How long does it take for a plane to take off and land? How an airplane takes off and flies. Oversized and oversized luggage
We continue to tear away the veils from secrets civil aviation. Today we will dispel the fears of air passengers about the takeoff of a modern airliner.
I was prompted to write this opus now by one of the readers who sent links to a couple of takeoffs from Kurumoch airport (Samara), filmed by curious passengers from inside the plane.
These videos attracted comments. Well, here they are:
Comments to it:
And comments
Both cases have one thing in common - the pilots “immediately took off!”
It's a nightmare, isn't it?!!
Let's find out!
Passengers with experience probably remember the ritual that is repeated in almost every takeoff of a Soviet airliner - the plane stops at the beginning of the runway, then stands for some time - the pilots let the passengers pray... but what to hide - they themselves were “praying” at that time - that’s what they jokingly call reading the checklist. After which the engines suddenly begin to roar loudly, the plane begins to tremble, passengers cross themselves... the pilot releases the brakes and an unknown force begins to press the silent passengers into their seats. Everything shakes, shelves open, something falls from the conductors...
And suddenly, of course, completely by accident, the plane takes off. It becomes a little quieter, you can take a breath... But suddenly the plane begins to fall down!
At the last moment, pilots usually “level the plane”, after which the turbines “turn off” a couple more times while climbing, and then everything becomes normal. Stewardesses with stony faces carry juices and waters, and for those who have not prayed well, an oxygen mask. And then the main thing begins, for which passengers fly - delivering food.
Did you miss anything? It seems that I have read such reviews about flights more than once on non-core forums.
Let's figure it out.
Let’s straight away dot the t’s regarding stopping the airliner on the runway before takeoff. What should pilots do anyway - stop or not?
The answer is that both ways are correct. Modern takeoff technique recommends NOT stopping on the runway unless there is a compelling reason to do so. The following reasons may be hidden:
a) The dispatcher is still thinking about whether to let you out or hold you a little longer
b) The strip has a limited length.
Regarding point A, I think everything is clear.
Regarding point B, I will say the following - if the runway (strip) is really very short, and the plane is loaded so that only just the mass passes for this length - in this case it makes sense to save a few tens of meters and put the engine in high mode, holding the plane on the brakes . Or the runway is simply very unusually short, even if the plane is light. In this case, the pilot will also do this “just in case.”
For example, we use such a takeoff in Chambery. There is only a two-kilometer runway, and there are mountains ahead. I want to get off the ground as quickly as possible and fly higher. And usually the mass there is close to the maximum possible for take-off conditions.
In the vast majority of cases, if the controller allows us to take off at the same time as occupying the runway, we will not stop. We will taxi to the center line (and, perhaps, already with acceleration), make sure that the plane is moving in a stable, straight line, and after that we will “push on the gas.”
Stop!
What about “praying”? After all, it’s written above about a certain “card of control checks!”
On the B737 it is customary to read it out before receiving permission to occupy the lane. And certainly before receiving permission to take off. So when I get the takeoff clearance at the same time as the runway clearance, I'm ready to take off, and I'm not in the rush that a passenger in the cabin might think. I have everything ready.
So why do this anyway? Why not stand?
Obvious advantages are an increase in airport capacity. The less time each individual aircraft occupies a runway, the more takeoff and landing operations can be performed from it.
The second is fuel economy.
Third is safety. As strange as it may sound, this reduces the risk of foreign objects getting into the engine and engine surge (read “failure”) when taking off with a strong tailwind.
Here is what Mr. Boeing writes about this:
Yes, yes, documents of foreign cars are written in English. Do you want to become a pilot? Learn English!
And at the same time Chinese. The neighbor is developing too quickly.
We fly further.
Why do pilots raise their noses so sharply after takeoff? With Soviet technology they did it smoothly, slowly... After all, no matter what, they’ll drop it!
It's just pure aerodynamics and the takeoff technique. Foreign cars, as a rule, take off with a very small angle of deflection of the wing mechanization (those funny things that come out of the wing especially strongly on landing, and a little on takeoff). This offers many benefits:
a) The set angle increases
b) consequence from point A: noise in the area is reduced,
c) and further - the chances of not flying into obstacles in case of engine failure increase
Yes, modern airliners have such powerful engines that all normalized values of the gain gradients are achieved even with reduced thrust (it will still be enough if the engine is lost), but in some situations Mr. Boeing strongly recommends taking off at the highest possible thrust. If the plane is light, it turns out to be just a cool “Rocket” attraction.
Yes, this creates some discomfort for passengers (who like to fly with their legs in the air) - but it is absolutely safe and will not last very long.
"Almost fell after takeoff"
I wrote above that after takeoff the plane suddenly “begins to fall down!” This was especially felt on the Tu-154, which strained to take off with a fairly large angle of flaps, and then gradually removed them to the zero position. When retracting the flaps, the plane loses part of the increase in lift (if you remove it too quickly, you can actually lose altitude - this is true, but for this you need to be a completely incompetent pilot, and both pilots must be incompetent), so in the cabin it seems that the plane began to fall.
In fact, he can continue to climb at this time. It’s just that the angle becomes flatter and at this transitional moment in time it seems to a person that he is flying down. This is how man is already built.
"The turbines turned off a couple of times"
Oh, this is the most common incident in the stories of passengers! Only “the pilot got to the airfield on his fifth attempt” can compete with this. This was most typical for the Tu-154 and Tu-134, that is, on aircraft with engines located far in the tail - they are almost inaudible in the cabin, unless they are operating at high speed.
