Engineering Spot

Video Credit:  Out Of Your Mind In the late 1960s, the U.S. Army began the search for a new main battle tank. The M48/M60 series of tanks had reached a design dead end, and the Army desired a clean-sheet design to incorporate new technologies, including a gun-fired antitank missile. The Pentagon initially tried to cooperate with West Germany on a new tank, MBT-70, but the project was sunk by technical problems and cost overruns. The development of the M1 Abrams is a classic study into how competing requirements can collide with one another. The trifecta of tank power, firepower, protection and mobility all required some level of compromise. The Army was willing to bend some requirements, particularly with regards to weight, to get a good tank instead of being unbending in a vain search for the perfect tank. The result is the most battle-tested main battle tank today, a tank that, with periodic upgrades, has stood the test of time. Since then the Abrams has been involved in a lot mo...

Video Credit:  Out Of Your Mind The UH-60 Black Hawk can be described using one word: survivor. Self-sealing, crash-capable fuel tanks were chosen to limit the threat posed by small-arms fire or hard landings. The tail rotor blades incorporated into the new design were made of ballistically resilient materials to minimize the chance of a tail hit, which would compromise control of the rotorcraft. The main rotors saw a similar treatment, and an armored cockpit was added as the helicopter began to take shape. Redundant systems were worked into the designs of the flight controls, hydraulics, and electrical system to increase the craft’s ability to remain airborne after taking fire. In order to support all that weight, the UH-60 leveraged two engines and a four-blade propeller, which offered a cruising speed of over 100 mph and the ability to lift as much as 8,000 pounds with 1,000 pounds slung underneath. The Black Hawk was also  designed  to be broken down and transpo...

Video Credit: Out Of Your Mind The importance of thrust reversers greatly increases in the presence of ice or snow, when braking is more difficult. They provide added safety in emergency situations, enhancing not only braking ability, but also directional control. A thrust reverser, which allows for more rapid deceleration during landing, is a critical component of many jet aircraft. By acting against the aircraft’s forward travel, a thrust reverser system helps the jet slow down just after touchdown. This reduces wear on brakes and facilitates shortened landing distances. Thrust reversers are considered essential to an airplane’s safety and performance. A thrust reverser is contained within the nacelle system, an aerodynamic structure surrounding the jet engine. A nacelle system constitutes the aircraft’s propulsion system and also includes the engine cowling, inlet cowl, fan cowl, core cowl and exhaust system. While there are a number of types, many thrust reversers have clamshell do...

Video Credit: O ut Of Your Mind The F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team flies the advanced stealth aircraft at air shows around the globe, and its demonstrations include the crowd-pleasing power loop, split and tailslide, as well as high-speed passes and dedication passes—maneuvers that are based on those designed for combat operations but are performed at much lower altitudes that most pilots are certified to fly. The aerobatic display team has flown the F-22 since 2007, when the Air Force approved the aircraft for demonstration, and this replaced the Air Combat Command's F-15C demonstration team. The team participated in its debut air show at Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB) in March 2007, and since that time has performed in more than 250 demonstrations across the world. The U.S. Air Force F-22 is widely regarded as the most dominant fighter in the world. The F-22 Raptor is especially respected for its dogfighting ability and air-to-air maneuverability attributes which many contend separ...

Video Credit: Out Of Your Mind Based on the Mi-24 Hind, Mi-35 military helicopter incorporates several improvements, including shortened stub wings, a new rotor system, modern avionics, upgraded turboshaft engines and a hydraulic system. The cockpit and vital components of the helicopter are heavily armoured. The helicopter can fly at a maximum speed of 310km/h. Its operational altitude is 5,400m. The helicopter has a normal range of 460km and can reach a maximum distance of 1,000km with full fuel load. It can be deployed in combat missions in different geographies with high-temperature and high-altitude environments and features round-the-clock combat capabilities for conducting missions during day and night. It is also capable of operating from unprepared and poorly equipped airfields.

Video Credit:  Out Of Your Mind Airplanes are exposed to a variety of intense atmospheric and weather conditions. Ice, wind, rain and regular temperature changes deteriorate their paint. Colored paints fade faster than white, and that saves companies significant savings. White Color Reduces Birdstrike Hazard and White Makes it Easier to Spot Damage. White color makes it very easy to detect bumps, cracks, bird strikes and even oil spills on the aircraft. These damages are always darker than white, which makes it very easy to identify them. Thus, white facilitates safety routines and therefore protects pilots and passengers.