Air Transat Flight 326- 2001

they say it has something underneath it to help it glide?
Yes it is called air. :diablo:

No the RAT deployment is not instantaneous and the I can absolutely positively guarantee you that the A340 does have mechanical backup. I have flown the aircraft in mechanical backup in the simulator on more than one occasion.

The RAT deployment and spin up is so fast in can be considered instananous. I havn’t go the A330 figures to hand but I was told that the Tristar RAT deployed in 1/11th of a second!
The A330/340 has no mechanical backup what so ever. All it’s backup systems require electrical and hydraulic power from somewere. If you have lost both engines, the APU and the RAT the aircraft is uncontollable.

Rgds Cking

Yes your argument is technically correct (although the transfer to RAT power is far from instantanous) but the point I’m trying to make is that like any conventional airliner the loss of all engine driven and APU driven generators does not stop a FBW aircraft functioning. The fact still remains though that if a modern Airbus lost RAT power as well it can still be flown in mechanical backup.

It also nicely dispels the myth that an Airbus can’t fly with unpowered flight control computers (in fact it just becomes a conventional aircraft). Also nicely shows that despite being fly by wire the aircraft is inherently stable unlike most military applications on FBW.

The RAT, when deployed powers the green hydraulic system. The green hyd system powers a Hydraulic motor driven generator. The HMG provides electrical power to various systems, the flight control system being one of them. Therefore the flight control computers were powered, without power to them the pilot would not have been able to move the flying control surfaces.

Rgds Cking

i have that film here on video, its a really good film, so indepth and realistic!

What about the 767 a few years back that ran out of fuel and landed on a disused airstrip. I think it was in the USA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider

another great example of airmanship and skill from the pilots.

What about the 767 a few years back that ran out of fuel and landed on a disused airstrip. I think it was in the USA.

I thought they were RAMs :confused:

No, they are ‘RATs’ – Ram Air Turbines. 🙂

All modern commercial passenger aircraft have a ‘RAT’

I thought they were RAMs :confused:

All modern commercial passenger aircraft have a ‘RAT’

Only think the A330 can do it im sure on the programme they say it has something underneath it to help it glide?

James

The RAM Air Turbine, not so much to help it glide but provide some power and allow control.

I remember watching that one back in late 05 i think. It really surprised me because i genuinely didnt think a/c were capable of something like that

Only think the A330 can do it im sure on the programme they say it has something underneath it to help it glide?

James

It also nicely dispels the myth that an Airbus can’t fly with unpowered flight control computers (in fact it just becomes a conventional aircraft). Also nicely shows that despite being fly by wire the aircraft is inherently stable unlike most military applications on FBW.

I remember watching that one back in late 05 i think. It really surprised me because i genuinely didnt think a/c were capable of something like that