The noise is precisely the rub. Everything is primitive to the point of disgrace. During climb, the engines operate at a very high speed. The higher the engine operating mode, the louder it can be heard. But sometimes we, pilots, have to follow the dispatcher’s commands and stop climbing - for example, in order to miss (at a safe distance, of course) another aircraft. We smoothly transfer the plane into horizontal flight, and in order not to turn into a supersonic airliner (after all, engines operating in the climb mode create very high thrust), we have to tidy up the mode. The cabin becomes significantly quieter.
That seems to be it.
Thank you for your attention!
Some people don't fly on airplanes just because they've never done it before. This is not a fear of danger, not a fear of heights, but simply panic in front of something unknown. And many do not understand what pleasure they are depriving themselves of, because flying is very pleasant and interesting, and most importantly - fast. And in many cases, this is the only way to get to the right place. Don't neglect technical progress, after all, horses and carriages, weeks and months of travel are already far in the past.
Personally, at first it was not the planes that scared me, but the airport. How to get into it, where to run, how not to confuse anything, and in general... Let's imagine that you find yourself at the airport for the first time. The procedure will be approximately the same, except that inspection and passport control in some cases change places.
First time at the airport
What time should you arrive? Check-in for the flight begins two hours before departure. Why so early? Need to get through a large number of procedures that require time. You can arrive even earlier just in case. But it’s better not later, especially if you’re flying for the first time.
Entrance
In our country, unlike many others, anti-terrorist security has been strengthened. Therefore, try to budget for the time you will spend... going inside the airport. There are often queues there. You will already be examined there and your things will be scanned, even if you just came as a guide. You can go back out, but you can only get back to the airport through security again.
Scoreboard and registration area
The departure and arrival board is perhaps the most romantic object at the airport, and it has even been praised more than once. The board indicates the number, destination, and departure time of the flight. Be sure to check your flight number. Once we almost got confused with flights that departed 15 minutes apart.
Sometimes several flights may depart at the same time, so keep an eye out. What makes it even more confusing is that airlines often operate codeshare flights. Do not rely on the name of the airline, and even sometimes time is not an indicator. The direction and number are what you need to see. The board also indicates which registration desk you need to go to and what state the registration is in: whether it is open or, God forbid, has ended. Check-in for the flight, as I already said, begins 2 hours before departure and ends 40 minutes before it.
Baggage preparation
I haven’t found any useful information about preparing luggage on any “good” portal.
Usually, “smart” life hackers write about prohibited items and the weight of luggage somewhere in paragraphs about inspection, not taking into account the fact that we part with luggage much earlier, and this implies a completely different sequence of actions.
Your luggage flies separately from you
You can fly without luggage, but put all your things in hand luggage, if the airline allows it. This is what I usually do, it significantly speeds up leaving the airport upon arrival. In this case, your suitcase or backpack must fit certain dimensions and not exceed the weight limit.
Oversized and oversized luggage
Dimensional - suitable for standard sizes. In Russian, a standard suitcase or bag. Oversized fits in weight, but not in size, and is issued separately. By the way, it is oversized luggage that is most often lost.
If you are concerned about this topic, then feel free to go to the airline’s website and check what they can and cannot do. No other way. Because different airlines treat luggage differently. It is clear that items such as a guitar, a huge box or a plasma TV can hardly be called oversized luggage. You will not be asked to pay any extra money for handling oversized luggage.
Extra bed
You can purchase additional luggage space, it costs extra money. But no one has canceled cheating, for example, the Aeroflot gold card allows you to carry two pieces of luggage at the same time for free, and, in principle, such a card is rubbish and envy.
Package
Suitcases are usually thrown onto planes in a rather barbaric manner, so if you want to extend the life of your traveling friend, you can pack it for a fee. Luggage will be wrapped with special film by specially trained people in special places. They are not difficult to find.
If you are carrying something valuable, it is advisable to wrap your luggage. At the airport there are usually several packages with different prices. Naturally, the most expensive ones are located closest to the main entrance. They will wrap you for about 700 rubles, or 10–15 EUR. In addition to official packers, there are also “spider-men” who will offer the same service at 2-3 times cheaper. Wander around the airport a little, looking meaningfully at the packing sheds, and these enterprising cunning people will find you themselves.
Overweight
If you (oh horror!) have an advantage, then prepare your money. Well, the time it takes to check in additional luggage and overweight will take from 20 to 40 minutes for sure.
Your luggage should be of the dimensions and weight, as I already said, acceptable in a particular airline, and it is also advisable to put in it everything that cannot be taken on board, that is, liquids, aerosols, and sharp objects.
Feel yourself. Money, passport, other documents and boarding pass must be literally glued to yourself. Under no circumstances leave money in your luggage (there are such cases), and without a passport you, in principle, will not fly far. It is best to keep such necessary items in a small bag or pocket, generally with you.
Registration
You can check in for your flight from home in advance. This provides certain advantages. For example, you can choose best places in airplane.
Registration is easy, Watson. When checking in for a regular flight, they usually don’t ask for anything other than a passport: the employees already have all the data, because Big Brother has been watching you for a long time... The only time the Spaniards asked for a printout of my electronic ticket, because in their database my name was written with the wrong letter. But this is the exception rather than the rule. At check-in you temporarily say goodbye to your luggage. The luggage is placed on the belt and weighed. After all this, you are given a boarding pass indicating your gate (exit), your seat on the plane and a baggage claim tag. Never lose your boarding pass. Now he is your king and god.
