Name: Paul K.
Status: Other
Age: 50s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: September 2002
Question:
Why is the runway on an aircraft carrier built at an
offset angle to the line running straight along the length of the ship?
Replies:
It is for a couple reasons, placement or usage of "space" and safety. If you
look at the deck made up of 2 rectangles put end to end lengthwise, and just
put the tower in the middle as a reference point. Then inscribe parallel
lines in each rectangle, from one corner to the other-(now forming an
arrangement of 4 equal triangles)you will have a simple layout of the deck.
The "hypotenuse" (2 of them) for the triangles would now be the longest
distance-hence use that line for the landing and take off lines!. The
forward line would be used for take-offs and the rear for landing.
If both the take-off and landing were done along the straight line then an
incoming plane could crash into one taking off. Incoming planes have to
catch the wire and only have a small area to do this-so when an (jet)
airplane is coming in to land and touches the deck they hit full throttle,
if they catch the wire they will stop and then reduce throttle, if they miss
then they will have enough power and speed to take off for another try.
I apologize for any confusion but without being able to draw it I hope this
wordy answer helps.
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