Stratolaunch 

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux) 09/26/2018 at 18:21 • Filed to: Planelopnik

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Stephen Levy once again dives into the bleeding edge of technology to cover the world’s widest airplane.

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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Just Jeepin' 09/26/2018 at 18:36

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How is it the largest plane, by wing span or gross weight? It seems if you stuck the two halves together you would be in 777 territory .

Just Jeepin' > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/26/2018 at 18:41

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It’s almost 2 777s wide! 385’, compared to 200’. 

ttyymmnn > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/26/2018 at 18:43

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Well, the wingspan of the Stratolaunch is 117 meters, compared to 97 meters on the Spruce Goose. Length is only 73 meters, which is about as long as an A380. Tne An 225, the current record holder, has an empty weight of 628k pounds, and an MTOW of 1.4m pounds. The Stratolaunch has an empty weight of 500k pounds, and an MTOW of 1.3m pounds. So, it all depends on which measurement you want to use. 

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Just Jeepin' 09/26/2018 at 18:45

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Not gonna lie, I want to see about how they made that hangar. 500 unsupported feet of roof is pretty impressive.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > ttyymmnn 09/26/2018 at 18:48

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With 400 tons of cargo capacity, I could see them coming up with a containerized center section that would allow for awkward sized loads.

ttyymmnn > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 09/26/2018 at 18:52

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Well, that’s the whole idea.

Chariotoflove > Just Jeepin' 09/26/2018 at 18:54

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This kind of stuff makes me giggle nervously and pray they can make it work. I’ m still hoping to see some of my childhood dreams come true before I die.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/26/2018 at 18:58

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The article makes that claim through wing span. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > ttyymmnn 09/26/2018 at 18:59

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IMO gross weight is more impressive than total wing span from an engineering stand point. The wing area is just lots of lift ( LOL) for higher altitude jaunts.

Ash78, voting early and often > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 09/26/2018 at 19:03

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We actually have a new recreational facility in town that has something like 18 volleyball courts inside — zero internal  columns. Just a bunch of stacked trusses for a few hundred feet one way, then probably 150’ the other way. Probably similar construction...

Just Jeepin' > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/26/2018 at 19:05

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Well, it’s so wide  they still don’t know whether the thing can land, so the engineering may be more (or less) impressive than you’re allowing.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Just Jeepin' 09/26/2018 at 19:12

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I want to see the video when they actually fly the thing. I don’t know why it wouldn’t be able to land.

Just Jeepin' > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/26/2018 at 19:23

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I assume the concern is being able to get the wheels down at roughly the same time, but what I know about flying would fill this paragraph. 

f86sabre > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 09/26/2018 at 19:29

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TRouble will be finding suitable runways to transport stuff too.

f86sabre > Just Jeepin' 09/26/2018 at 19:32

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I’m sure it will fly just fine, but the aerospace engineer in me is a bit queasy about the idea of not connecting the booms at the rear like a P-38. 

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Just Jeepin' 09/26/2018 at 20:58

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This is something I’d find as a superweapon in Ace Combat, not going to lie.

Shame we can’t make something similar to the Aigaion, but where the heck would such a behemoth land or take off?

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > f86sabre 09/27/2018 at 14:41

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It turns out that there are only a couple twin boom aircraft that I can find with unconnected tail booms.  Ironically 2/3 are Rutan designs.  If you include White Knight Two, that adds another Scaled Composites design to the mix.