You may be asked what you take on the plane. Any belongings you bring on board are called carry-on luggage. Here's what you shouldn't have in your carry-on luggage:
- Liquids. Some people think that, in principle, nothing liquid can be brought on board, but this is not true. You can safely carry up to 100 milliliters of any liquid substance with you.
- Sharp, piercing and cutting objects. If you have scissors, corkscrews and knives in your hand luggage, then most likely you will be asked to part with them at security. We learned about diabetics. Syringes are possible. But if you have (quote) “a free-form doctor’s certificate.”
- Aerosols. All varnishes, sprays and sprays must fly in the luggage compartment.
Hand luggage can weigh up to 10 kilograms. All airlines have approximately the same size requirements. There are even special suitcases that fit the size of hand luggage. In fact, if you're flying on a scheduled flight, you can bring almost anything on board. One day we were carrying a huge basket, a giant hoop the size of a hula hoop and... sheaves of straw. They were light, but voluminous, and we were almost invisible behind them. However, Aeroflot employees treated the sheaves with loyalty and even wished us to have a good event.
In addition to a special suitcase, you can take a fairly large bag or backpack on board. Since we carry a lot of props on business trips, all personal items usually fit in a small handbag.
Search
You can lose quite a lot of time at security check, as there will be people there who are not only in a hurry to catch your flight. You take a special tray and put everything on it: hand luggage, things, gadgets, a laptop (in Europe they ask you to take it out of your bag and call it a laptop, for a moment!), all metal objects and shoes, if they have thick soles or heels. It is easy to part with liquids or aerosols here if their volume exceeds the norm. For example, you are trying to smuggle a liter of shampoo - most likely it will be confiscated. Creams, gels, toxic substances, sharp objects - say “adios” to them if you haven’t put them in your suitcase. So we parted with Enterosgel at Heathrow airport, it was very strict there.
This whole story is connected, again, with anti-terrorism security; similar rules were introduced in 2007. On board (once again) - no more than 100 milliliters of liquid in total, that is, you can take with you a small cream, a spray for a runny nose, a perfume sampler and liquid for lenses, in general, a bunch of liquids, but the main thing is that there is not a total of them more than a hundred ml. Yes, and it is advisable to forget about jokes about drugs and weapons. They don't understand jokes at the airport.
If you don’t want to waste a lot of time and make yourself nervous, and also embarrass women with sad faces and scanners in their hands, then, in principle, you shouldn’t hang all the iron jewelry left over from your gypsy grandmother, belts with massive buckles, and put on shoes thick soles or heels: they will strip you and take them off like there’s nothing to do. And this, you see, is not the most pleasant procedure. Here, by the way, is a link to a wildly funny video where a friend did not understand what they wanted from him and was scanned along with his luggage.
Passport control
Keep your passport and boarding pass with you, preferably in your hand. It is also better to avoid stupid jokes at passport control. Taking photographs of the passport control area is prohibited. Therefore, if something suddenly seemed funny to you (for example, your own face and you sawed yourself), you will be asked to delete the photos.
The official in the booth may ask questions. For example, about the purpose of the trip. He will leaf through your passport looking for visas and stamps. I was remarked several times that, they say, I don’t look at the border guard all the time, but fiddle with my phone (it’s better not to be distracted by anything extraneous from this important process), and that my passport is dirty (yes, I dropped it once to Kuru in , and several seals blurred). And you just might not like you. By the way, if you have a biometric passport or visa, you may be asked to place your finger on an infrared reader.
The waiting area
When re-reading my own text, I quickly replaced the word “desirable” with “required.” You absolutely must immediately find your gate (exit). Sometimes it can be difficult. Sometimes special trains run between gates, as in Madrid Barajas or London Heathrow. Sometimes they write scary numbers: how long to get to the exits. Sometimes this is the number 15, that is, minutes. But breathe out: this has never happened at Russian airports. Your ticket will indicate the gate number and boarding time, that is, the start time of boarding. It’s better not to go too far from the desired exit, otherwise you might miss important information. The gate may change, the flight may be delayed, or who knows what else. Take control of the situation.
There is usually something in the waiting area. For example, Duty Free. What “Duty Free” is does not need to be explained to the Russian tourist, who usually begins to prepare for a vacation by drinking alcoholic beverages from this shiny, tasty-smelling and shining market. The belief that it is cheaper at Duty Free is just a belief. For example, alcohol and snacks are often more expensive than in supermarkets, cigarettes are sold only in blocks, and cosmetics correspond to the market price. However, what should not be doubted is the quality of the products. It is better to buy good perfume, professional cosmetics, and gift packs of chocolates at Duty Free. By the way, when purchasing you will be asked to show your boarding pass, so don’t take it too far away.
And, of course, there are all sorts of cafes in the waiting area. Unless you're in Berlin's Tegel, for example, which is more like an Ikea place to pack your groceries. It's not cheap to eat there, but I usually get water from the machine. The air on the plane is dry and you feel thirsty. Anything purchased in this area is suitable for bringing on board.
Boarding the plane
Depending on the airport, your route from the gate to board may be like this:
- telescopic ladder,
- bus,
- on foot.
