Aviation trivia quiz.

originally posted by: Imagewerx

originally posted by: JIMC5499
121.5 is Guard frequency. I'm going to hazard a guess and say that it is easier for locating the source of a signal with AM than FM. I remember our radio compasses being AM and being able to determine a rough position by plotting the reciprocal bearings of radio stations.

NDBs and similar are AM for the same reason as the comms channels are at a guess.FM has much better noise rejection than AM does,but this isn't what I'm after here.

What happens on AM when two different radio operators transmit at the same time,and what happens on FM?

Hmm, guessing from physics, the AM signals would sum roughly and a distorted version of both would be audible simultaneously, but on FM, the receivers would only lock onto whichever was closest/strongest.

originally posted by: mbkennel

originally posted by: Imagewerx

originally posted by: JIMC5499
121.5 is Guard frequency. I'm going to hazard a guess and say that it is easier for locating the source of a signal with AM than FM. I remember our radio compasses being AM and being able to determine a rough position by plotting the reciprocal bearings of radio stations.

NDBs and similar are AM for the same reason as the comms channels are at a guess.FM has much better noise rejection than AM does,but this isn't what I'm after here.

What happens on AM when two different radio operators transmit at the same time,and what happens on FM?

Hmm, guessing from physics, the AM signals would sum roughly and a distorted version of both would be audible simultaneously, but on FM, the receivers would only lock onto whichever was closest/strongest.

I'll let you have this one,it's close enough.It's called the 'capture effect' and means that a very weak AM signal would still be audible as a heterodyne whistle underneath a much stronger one.An FM receiver will always favour the signal that is only marginally stronger than another one on the same frequency and you wouldn't hear a distress call anywhere near as easily as you would on AM.

Here's another historic one (answer to previous one is given on previous page in case anyone missed it).

In the early days of the Battle of Britain it was found that a Spitfire, dived at high speed, had a tendency to continue that dive all the way to the ground despite the pilots best efforts. The fix for this was relatively simple. What was the problem and the fix devised and tested by Alex Henshaw?

Changed the elevator skin from fabric to aluminum.

originally posted by: Barnalby
a reply to: Stngray

The B-2

What was especially unique about the way in which the aircraft that could/would have been the first supersonic VTOL/STOVL aircraft managed to go so fast?

I was going for B-58, but your answer may be correct, also.

a reply to: waynos

This relates to my earlier P-38 post. The problem is compressibility. I don't know the answer without looking it up, but on the Lightning it was dive flaps mid chord on the bottom of the wing. The problem has also been called "Mach tuck".

a reply to: Stngray
I cheated and looked online. I think I was wrong. Still can't find the answer though.

a reply to: JIMC5499

Correct (sorry stingray) you didn't include the full answer so for others who may be interested, in a high speed dive the canvas covered control surfaces ballooned, being effectively both up and down at the same time, locking the aircraft into the dive. After testing the controls with an aluminium plate attached the problem was gone so the surfaces were changed on all aircraft.

a reply to: waynos
No need to apologize to me. I learned something new. Always happy to do that.

a reply to: Zaphod58

6594th Test Group "Starcatchers"

www.abovetopsecret.com...

What's the difference between an Air Force Base and an Air Base?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Ones on the ground and the other isn't.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Air Force Base is in US and an Air Base is outside US.

a reply to: EternalSolace

Very good. I thought that one would keep you guys occupied a little longer.

originally posted by: EternalSolace
a reply to: Zaphod58

Air Force Base is in US and an Air Base is outside US.

So it's not like the sky captain and the world of tomorrow? That's disappointing.

a reply to: waynos

I knew the answer, but, I was looking for a reference for it and got called into a meeting before I found it so I just hit the reply button.

Anybody hear about the Corsair that chewed up the Zero at an airshow?

Original Japanese Zero Loses Tail

a reply to: JIMC5499

I guess some grudges die hard

What was the worlds largest flying bomber at the outbreak of World War 2 (that's 1939 for the Johnny-come-lately's )

No cheating looking it up on the Internet. Who barrel rolled the first 707 which was literally the entire company's future?

ETA no zaphod answers. I know you know this.

a reply to: waynos
XB-15?