NASA plane makes belly landing at Ellington Airport(www.khou.com)
5 pointsby ortusdux8 hours ago2 comments
  • ggm8 hours ago
    A 1970s era licenced remake of the English Electric Canberra first introduced in 1951 (first flight 1949), from WW2 design imperatives. Obviously, significantly enhanced. But we're looking at technology which in significant ways is an over 70 years old design with modern accoutrements shoehorned in.

    Noting it just had a problem, Perhaps this isn't a bad way to use robust tech to do research.

    What I found more surprising, is that they have been flown in combat contexts in Afghanistan for RF work. You would not expect other 70s warbirds to be routinely used that way, but the A10 was used in the same conflict, and it is also a 1970s era aircraft, so perhaps the surprise is a mistake?

    • shawn_w8 hours ago
      The F-15 and F-16 are 1970s era aircraft that are still used in front line combat roles.

      Then there's the B-52...

      • ggm7 hours ago
        Yes. The more pointed out, the more I see my sense as a strawman: These older designs persist far longer than people realise.

        Odd that the A380 is probably going to disappear before the last Boeing 747 because the A380 has no freight context, where the Jumbo has a good long life ahead as a C&C aircraft, and in freight. Turns out the nose bump had real value.

        50 MD-11 just got announced as on the path out of fedex. Thats a 1980s type over and done, while these 1970s craft continue on. The story isn't certain for a marque.