If the airport is small, you can walk, usually a short distance. Sometimes you have to wait for the bus; it’s hot and cramped. Ideal if you are walking along a telescopic ramp - this is an air bridge from the airport to the plane.
If you have a lot of hand luggage, it is better to get in line at the gate early so that you have time to occupy the luggage racks. Sometimes there may be no empty seats next to you, so you will have to look for an empty shelf away from your chair. At smart airports, there is a division into groups to avoid queues at the gate. In this case, your group number is also indicated on your boarding pass. But personally, I like to wait until the last minute: I jump at the gate when the bulk of people have already boarded the plane.
First time on a plane
And here you are, so happy, sitting on the plane and, perhaps, shaking with fear that this colossus is about to take off into the air. This won't happen instantly. You'll be packing for a while. The crew will be preparing for some time. Then the beautiful flight attendants will begin to show how and what to do in emergency situation. At this time, the plane will begin to move towards the runway. Previously, I always loved the moment of takeoff, when the iron bird accelerates so much that it presses you into a chair, and then takes off from the ground, but now I often fall asleep even before takeoff. The main thing is, if you are scared, take a comfortable position. Good luck if you have a pillow under your head, because external and internal comfort are inseparable.
Places
When it comes to seats inside an airplane, a simple law applies: the closer you are to your head, the less you will be shaken by turbulence. Turbulence, or bumpiness, is the vibration of an aircraft caused by vortex wind flows, downward and outward. It's not scary. The usual bumpiness that occurs when flying through some types of clouds is not dangerous. The aircraft is designed to withstand the resulting overloads. In general, when a plane shakes, it is not a technical failure, and the pilot is not crazy, it is just a temporary phenomenon that needs to be accepted and forgiven. And don’t set yourself up for horror: I’ve flown many times without shaking at all. Since there is less vibration at the front of the plane, business class is located there.
As for “by the window or not by the window,” this is a controversial point. If you have never flown, then it may seem to you that a fascinating picture is created in the window throughout the entire flight. However, it is not. The most interesting thing is the takeoff and landing, when you see the city that has turned into a toy city. And then the plane gains altitude and rises above the clouds. Outside the window there will be monotonous blinding white clouds if you are flying during the day, or endless darkness if at night. If you are not a big fan of sticking your forehead into the wall and snoring, then there is no need for a window. There is nothing wrong with choosing a seat near the aisle - it is convenient to go to the toilet without stepping over your sleeping neighbors. 
Great if you're flying on a half-empty plane. After takeoff, when you are allowed to wander around the cabin, look in the rear section: there may be three free seats there. I call it "reserved seat". You can stretch out on them, cover yourself with a blanket and sleep. No one will say a bad word to you - it’s been verified.
A special chic during check-in is getting seats at the emergency exit. Ask and they will give if they are still available. On most planes, the distance to the next seat is very far, and the table extends out of the armrest. Of course, you will have a great responsibility - to save passengers in case of emergency evacuation, since you will be the very first one to the exit there. But you can stretch your legs and have fun.
Food
It all depends, of course, on the airline and the specifics of the flight. If you are able to register in advance, you may also have been asked to select a menu. Major international airlines offer special menus: kosher or vegetarian. I haven’t tried ordering the menu in advance, but I know it’s possible.
I once had a vegetarian lunch on board British Airways. The quinoa, avocado and tofu salad was much better than the usual lunch that included a stale bun with mayonnaise. However, in any case, do not expect culinary delights from economy class. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to fly business class, but insiders know that it’s delicious, especially if it’s Aeroflot. Fortunately, the latter’s food is delicious even in economy, and sometimes there was also red fish.
The funniest airplane meal of my life was organized by the German subsidiary of Lufthansa, Air Berlin. Unfortunately, they stopped flying from Moscow. For the rest of my life I will remember a wonderful packed lunch consisting of very spicy chips and a glass of juice. And the worst lunch was at Air Moldova: some kind of indistinct sandwich.
If you fly during the day or evening, your chances of eating better are much greater: at night and in the early morning, you can count on a bun at most. Of course, a lot depends on the flight time. The usual proportion is that the longer the flight, the more food they will give. In any case, airplane food doesn't pretend to be anything incredible, so if you have the opportunity to bring something on the plane, grab it. There are usually no complaints about chocolate and cookies.
And, of course, it is worth saying that at altitude we eat and drink completely differently than on earth; food seems tastier. By the way, there is a whole stereotype that people most often drink on a plane. tomato juice. They say it tastes better to us than on earth and quenches our thirst better. On a plane you always want to drink because, I repeat, the air in the cabin is very dry. Plus, rich tomato juice has a richer flavor that we love. It is always better to stock up on a bottle of water, most importantly, not before the security check area, but after: you can bring water purchased in the waiting area on board. As for alcohol, almost all international flights have wine, champagne, and beer. The flight attendants may simply not offer you this. But if you have a strong desire to get tipsy, ask, and they will organize a can of good beer for you - tested by British Airways.
Takeoff and landing
If your plane takes off and everything goes well, you can relax until you land. According to statistics, 90% of aircraft malfunctions occur during takeoff and landing. That is why singer Elka passionately wishes that the pilot “takes off well and lands extremely successfully.” During takeoff and landing, you are asked to fasten your seat belts, bring the seat to an upright position, remove the tables and open the curtains. All this is done so that in an emergency there are fewer obstacles to the implementation of the rescue program.
