Thursday, July 30, 2015

Gizmodo- NASA Crashes Planes for Science

NASA Continues Crashing Airplanes For Science

NASA Continues Crashing Airplanes For Science
NASA doesn’t just crash rockets — sometimes, it crashes cheaper aircraft too. This week, it’s the turn of a Cessna 172, being gratuitously destroyed to help improve airplane’s black boxes.
The Emergency Location Transmitters (ELTs) in aircraft are supposed to send a distress signal in the event of a crash, but thanks to the forces at work when ground meets plane, things don’t always go to plan (see: MH370).
In an attempt to make better ELTs, NASA has been crash-testing the popular Cessna 172, to get more data on how ELTs perform in a real-world scenario. Earlier this month, the agency dropped a 172 onto tarmac; this time around, it crashed one into a patch of dirt, producing a more severe crash since the plane doesn’t slide along the ground, just dig in.
NASA’s focus isn’t on making ELTs indestructible. Rather, it’s on making sure that the ELTs work in crashes that are severe, but survivable — the kind of crash where you really want the rescue mission to find you ASAP. A 100-foot fall onto dirt looks quite traumatic, but there’s a fair chance that some of the occupants might have survived.
More importantly, the crash was covered by all manner of cameras from all sorts of angles. If you’ve ever wondered what a light aircraft accident looks like, now’s your chance.

Contact the author at chris@gizmodo.com.
3 10 Reply
  • The test “gantry” they do these tests in is quite impressive. I live about 3 miles up the road from NASA Langley where the test was performed; you can see this thing from just about anywhere in the area.
    • A few thoughts:
      a) It’s called the NASA LAIR. I love it and want my secret villain hideout to be built there. 
      b) More interesting than the last time I saw Mythbusters. They were doing some stupid duct tape shit. Man, I miss when that show was good.
      c) Cessnas don’t move particularly fast, do they?


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