Re:Engineer defends concept circular runway idea
by dragonwriter on Friday April 21, 2017 @08:04PM
(#14170393)
> I don't see why a human has to do this.
Because automated systems fail.
> Even if they do, I don't see why it can't be done with an awareness system like the F-35 helmet.
Because most aircraft aren't F-35s and expenses and fallible systems that are appropriate and sensible for combat aircraft that may have to operate in conditions in which civilian aviation would not aren't necessarily something you want to make civilian aviation dependent on in conditions in which, with sensible things like straight runways, it would not be.
Re:Engineer defends concept circular runway idea
by htwillie on Saturday April 22, 2017 @12:13AM
(#14171085)
> I don't see why a human has to do this.
Because a human driving the plane has a vested interest in surviving the landing.
A person who writes buggy landing software, or an operator "piloting" it from the ground can get another job if they fail.
Re:Engineer defends concept circular runway idea
by burfog on Saturday April 22, 2017 @01:32AM
(#14171238)
The Romans would put civil engineers underneath newly-built bridges, then march the army over. Very few low-quality bridges were built, and nobody built more than one low-quality bridge.
This sort of thing works for planes too.
Even if they do, I don't see why it can't be done with an awareness system like the F-35 helmet. That would let you see the outline of the runway through arbitrary fog.
There is no special "rejected landing turn". You rise up just a bit, keep following the runway, and retry when you wish.