Not Buying It

Posted by lex, on October 30, 2008

A couple of occasional readers have sent along this clip:

And one has even provided an interview * with the “pilot.”

Color me unconvinced: In the low level into the pull-up, the sound of the engine said to me “remote control” aircraft, even as the characteristic twitching of the airframe spoke of very light weight being manipulated from a distance. It was certainly lucky for the film crew that American English speaking spectators were on hand for a practice airshow in Germany to provide the voice over. The cameraman has a pretty hard time keeping the plane in focus – most video cameras will focus on infinity for an airplane at any distance. Plus, the camera operator appears to travel with the airplane as it lands and rolls out – tough to do from a standing start to 80mph.

An airplane missing its right wing ought to spin right, not left – no lifties, no turnies. Aerobatic pilots are equipped with parachutes – at least here in the US – and I’ve never seen a better reason for bailing out than the loss of a wing.

Finally, while a powerful aerobatic airplane could hang from the prop as is shown in the approach to landing, real airplanes, don’t – they can’t, I don’t think – snap around like that to plant the wheels, and come to a full stop in four seconds. I’d be interested in seeing how they transitioned from RC aircraft to the guy climbing out.

But I just don’t buy it.

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01-12-21 link gone – Ed.