When an acquaintance flew with me for the first time, he really didn’t like the maneuvers of the plane, when the side turns and turns out to be one wing lower and the other higher. If you saw this and got scared, know that nothing terrible is happening at this moment, the plane is just turning.
If you are flying to a resort, you will most likely begin to descend directly over the blue waters. Again, panic in this case is unnecessary; the resort airports are really located right on the shore. Land will appear, don't worry!
Some people believe that the softness of a landing depends on the airline or type of aircraft. Nothing like that, everything is controlled by a pilot, or rather pilots, since control is usually divided equally between them. The best way to get me into Montenegro was the unloved, bankrupt and otherwise notorious airline Kogalymavia, when they had a contract with the operator TUI.
Important detail: time it correctly. As soon as the plane lands, it will travel along the runway for some time, circling around the airport until it stops. It will be some time before you are allowed off the plane. Passport control will take about another half hour (or more) international flight and baggage claim at any. Therefore, you should not order a taxi before your arrival.
Don't immediately jump up and run out of the plane. You don't even have to get up. You will be waiting for some time for the doors to open. new country».
At the airport of the country of arrival
Next, you will find almost everything the same as upon departure: boarding ramp or bus, passport control and baggage claim. Get in the line that says All Passports and you'll get a stamp (finally!) with the name of the airport. Next, we follow the arrows to the luggage, which probably already misses you as much as you miss it. Above the baggage belt they usually write the flight number and where the plane came from, so it’s difficult to make a mistake. In addition, it very rarely happens that two or more planes arrive at the same time, so you will probably go where the most people are standing. If the airport is very large, then there is a board indicating where to look for luggage.
If the tape has already scrolled a hundred hundred times, and your suitcase still hasn’t appeared, and all the passengers have left, then something is wrong here. Then you go to the representatives of your airline with your boarding stub (it is on it that the tag with your baggage number is on it) and most likely everything will be resolved safely. Well, then you, stamped, enriched and happy, can head to the exit (following the arrows) and begin to conquer new lands!
I hope you were able to learn something new about air travel and are now looking forward to the moment when the flight attendant announces that your plane is ready for takeoff.
Going on a trip by plane, leaving behind the not-so-comfortable moment of takeoff, the passenger finds himself in sky-high heights in a matter of minutes. When the sky is clear, through the airplane window you can see pieces of earth floating far below, but in cloudy weather the airplane appears above the clouds, which also float somewhere below it.
At what altitude do they fly? passenger aircraft? After takeoff, it is often announced that the plane is at an altitude of 10 km. An inquisitive person probably has a question: why are flights carried out at this particular altitude, why is it better than others?
How high do planes fly?
10 km altitude is an average. Usually, we're talking about about the range within 9-12 kilometers, where the courses of aircraft that carry passengers are laid. Moreover, it is not the pilot who chooses the altitude. The issue is resolved by the dispatcher; it is he who calculates the altitude for each individual flight. The pilot is obliged to listen to all the dispatcher’s instructions and follow them exactly. Otherwise, there is a risk of collision with other sides - this is extremely rare, but it does happen.
: planes can rise to a height of more than 37 kilometers. But we are not talking about civilian aircraft, but about fighter-interceptors. They have completely different technical indicators.
Altitude and air parameters
Height and pressure It is known that at high altitudes the air is thin. This is explained by a simple circumstance. The atmosphere of the planet is held by its own force of gravity. This force manifests itself most powerfully at the surface, holding the air shell of the planet, providing it with maximum density precisely in the lower layers. The increase in atmospheric density is associated with the pressure of the overlying layers. The higher, the weaker the air pressure. Pressure increases closer to the surface from the weight of the upper layers of air, just as in the ocean pressure increases due to the upper layers of water. An airplane and its flight performance are highly dependent on air performance, primarily on its density.
Related materials:
Why do my ears get clogged on an airplane?
Air is needed to provide lift and for normal operation of engines. It is worth remembering that without oxygen the combustion process does not occur, the engine stalls. If the density is small, this is bad, but too high is also not needed. Optimal conditions for civil aircraft are observed at an altitude of 10 km, in the air corridor from 9 to 12 km, depending on weather and other conditions.
Too high a density is not needed for the reason that it does not allow the required speed to be developed. Dense air masses slow down the movement of an airplane in the same way that water slows down the movements of a swimmer. Every person has noticed that in water it is not possible to be as fast and dexterous as on land. This occurs due to the higher density of the aquatic environment compared to air.
“Why is it forbidden to smoke on an airplane?”, “Why is it forbidden to use electronics?”, “Should pilots be applauded?”, “Can a pilot board a flight drunk?” and other questions about passenger aircraft that we finally found answers to.
Petr Salnikov · Alexander Kanygin
Why is it prohibited to use electronics on an airplane during takeoff and landing? Even with your phone in airplane mode? Even listen to the player?
In October 2014, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued legal approval: electronic devices can remain switched on and online throughout the flight. But it applies not to passengers, but to airlines.
Carriers themselves determine what is best for their passengers. And the official position of most airlines is that any electronic device creates an electromagnetic field, which can directly or indirectly affect the operation of on-board devices. Therefore, it is better to ban any gadgets than to expect a Boeing to stall during takeoff because someone decides to send an SMS.
Second point. You may have heard beeps coming through the speakers when mobile phone makes a connection or accepts a call? The same interference can drown out important information from the controller in the pilots' headphones.
