Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

Alongside a nearby highway, some recognizable bits of airplane, the vertical stabilizer and rudder, a horizontal stabilizer and elevator, fell separately to Earth. The breakup started with rudder flutter. Flutter is a dangerous, complex, dynamic aeroelastic phenomenon dependent on true airspeed. The pilot died instantly.

True Airspeed 70

True Airspeed Indicated Airspeed Horizontal Stabilizer Aileron 70

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

Alongside a nearby highway, some recognizable bits of airplane, the vertical stabilizer and rudder, a horizontal stabilizer and elevator, fell separately to Earth. The breakup started with rudder flutter. Flutter is a dangerous, complex, dynamic aeroelastic phenomenon dependent on true airspeed. The pilot died instantly.

True Airspeed 68

True Airspeed Indicated Airspeed Horizontal Stabilizer Aileron 68

Chess In the Air

JUNE 24, 2022

Without knowing the horizontal wind direction and speed at this point it is impossible to say what his indicated airspeed was. At the high density altitude at Rifle a ground speed of 92 kt would have been equivalent to an indicated airspeed of less than 80 kt.

Pilot 52

Pilot AGL Wind Shear Runway 52