Replace this otherwise dead weight with a necessarily elaborate system of wheeled, and to an extent, telescoping ottomans for aircraft landings and take-offs.

The same ottoman a plane lands upon stays with the aircraft on the ground and is used for taxi and take-off later. The ottoman is returned to circulation.

Reducing the weight reduces the fuel consumption yada yada yada...

Airlines can invest their savings in creature comforts such as leg room, irresistible reclining seats and a more humane allotment of personal space for each passenger.

With landing gear out of the way, aircraft can then evolve to the next echelon of creature features by having select leisure flights using planes with state-of-the-art in engineering "glass bottom" hulls.

Re-inventing the flying workhorse for the benefit of the weary passneger, wheel at a time.
-- Tiger Lily, Oct 22 2003

(?) "Fireflash" still http://members.fort...ireflash/fire11.jpg
From the Thunderbirds episode auto mentions. It was a rescue mission, when the craft's landing gear was destroyed. [waugsqueke, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Sorry, but the combination of eliminating landing gear and having glass-bottomed planes for some reason made me think of a Flintstones car-type plane.
"This is your Captain speaking - we are now approaching Heathrow Airport. Passengers are advised to extinguish all cigarettes, switch off mobile phones and start running really quickly."
or
"Good evening ladies and germs. I just flew in from New York, and boy are my feet sore..."
-- lostdog, Oct 22 2003


// otherwise dead weight of self-contained landing gear //

No thanks. If the plane I'm on should ever have to land somewhere other than the designated airport, I want it to be landing gear equipped.
-- waugsqueke, Oct 22 2003


Rods, did you mean something like an ottoman umpire? Oh, I think you did...
-- Tiger Lily, Oct 22 2003


U-2s (and a few other aircraft) have wheeled stems on their wingtips that fall off on take off. If I'm not mistaken, early ship-launched aircraft were set in a cradle that would fall away or remain with the ship once the plane took off. If I'm furthermore not mistaken, the planes were seaplanes (with pontoons) and the cradles afforded them wheels.
-- phoenix, Oct 22 2003


Both, to a certain extent. The system accomodates comfortable margins. Luggage can be loaded in compartments directly below your own seat. You can watch your luggage through the entire flight. Just bend over a little further.
-- Tiger Lily, Oct 22 2003


// "plenty of slop built in"?//

I would never use such language. In Finishing class, I was taught the proper way to cut with my acetylene torch...

Once I cut a fish skeleton from 1/4" plate. How apropos... 
-- Tiger Lily, Oct 23 2003


[autosurgeon], honestly, if there has been anything like this, it is news to me. This idea was my mind's way of putting off studying for an exam.
-- Tiger Lily, Oct 23 2003


[TL], heh. I always forget. Is the acetylene torch the one closest to the plate or is that the plasma cutter?
-- half, Oct 23 2003


auto, found a still image of that Fireflash episode (my favorite). F.A.B.!
-- waugsqueke, Oct 23 2003


Who resets all the ottomans (ottomen? ottopersons?) after each landing? I'll stick to planes with wheels, thank you very much...
-- Freefall, Oct 23 2003


The otters.

[half], there's nothing to it. Work in from the outside, from general to specialized. Clamps on the left; locking-C, sheet, then welding. On the right; acetylene then plasma cutters. For special occasions, serve MIG and TIG on the charger and remember:

"The striker always goes at the top with the bun!"

[waugsqueke], I enjoyed the link you added for [Ff]. I notice how the aircraft's profile reflects the separate teams of engineers and their differing schools of thought... :b
-- Tiger Lily, Oct 23 2003



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