Ilya, 36 years old, employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations
Finally, the most prosaic explanation: a passenger listening to the player or talking on the phone will not find out in time about the outbreak of a fire or an unscheduled splashdown. And his neighbor, in his evacuation rush, will get tangled in the wires from his headphones.
So after all: should you applaud when the landing gear touches the runway?
There is nothing wrong with this kind of politeness. But then get into the habit of clapping for the cashier at the supermarket who has successfully punched the check. This is also his job.
The pilots, most likely, will not hear applause: they are separated from the cabin by an armored door and are busy negotiating with dispatchers, taxiing and cleaning the wing mechanization.
As long as the plane has not rolled onto the taxiway, the danger remains: it may not stop, move off the runway with unpleasant consequences, or brake sharply - and luggage will fall on you from the shelves that an impatient neighbor opened.
Ilya, 36 years old, employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations
If you absolutely want to applaud the crew, do it after the ship has come to a complete stop at the terminal.
Why do flight attendants always pester me and ask me to raise the window shades? Do they influence anything?
Open window shades, raised seat backs and dim interior lights - necessary measures landing safety.
Alexey, Boeing 777 pilot of Transaero airlines
Let's give free rein to our imagination and imagine that the plane has just made an emergency landing: there is smoke in the cabin and women's screams, there is a fire on the wing. But no one sees him, since the curtains are lowered. Eventually emergency exit It opens right on the side of the fire, passengers do not see the luminescent tracks on the floor and are blinded by the bright light when they emerge from the darkness. In general, believe me: all this is necessary for your own safety.
What if a person dies on board? Where is the body taken?
It is not removed in luggage compartment, as irresponsible readers might probably think.
The person remains at the place where the tragedy occurred, but passengers move away from him if possible. As a last resort, the body can be moved to the back kitchen. In practice, it happened that a passenger lost consciousness or complained of acute pain in the heart area, but no one, thank God, died suddenly and silently. There was a case when a very large man came to the conductors’ kitchen for some water, lost consciousness and lay under artificial ventilation until arriving at Domodedovo, where an ambulance picked him up. And once I had to make an unscheduled landing at Varna airport due to a suspected heart attack in an elderly woman.
The most difficult thing for the crew during an emergency landing is to communicate with passengers who have vacations and transfers to other flights.
Where does airplane food come from? After all, I never found a kitchen on board. Where is it stored, how long does it last?
Everything served to passengers on board is prepared in the in-flight catering department, which is usually located on the airport premises. By the way, the same workshop prepares food for the crew, although the menu may be different. All in-flight meals has a very limited shelf life - a few hours. So if the flight is short, the food is loaded both ways, but if the flight is delayed, the loaded food is offloaded and disposed of.
Control over the quality of food is very serious: carriers do not want to receive complaints from passengers who were poisoned on board. And as for the apparent cheapness of food, in 1987, by removing just one olive from a salad, American Airlines saved $40,000. By the way, the aluminum container for hot dishes, which you constantly get burned on board, is called a “cassette”.
Why can't you smoke during a flight? Just a health issue?
You can probably still find ashtrays in the armrests of chairs in old ones today. aircraft on some domestic flights. And during takeoff and landing on these planes, the “Fasten seat belts” and “Don’t smoke” lights are on. So it was possible before? And who did this bother?
The version about a possible fire on board is the most famous. If necessary, you can go into the airplane toilet and check the container where used napkins go. It is closed with a spring-loaded hatch that slams shut as soon as you remove your hand. This is done to prevent oxygen from getting into the potential source of fire. But the seat upholstery, floor coverings and other interior materials do not support combustion - they can be melted for a long time with a lighter, but they will not give an open flame. An important reason for banning smoking on board is the economic benefit of the carrier. The air in the aircraft constantly circulates, passing through purification filters and even cooling the equipment along the way. Soot and resins quickly render them unusable.
By the way, on some flights Arab countries and, for example, Iran can still be smoked today.
Movies often show how, following advice from the ground, random passengers land a plane. Everything there is controlled by a computer!
The bad news: If both pilots are incapacitated, the passengers are doomed. Even if before this they correctly configured the autopilot to perform an automatic landing, you are still doomed. Not a single electronic system on board can operate autonomously, without crew control. Autoland - automatic landing - also requires control and constant management by a person. Even the flight attendant hardly knows how to contact the ground to report an emergency on board. He simply won’t find the PTT (button) to get in touch. So a random passenger won't be able to handle it.
Boris, aircraft commander, 5 years of experience
Fight for place
Economy class is not the most comfortable seat. There is a stupid way to improve it a little.
On the Internet you can easily find a gadget called Knee Defender. These are locks that fit onto the dining table and prevent the chair in front from reclining.
There is debate about the ethical side of the device, because comfort is achieved at the expense of causing inconvenience to another passenger. At the same time, the Knee Defender does not violate any flight rules: its use on board is not prohibited. True, in August last year, a flight from Newark to Denver made an emergency landing in Chicago precisely because of the gadget: passengers quarreled and almost came to blows because of it. If you decide to buy it, this thing costs about 1100 rubles.
I looked out the window and saw that the wing on my side was swaying strangely. Is this the end or modern aircraft flap their wings to fly?
Passenger planes have one wing. Two - from the “corn maker” everyone knows.
