For those of you nervous about turbulence and the wing falling off

[mkahanek]

This video shows the actual structural test of the 777 during development. It shows the wing being pulled up to 24 feet from norm and 154% of maximum force the plane would possibly encounter in flight. It is a pretty interesting video that shows just how strong wings are built.

http://airlinepilotcentral.com/web_video/now_showing/777_wing_ultimate_load_test_20061211161.html

[Barb-SAN]

That was an interesting video. I think I would rather have NOT seen the wing ultimately crumple and break though. I had to keep telling myself it was being subjected to forces much greater than it would ever encounter in flight....and all the engineers were happy with the test results.

[mkahanek]

I was debating if folks would visualize it the wrong way, but there is a point at which you see the wing from the front in which it is really torqued upwards. If you ever watch the wing out of the window during turbulent weather you will never see it get anywhere close to the distance it was torqued up in that video. So watching the wing during turbulent times you can think to yourself. Jee that thing has 20+ MORE feet to go.

[EyesSkyward]

Two points to make:

1) If you quit watching by 2:20, you won't see the wing actually break. (But you'll sure see that sucker bend like nobody's business! :thumbsup:)

2) Am I imagining things, or is that a rubber duckie sitting on the edge of the wing? (0:30-0:50)

- Jeff

[Rebecca]

That does help move "wing breaking off" down the list of fears a bit.

:) I like seeing all those capable-looking engineers and folks whose whole job it is to design structually sound aircraft. Woo hoo!

Yes, that's a duckie. It's a test decoy to see if the leading edge seals would reveal themselves by going after it. The tests with herring were too messy.

[CaptainStark]

I got the crap beat out of me aloft last month and the wing flexed maybe two to three feet up and down. Flexing is good: It speads the stress out across the structure.

:ray:

[buckshot86]

That was really amazing. It looked like they almost went through the roof trying to bend the wings! :hyped:

[Barb-SAN]

Yes, that's a duckie. It's a test decoy to see if the leading edge seals would reveal themselves by going after it. The tests with herring were too messy.

Rebecca.....:lol: :lol: :lol:

[JPenny]

I've got one question: they put pressure on that wing VERY gradually it seemed to me. In a turbulent situation in flight, wouldn't the "flex" happen suddenly and randomly? My question is, if the pressure were put on the wing suddenly, would it break at a lesser "flex"?

Not to raise fear in anyone . . . that demonstration was amazing and greatly reassuring to me. I'm just curious about that one thing, however.

Jean :wave:

[Barb-SAN]

A related observation....in the "test", the body of the plane was held in place while only the wing was bent upwards. In the air, the entire plane would be free to move up and down in turbulence. It seems to me that it wouldn't be as likely for the body of the plane to be pushed down, and the wing simultaneously pushed up like that.

I was thinking about insects that fly. They have extremely fragile wings...yet they don't get pulled off while flying either. :cool: