Bucket List Go Fast

Great Courses … yes, I’ve enjoyed the audio CD and DVD versions over the years. I put the engineering disasters version on my list of DVD’s to watch, thanks for recommendation.

As far as the 737, that plane a frequent topic of the same series (Mayday) of one hour tv shows that includes the Russian plane incident above. Several episodes were about a problematic rudder control. As I recall 737 max is a longer version of the 737, to hold more passengers. Lengthening change caused the center of gravity to move. To compensate a sensor was installed that told the flight computer if the plane is flying level or not. But if the sensor fails, this confuses the flight computer, can result in the plane being nearly uncontrollable. According to the series, sensor-failure on planes (not just 737) is a pretty common cause of disastrous fatal crashes. Failure of air speed sensor especially problematic. At least on cars if a sensor fails, you can just coast to the side of the road.

I forget now but they had a sensor on both sides to be redundant but something about the software. The simple fix for the max was to hit the cutaway switch which disables the rear motors. Pilots were not normally made aware of this in the training or manuals. Another max disaster was avoided by a visiting pilot that just happened to be in the cockpit when problems developed and told the pilot to just hit the cutoff switch and that restored order.

Like I said I like my pilots to have been shot at and had to land with half the plane gone. Gray hair and guys that walk straight and quick are indicators.

My one expectation I have for commercial airplane pilots: Don’t let your kids fly the plane when I’m on it!!

Reminds me of that old quote: There are old pilots and there are bold pilots but not too many old, bold pilots.
I was at a concert and remember seeing a couple of parachutists, one with a flare. Read later that the one with a flare burned to death in the air. I will likely not be doing the drop out of an airplane thing…

BTW speaking of engineering blunders does any one recognize the bridge in my avatar? Notice the waviness.

Is that the bridge in Oregon/Washington area, turned out the design wasn’t rigid enough for the wind forces?

Yes the Tacoma Narrows Bridge nicknamed Galloping Gertie. I have heard a couple of different explanations (maybe not exclusionary ) but it seems the trusses being solid as opposed to open allowed the wind to twist the bridge until it collapsed. “Aeroelastic fluttering” was the explanation. I thought eyelids on a pretty lass fluttered not bridges.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940) - Wikipedia

Yep that’s what I was going to say but took me a little time. Only lasted a few months that I recall. Lack of rigidity on the bottom cord I believe. That was another bridge covered in the above mention great course on engineering failures. Also my favorite the sliver bridge and the sunshine bridge in Tampa. The 35w bridge in Minneapolis was not covered but also caused by a single joint failure. Designs of the 60s lacked redundancy in their design meaning one single part, joint, or pillar, would bring the whole thing
down.

One lucky lady on the silver bridge had just started across, heard a bang thinking a barge hit a pillar, stopped and slammed it in reverse. Car stalled but slope of the road allowed the car to coast off the bridge enough so she was saved. There are some interesting lore involving an Indian curse on the site but she was lucky. You think about things like one less customer at the checkout, one less red light, etc. would have put her on the bridge. Fate?

1989,SF Bay Area had big earthquake, Oakland-SF bridge segment collapsed. All traffic stopped. Some cars barely hanging on edge. One driver however was stopped at safe spot, not on the edge, didn’t need to do anything at all to stay safe. But instead panicked, turned car around, drove wrong way, and off the failed bridge segment, 100 foot drop or more into bay. I don’t think that driver survived.

That was another one covered. Had to do with the pillar connections and the pillars collapsing out. When it was reconstructed they redesigned the connections.

I’m definitely looking forward to watching the vdo.

This is all car related anyway so the grumps have no reason to flag, but a little more bridge design. When the sun bridge in tamp went down it was a cantilever design so that if one pillar was taken out, a significant part of the bridge comes down. Not used much anymore due to computer assisted engineering.

I noticed the bridge to sanibel had just one section come down indicating good bridge design in addition to modern redundancy. Still sounds like a significant section will need replacement. For a land lover like me it was a scary bridge, especially being stopped on it with traffic.