If the wing were rigid, it would break under loads, because it is affected by the lifting force, the weight of the engines, the oncoming air flow, and sitting birds. The lower part of the wing is made of a softer material, since it stretches more during flight, and the upper part is made of a harder one.
If you're still afraid, watch airplane wing strength tests on YouTube. There they are bent almost at a right angle.
How does an airplane toilet work? Is it really possible that, like on Soviet trains, everything is immediately reset?
For some reason, the myth that airplane toilets are designed like “you can’t pee, we’re still within the city limits” still exists. It turns out that it has no reasonable origins.
Even in older aircraft models, everything in the toilet was flushed into a special container - there were no hatches for dumping waste. Then the same water was filtered and again used for flushing. At the same time, a chemical was added to it to neutralize the odor. In more modern aircraft, flushing occurs using a sharp intake of air.
German, aircraft operation support engineer
One stupid joke from irresponsible passengers is connected with a vacuum toilet: if you put the end there toilet paper and press the drain, then a kilometer of cellulose will merrily unwind into nowhere. All waste is again collected in a special tank, which, upon arrival, is pumped out by a sewage tank on wheels called “MA-7”.
During a transatlantic flight, screens in the cabin show a map with the flight path and a funny airplane. Why do we fly in an arc and not directly? It's also faster!
It’s very simple: take a globe, an orange, a curled up hedgehog or any spherical object and try to trace a route on it using a thread. Or remember how artists bend the meridians on the world map in order to correctly convey the shape of the planet. And this is not a complete answer. An aircraft never flies in a straight line. Moreover, if it were possible to trace the entire path of the plane using a more accurate map, it would turn out that it was flying almost in zigzags.
The ETOPS program (Extended Flight Rules for Twin-Engine Airplanes) is to blame - special requirements for flights over non-landmark terrain. According to them, the aircraft's route must be designed so that it is always within a certain flight time to the nearest airfield, where an emergency landing could be made in the event of one of the engines failing.
Vladimir Afonin, engineer-mathematician of the state air defense concern
Agree, it is better to do this at least on a poor runway, and not in the mountains or on the ocean surface. Well, they also influence the flight path weather. Of course, the plane is not hindered by light rain or snow, but it can, if necessary, adjust its course so as not to avoid encountering particularly aggressive weather conditions.
Why in planes of the same model, but different airlines Economy class can be cramped in completely different ways?
It is logical to assume that the larger the plane, the more space there is inside. It is not always so.
The layout of the seats in the cabin depends on the airline and is made to order in accordance with the requirements of the aircraft manufacturer.
Anastasia, press service of the Transaero company
Is it possible for a pilot to deceive medical control before a flight and board the flight drunk?
In Russia, before a flight, pilots undergo medical control - their pulse and blood pressure are measured. It is theoretically possible to deceive him by forging the doctor’s signature in flight mission. But in order to fly drunk, it is unlikely that anyone will do this: suspension from a flight is often punishable by dismissal.
Boris, aircraft commander, 5 years of experience
It is much easier to stay home, plead ill health and send a reserve crew on the flight.
The cabin of our plane was decorated for the New Year with Christmas tree decorations. Are they something special?
It just depends on the airline. Ordinary toys are also used, but preference is given to plastic, unbreakable ones.
In addition, on the flights of some companies, Santa Claus congratulates passengers: it is safer and cheaper - it is enough for one of the stewards to put on a fur coat and a beard.
Anastasia, press service of the Transaero company
Is it true that during long flights, the plane’s engines periodically turn off and the plane simply glides for some time?
Not true. This never happens in normal mode. But engines can be shut down automatically due to a malfunction or fire.
Ilya, 36 years old, employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations
In general, only the pilot has the right to perform the procedure for starting the engines (it is called “run up”): upon a signal from the technician, he starts first the right and then the left engine. This order is due to the fact that the brakes in the vast majority of types of foreign equipment are powered by the right engine. During flight, engines may be shut down for testing. This is what test pilots are paid for.
German, aircraft operation support engineer
OK, it looks like we're falling. Am I lucky? Which compartment's passengers have a better chance of survival?
There are very different opinions on this matter. The most common is to sit in the rear (you can pee there): the fuel tanks are located under the middle part of the cabin.
Vladimir Afonin, engineer-mathematician of the state air defense concern
If the pilot is separated from the cabin by an impenetrable door, how does he communicate with the crew?
After 9/11, pilots are actually fenced off with an armored door that has a special code for entry.
This is done in case everyone in the cabin loses consciousness - for example, due to depressurization. But this code will only work if the pilot does not take any action within 120 seconds after entering it. Of course, conductors do not use it every time to access the cabin, but only check its functionality before departure. In normal situations, to enter, the conductor calls the pilots via handset, that is, using the aircraft intercom, the same one through which he reads information for passengers, only this time he calls the pilots, and not the speakerphone into the cabin. By the way, the conductor is required to call the crew every 40 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes at night to make sure they are working.
Boris, aircraft commander, 5 years of experience
There are special code phrases for communicating with flight attendants. Usually they are negotiated before the flight, but there are also permanent ones. For example, “Purser to cockpit, please” means that one of the crew members is unable to perform their work duties and the senior conductor must come to the rescue. In case the ship is captured, of course, there is also a code word.
Is it true that you can learn to fly a plane by playing computer simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator?
