The mother ship rolls out!!

www.thedrive.com...

What a size, larger wingspan than the spruce goose. When I first saw the pic I thought it was computer generated. But no...... How is this going to fly. With co founder of Microsoft Paul Allen involved I'm sure they will achieve their goals.

a reply to: blackbird9393

I'm going by there tomorrow. Hopefully she'll be out.

a reply to: Zaphod58

You will be hard pushed to miss it that's for sure!

a reply to: blackbird9393

I thought they might be getting close. Our last time by they had the doors cracked open for the first time.

Look silly. Cant they just fill the middle bit?

Do they even have a runway capable of handling that ? It says it weighs 1.3 million pounds fully loaded. The Russians have an aircraft, the Antonov AN-225 Mriya which can carry a half million payload so I suppose it too would weigh around that but gee...I think I will watch from afar

That would be weird landing in a cross wind. Aligning with the sides of the runway.

a reply to: Pandaram

Considering that's where the rocket they're launching will be hung, no.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Pandaram

Considering that's where the rocket they're launching will be hung, no.

LOL

a reply to: DJMSN

Most runways are designed to take pretty close to that. Depending on model, a 747 maximum takeoff weight is between 800,000 and 900,000 pounds.

a reply to: Zaphod58
During development Airbus used a special ballasted test rig that weighed 545t to prove that most runways and taxiways at major airports could handle a fully loaded A-380. In fact late model A-380's that are built to the IGW standard have a max weight of 575t or 1,268,000 lbs. Therefore I dont think the mothership will cause too many problems weight wise. Wingspan and overhang however could be a different story.

That's a big girl there.. woah

a reply to: thebozeian

I suspect most of their launches will be from Mojave or one of the launch centers where it won't matter much.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: DJMSN

Most runways are designed to take pretty close to that. Depending on model, a 747 maximum takeoff weight is between 800,000 and 900,000 pounds.

I just finished differences training on the -8, and MTOW is closer to a million pounds. Actually 987,000. And if they are successful in upping the GEnx thrust from the current 66,500 lbf, it will probably go over a million pounds. It's a really different aircraft from the -400, but thankfully the same type rating suffices. I hate type rating checkrides since the whole thing is done in the sim, and the evil sim operators don't know how to give you less than 5 failures at the same time.

a reply to: F4guy
Sim instructors tend to be a bit evil and twisted. Even if you are just doing engine ground run re approvals.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: blackbird9393

I'm going by there tomorrow. Hopefully she'll be out.

Pleeeeeeeeaase tell me you got your camera.
I'll be watching ADS-D Exchange.

Get close like this
Or this...

But not this..
This..
Or this..

This is just right...

Good luck

a reply to: Zaphod58
Yeah of course. I suggest it might not be even possible at many large airports, especially on the taxiways and turnoffs. Now what must be interesting is using two aircraft tugs at once, that must require some very timely coordination on acceleration, braking and turning while positioning.

a reply to: Bigburgh

We won't be super close, but we'll be within a half mile going by.

a reply to: thebozeian

I'm pretty sure a B-52 style towbar won't work, so yeah, that should be fun to watch.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Good luck and have a good time.