Pilots can see if their landing gear is down by flying over the camera array. In case no one else is looking, or cares. Could be displayed to passengers for peace of mind. To be used when there is not a conveniently placed tall building with mirrored windows.-- cudgel, Oct 29 2014 Why not just have a close-captioned camera on the plane, staring at the gear?-- RayfordSteele, Oct 29 2014 How many cases are there of passenger aircraft landing without gear, where the pilot was unaware of it?-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 29 2014 //Why not just have a close-captioned camera on the plane, staring at the gear?// Because that idea would be baked, and this one is original?
I see 'transmission to aircraft' but transmission to what device? Most planes don't have monitors installed that can receive a random video feed. The trouble with aviation is that it's very hard to move forward with new technology. There are plenty of ways to guarantee no gear-up landings (a simple mirror would work) but even adding something like that to a plan requires tens of thousands of dollars and months-to-years worth of paperwork.-- DIYMatt, Oct 29 2014 The established procedure is to fly a centreline pass and let the guys in the control tower take a look.-- 8th of 7, Oct 29 2014 //a good pilot can feel //
How?-- rcarty, Oct 29 2014 Drag.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 29 2014 Transmission to what device? email?-- cudgel, Oct 29 2014 //a good pilot can feel //
How? — rcarty, Oct 29 2014
Drag. — MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 29 2014
So, pilots who are in touch with their emotions who happen to enjoy dressing in drag are the best candidates?-- normzone, Oct 29 2014 //close-captioned camera//
I'm pretty sure you mean “closed-circuit”, but I'm imagining an operator sitting somewhere in the plane typing out descriptions of the sounds on the video feed. [WIND NOISE] [WIND NOISE] [GEAR DEPLOYING] [GRINDING METAL] [LOUD THUNK] [GEAR STOPS DEPLOYING] [WIND NOISE] [SCRAPING OF METAL AGAINST ASPHALT] [EXPLOSION] [SCREAMING IN DISTANCE] [SIRENS] [LIGHT WIND NOISE]-- ytk, Oct 29 2014 That would be great for deaf passengers, because they could watch the display to know when to scream in terror with everyone else.-- 8th of 7, Oct 30 2014 A camera is just a fancy sensor with bio-logic at the end.
If modern gear-down sensors are that glitchy, just use two. Or three. Best of five. And another sensor that indicates that the gear-down sensors are working. And a sensor for that sensor. Add to that a tidy little logic circuit that shines an LED to the pilot when all the sensors agree on something. I suspect this is pretty close to what they do now and it must be cheaper, lighter, and easier than a camera and screen.-- the porpoise, Oct 30 2014 This invention solves a much-needed problem.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 30 2014 This invention inspired by a paranoid pilot friend who flies over still water to look at his plane's reflection for oil leaks, smoke, and gear.-- cudgel, Oct 30 2014 Does he also fly a second time upside down? Otherwise there might be a fault on the top he was unaware of.-- pocmloc, Oct 30 2014 (Does he also...) I'll tell him. Thanks.-- cudgel, Oct 30 2014 //Ground based video feed to pilots
Only $5 per month. for only $10 a month the pilot gets the video feed of the correct plane.-- not_morrison_rm, Oct 30 2014 // a paranoid pilot //
... which implies the existence of a pilot, somewhere, sometime, who is not paranoid that there is something - however minor and subtle - wrong with the aircraft, quite apart from the defect list in the log book and that loose rivet they spotted during the "A" check ...
ALL pilots are paranoid - that is, the ones that are still alive ...-- 8th of 7, Oct 31 2014 Nice costume, [21].-- normzone, Oct 31 2014 What ? THOSE shoes with THAT dress ? Puh-leese …-- 8th of 7, Oct 31 2014 Yes, but I think he's trying to make a statement of some sort. Or it could be a colorblindness issue.-- normzone, Oct 31 2014 //make a statement of some sort// Well, officer, it's like this. I was minding my own business,,,-- pocmloc, Oct 31 2014 random, halfbakery