You can develop some skills, like orienting yourself in the cockpit. Know where each device is located. Perhaps the simulation will give an idea of the physical behavior of the machine and its dynamic characteristics, but there is no point in talking about full-fledged control training. For these purposes, aviation uses much more advanced simulation models - MFTD and FFS. And if MFTD is a bit like what a player can arrange at home, then FFS is a highly complex engineering device, the cost of which exceeds the price of the aircraft itself.
Alas, today, according to the law, the crew can stop hooliganism on board only through persuasion. But our airline has a special flight escort service - air security officers in civilian clothes.
Boris, aircraft commander, 5 years of experience
Any violent actions can be regarded as hijacking an aircraft. They will be reported to the crew commander, who will make a decision on landing.
It scares me a little when people pay extra for excess luggage. Will the plane take it all away? Does it even have a cargo limit?
Weight limit is very important. If it is exceeded, the centering of the vessel is disrupted. The plane either will not take off if the centering is forward, or will not be controlled in the air if it is rearward. But to calculate the weight of passengers, average values are used, which have been in effect in Russia for more than thirty years.
It is worth noting that they are different for Russian and foreign air carriers. As for domestic companies, everything depends on the seasonality of air travel and the age of passengers. Thus, in the autumn-winter period, the average weight of an adult is taken as a basis for calculating the maximum take-off weight of an aircraft - 85 kg, taking into account clothes and hand luggage; a child under two years old - 15 kg, children from 2 to 12 years old - 30 kg. During the spring-summer season, it is believed that on average a passenger weighs 5 kg less because he travels without outerwear.
Elena Monina, press service of Moscow Domodedovo Airport
By the way, passenger planes carry a lot of commercial cargo. Only large operators like DHL or UPS have their own cargo fleet, the rest use regular flights. During registration, dispatchers report how much free space (weight) is left, and cargo operators load the payload: mail, parcels, containers with immigrants.
What happens if I'm caught having sex in the airplane bathroom?
There are no specific rules in this regard. The worst thing that can happen is that upon arrival they will tell the security service about you, but usually they will just reprimand you.
Irina, flight attendant, 3 years of experience
But offering flight attendants money to let them into crew rest rooms (these are available on transatlantic flights) is a bad idea. Their salaries are decent, but you can be blacklisted as passengers.
Photo: Getty Images; Everett Collection/East News; Shutterstock Illustration: Olga Gromova
Do you want to overcome your fear of flying? Most The best way— learn more about how an airplane flies, at what speed it moves, to what altitude it rises. People are afraid of the unknown, and when the issue is studied and considered, then everything becomes simple and understandable. So be sure to read about how a plane flies - This is the first step in the fight against aerophobia.
If you look at the wing, you will see that it is not flat. Its lower surface is smooth, and its upper surface is convex. Due to this, as the speed of the aircraft increases, the air pressure on the wing changes. At the bottom of the wing the flow velocity is less, so the pressure is greater. At the top, the flow rate is greater and the pressure is less. It is due to this pressure difference that the wing pulls the plane upward. This difference between the lower and upper pressure is called the lift of the wing. In fact, during acceleration, the aircraft is pushed upward when it reaches a certain speed(pressure differences).
The air flows around the wing at different speeds, pushing the plane upward
This principle was discovered and formulated by the founder of aerodynamics Nikolai Zhukovsky back in 1904, and 10 years later it was successfully applied during the first flights and tests. The area, shape of the wing and flight speed are designed in such a way as to easily lift multi-ton aircraft into the air. Most modern airliners fly at speeds from 180 to 260 kilometers per hour - this is quite enough to stay confidently in the air.
At what altitude do planes fly?
Do you understand why planes fly? Now we will tell you about the altitude at which they fly.Passenger aircraft “occupied” the corridor from 5 to 12 thousand meters. Large passenger liners usually fly at an altitude of 9-12 thousand, smaller ones - 5-8 thousand meters. This altitude is optimal for aircraft movement: at this altitude, air resistance is reduced by 5-7 times, but there is still enough oxygen for normal engine operation. Above 12 thousand, the plane begins to fail - the rarefied air does not create normal lift, and there is also an acute lack of oxygen for combustion (engine power drops). The ceiling for many liners is 12,200 meters.
Note:a plane that flies at an altitude of 10 thousand meters saves approximately 80% of fuel compared to if it were flying at an altitude of 1000 meters.
What is the speed of the plane during takeoff?
Let's consider, how the plane takes off . Picking up a certain speed, it takes off from the ground. At this moment, the airliner is most uncontrollable, so the runways are made with a significant margin in length. Lift-off speed depends on the mass and shape of the aircraft, as well as the configuration of its wings. As an example, we present tabular values for the most popular types aircraft:
- Boeing 747 -270 km/h.
- Airbus A 380 - 267 km/h.
- IL 96 - 255 km/h.
- Boeing 737 - 220 km/h.
- Yak-40 -180 km/h.
- Tu 154 - 215 km/h.
On average, the takeoff speed of most modern airliners is 230-250 km/h. But it is not constant - it all depends on wind acceleration, the mass of the aircraft, the runway, weather and other factors (values may differ by 10-15 km/h in one direction or another). But to the question: At what speed does a plane take off? you can answer - 250 kilometers per hour, and you will not be mistaken.
Different types of planes take off at different speeds
At what speed does the plane land?
Landing speed, like takeoff speed, can vary greatly depending on aircraft models, wing area, weight, wind and other factors. On average, it varies from 220 to 250 kilometers per hour.