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Aerospace/Aviation/Minumum height and ground effect?
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Question
Hi Laura,
I'm wondering if it is true that ground effect makes it impossible for a large plane to fly close to the ground when going fast.
If possible could you make an educated guess at the minimum height it would be physically possible to fly a Boing 757 twin engined jetliner at 400 mph?
Great thanks any help.
Regards.
Hi Lugo
I am by no means an engineer but I do not believe there would be a problem for a jet like the 757 to fly at 400 mph while very low to the ground. While on controlled flight into terrain accidents, jets have been flying catastrophically fast and then suddenly colliding with terrain or the ocean. An example of this is Aeroperu flight 603, a B757 which crashed into the ocean at high speed after flying quite low above the water (unintentionally). So I think it is possible to be flying that fast and still be in ground effect. You might try asking another expert on here who is more of an engineer though.
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Great thanks - strange the pilot could not sence the extra lift, perhaps. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Laura Laster
Expertise
I can help with questions about aviation disasters, aircraft operations especially general aviation and King Air information, aviation safety, and education questions on how to get into an aviation career. I can also answer general aviation questions as I am a commercial multi-engine pilot. I cannot answer questions about flight training or MBA schools in countries other than the USA or provide advice for non-US citizens interested in flight training. I cannot answer questions advising you what school to choose. I have no experience with aeronautical engineering so I cannot answer questions relating to engineering or schooling for aeronautical engineers. PLEASE don't ask me questions about any kind of engineering because it is outside my area of expertise, and I will NOT answer your question. I also cannot help you to choose a master's program for study as I do not have a master's degree in aviation. I cannot help with MBA advice.
Experience
I have been studying aviation disasters through doing my own research and a lot of reading since I was 13 or 14 years old. I am very interested in aviation safety and also am a commercial, multi-engine pilot. I am a dispatch manager at a private university working in their flight training department. I also have worked as an operations mamager at a small charter airline and was involved in getting the airline certificated under Part 121 rules. I was formerly a flight operations division manager for a company operating a large fleet of King Air aircraft (60) and so I have some business aviation experience as well as having flight instructed for one year after college. My operations manager job frequently involved coordinating international trips for aerial survey clients and hiring qualified pilots to fly aerial survey missions.
Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Science, Aeronautical Science with Flight Management Concentration: LeTourneau University (2004) :: Dispatch Certificate: Sheffield School of Aeronautics (2010) ::
Commercial Pilot: Single and Multi Engine Land, Instrument Rating ::
Flight Instructor: Single, Multi and Instrument ::
Ground Instructor: Basic and Advanced
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