MythBusters tonight (12/12): Airplane Hour

[pgengler]

I'm not sure of what's going to be tested exactly (Wikipedia says "Can a person with no flight training safely land a 747?" and I've heard "Can a plane take off while on a conveyor belt going the opposite direction?") but tonight's MythBusters is an "Airplane Hour" special. Might be of interest to the aviation geeks who lurk on this fine forum.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, it's on at 9pm on the Discovery channel (27 on Cablevision).

[mirrodie]

thanks. what time and channel?....discovery right?

[pgengler]

Whoops, forgot to mention that. It's on at 9pm on the Discovery channel (27 on Cablevision).

[NcSchu]

Thanks for that, I saw a thread about this on A.net last week or so but wasn't sure when it would be on.

[adam613]

MythBusters has a mixed history with regard to aviation topics...I'll be interested to see how they do with this.

[NIKV69]

For the most part I have enjoyed the myths they have done in aviation. The one with the 747 blowing the car over rocked! They screwed the myth up the first time (car in Rio getting flipped over by jet blast) when they couldn't use the plane and had to use some mock up engine but second time around they used that 747 and it blew that car away. I can't wait to see tonight's episode.

[NcSchu]

Top Gear also did an episode with a car + 747 exhaust before Mythbusters did theirs (I think) so I don't give them much credit for that one. The episode was pretty good, I'm surprised they were able to land the simulator so well with the "ATC" instructions. I've flown a 737 simulator and even for someone who's had MS flight sim experience and who had a CX pilot instructing me it took me two tries to land the plane (and on the second try I went off the runway onto the grass). I guess they're better learners. Interesting that it was an Airbus simulator too, I'm not sure I would like those controls.

[pgengler]

Looks like the "can a plane take off on a treadmill?" myth didn't make it into that episode. According to some reports (http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9401967776/m/5841963149?r=2231993149#2231993149), that'll be airing on January 30.