From electric flight to next-generation open rotor engines to computerized flight paths, the GE Aviation team is at the center of a number of flight technology breakthroughs. But it takes imagination to dream up the next leap in flight — and it takes guts to actually take the controls.
The latest installment of The GE Show, which is an online series that decodes large-scale issues and explains what’s being done to solve them, takes a closer look at some of the wilder elements of flight.
Their “High Flying Tens” photo gallery features the “Top 10 Weirdest Planes” and “The Top 10 Window Photos” shot from a plane. And video clips in “Top 10 Plane Landings” show some amazing flights and a few that you just might want to avoid — from bad bounces to short runways to ice and sand landings by giant military cargo planes.
Strange but true: The battery-powered plane at left is designed to fly five years without taking a break. On the right is the perfect place for travelers who feel at home while flying. See the whole gallery.
Window seat: Among the most stunning photos that were shot by passengers through a plane’s window is the one at left, snapped over Finland with a mobile phone. The photographer said, “The effect is due to the refresh rate of the phone’s sensor combined with the rotation speed of the blades.” At right is the view over the Alps. See the whole gallery.
While the Top Ten videos certainly provide some heart stopping moments, this landing in Zurich shows just how hard flying can be. Note how the plane is turned at about a 20-degree angle due to the tremendous force of the wind as it tries to touch down.
Think you have a better idea — or can solve some of the big flight issues? Try it yourself with the interactive design tool, below.
Balance of power: In the interactive game on the site you must design a plane with the proper lift, drag and fuel efficiency to make it from one landing strip to another. Once you’ve assembled all of the components the way you want, you can “fly” the plane and the site will give you a report about what works, and what could be improved — along with explanations about how the different forces and design impact a plane.
* Read more Aviation stories on GE Reports
* Read about the debut of the first public RNP path in the U.S.
* Try out the Electric Vehicles installment of the GE Show
* Read “Fly the Faster Skies: New Satellite-Guided Flight Paths“
