B2 Crash Video and detailed explanation....

[hammersley]

Must See... .....



Good thing we're using this in the desert and dry climates -



Exclusive Video: B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Crash Technical Report

 

[SierraRam]

Wow some heads are gonna roll over that maintenance issue!

 

[RJWEST]

Sounds a little strange to me... .
I think there's more to this than we will be told...

 

[PRout]

It asked for some sensors to be serviced in some form and that was not done,

 

[Jengle]

Pilots should be able to override the computers, to fly the aircraft. That's why they are there. JMHO

 

[E7mack96]

when they make things idiot-proof, then a new idoit is born... The flight computer itself

 

[AKaiser]

Pilots should be able to override the computers, to fly the aircraft. That's why they are there. JMHO

I don't think you realize what the ramifications of direct control of a B2 or F117 Stealth aircraft are in terms of the OVERWHELMING and COMPLEX series of inputs to keep the aircraft stable in flight. These aircraft are tremendously unstable, and require constant computer monitoring and correction to keep them flying. We're not talking the old stick and pedal days here. Pilots level of control is going to be limited to "how do I want the aircraft to perform," and the computer is going to make the necessary corrections to the control surfaces to perform the indicated maneuver.

 

[AH64ID]

Pilots should be able to override the computers, to fly the aircraft. That's why they are there. JMHO

In theory... However I am pretty sure that the B-2 doesn't have flight controls, that is its a pure fly-by-wire aircraft... so if a computer isn't getting good data even the backup computer can't compute correctly...



So with that being said I am not familiar with the airframe; however, I know it should never have been an issue.

 

[Moose Truck]

Fly by Wire... OK , it's a good and it's also scary. At Uncle Igor's we are going to Fly by Wire in the UH-60's and the S-92's soon I know that AirBus always have been Fly by Wire from Day 1. This ole' Crew Chief still likes Push-rods and Mechanical Cables tho :{ Moose Oo.

 

[Jengle]

I don't think you realize what the ramifications of direct control of a B2 or F117 Stealth aircraft are in terms of the OVERWHELMING and COMPLEX series of inputs to keep the aircraft stable in flight. These aircraft are tremendously unstable, and require constant computer monitoring and correction to keep them flying.

If that's the case, it sounds like a poor design of the aircraft. Using a computer to stabilize an unstable design, with no hope of a pilot saving it, if the computer takes a hike, is just asking for more of this type of accident to happen. Wait until they get some years on them and corrosion sets in on more of the computers sensors or the multitude of connections, carrying the signals to it.

 

[hammersley]

If that's the case, it sounds like a poor design of the aircraft. Using a computer to stabilize an unstable design, with no hope of a pilot saving it, if the computer takes a hike, is just asking for more of this type of accident to happen. Wait until they get some years on them and corrosion sets in on more of the computers sensors or the multitude of connections, carrying the signals to it.

My thoughts exactly... ... .

 

[AH64ID]

Fly by Wire... OK , it's a good and it's also scary. At Uncle Igor's we are going to Fly by Wire in the UH-60's and the S-92's soon I know that AirBus always have been Fly by Wire from Day 1. This ole' Crew Chief still likes Push-rods and Mechanical Cables tho :{ Moose Oo.

Yeah push rods are great. . Even in our 64 we don't have a direct mech linkage... but the fly by wire backup is nice to have.



Whats with the blade on the M model... . looks like its broke

If that's the case, it sounds like a poor design of the aircraft. Using a computer to stabilize an unstable design, with no hope of a pilot saving it, if the computer takes a hike, is just asking for more of this type of accident to happen. Wait until they get some years on them and corrosion sets in on more of the computers sensors or the multitude of connections, carrying the signals to it.

AFIK that is the first crash of a B-2. Doesn't sound like that poor of a design to me. Corrosion control is huge in aircraft, while this one had an issue it will not be common.



I would also think that if they had been more than 10 feet off the ground there would have been more time to override sensors. Takeoff and Landing are the most dangerous times as there is very little time to react. I would say that the guys were lucky to punch out with a failure that soon after takeoff.

 

[Moose Truck]

Yeah push rods are great. . Even in our 64 we don't have a direct mech linkage... but the fly by wire backup is nice to have.



Whats with the blade on the M model... . looks like its broke

What's with the Blade on the M? It's got a drooped tip. It's kinda like the winglet on a fixed wing, It helps keep the "High" Pressure under the blade for improved hover prefromance. Also, it's now all compsite, no metal spar. MooseOo.

 

[AKaiser]

If that's the case, it sounds like a poor design of the aircraft. Using a computer to stabilize an unstable design, with no hope of a pilot saving it, if the computer takes a hike, is just asking for more of this type of accident to happen. Wait until they get some years on them and corrosion sets in on more of the computers sensors or the multitude of connections, carrying the signals to it.

Far from it. It's called "stealth" technology. For example, the dynamics of an F-117's stealthy "cubic zirconium" design are by their very nature, very un-aerodynamic, and make the aircraft very unstable in order to create a low radar cross section. It's designed to reflect the radar waves off at odd angles to prevent the waves from coming back to the sensors.



The answer to the computer taking a hike is redundancy. The thing you have to understand about computers is your desktop computer would probably never crash if it were stuck in an airframe and only had to perform the same tasks over and over with limited parameters. Now, throw a keyboard and any MS program in the mix, and a bunch of inputs from the internet, viruses, virus prevention software, etc. and it easily can become a jumbled mess. Most of these computers, like your automotive computers, are running almost completely off the chipsets once they get going, if they even have a hard disc drive.



On the subject of sensor age and corrosion, these aircraft are maintained by ground crews whose job it is to keep tabs on such issues. Welcome to the 21st century.

 

[The patriot]

Nobody could have flown one of those w/o the computer.

 

[AKaiser]

Nobody could have flown one of those w/o the computer.

Exactamundo

 

[oneshotkyle]

1 major failure for the b-2. not gonna be that big of a deal. look how many updates and recalls on the trucks we drive every day. they crash lots of vehicle's and kill hundreds every day and we don't even blink an eye.

 

[AKaiser]

They'll likely ground the fleet and test every single one for the problem that downed this one.