR: 53 Reply 6, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 3124 times:
Quoting TristarSteve (Reply 4): When I was young I used to help rig these terrors, it was a never ending job!. Every time you got one clearance right, another one went out.
Later Tridents had slats.
Rigging the 747 Variable Camber Leading Edge (VCLE) flaps could result in much colourful language as well. Each pneumatic air motor unit drove a group flaps by it self. These were connected in series. The problem was that once you had the individual VCLE flaps in perfect rig and reattached the drive shafts, the fibreglass panels would straighten out and take all the slop out of the drive mechanism. This would instantly put the flap out of rig.
The trick was to rig the flaps slightly beyond the rig position by what you guessed was the amount of slop in the drive mechanism. If you got it right, the panel would straighten out and hopefully take out just enough slop to get you in rig. Unfortunately, it often took many "guesses" to get it right, and this had to be done at both ends of each individual panel.
Quoting AJ (Reply 5): I observed them being extended in a quiet hangar and the noise they made was somewhat offputting. Bending fibreglass etc. Lucky they normally run with the engines running!
You would be surprised at how stiff those panels actually were. We had these panels off many times for repairs and even if I used both arms and my foot for leverage, I could never get the panel to flex more than a few centimetres.
Quoting AJ (Reply 5): After watching this 747 land at HND I was amazed that the broken flap just outboard of #3 still folded away neatly...I just hope it was noticed as the flaps were retracted when it arrived at the gate.
The broken part in that photo is the bull nose leading edge of the VCLE. This is a separate element from the VCLE fibreglass panel, and is made from aluminium alloy. Very nice photo BTW !
Regards, JetMech
JetMech split the back of his pants. He can feel the wind in his hair.
HighFlyer9790 From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 1236 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (6 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 2751 times:
why would the slats come our again if the flaps will just retract anyway?
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