A jet engine when observed from the front, shows a cone followed by the propeller blades/turbine. On the top of the cone facing towards the observer, there is a spiral curvy line. What does this line do? What is it used for?
2007-02-10 19:14:25 · 9 answers · asked by Swapnil 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
Lets you know if the engine is running. Ground crews wear hearing protection and a running engine may not be immediately obvious without some visual cues.
2007-02-10 23:57:43 · answer #1 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Not all jets do have this. It's a safety thing, so that people working around the engine can have some idea that the fan is turning, and if so, how fast. Obviously, if the thing is freewheeling in the wind, that's not going to be a problem, and people on the ground will see that the fan is turning slowly. But if the engine is running, getting too close can be dangerous, as you don't want anything to get sucked in (most common thing would be hats and caps!)
2007-02-10 19:37:35 · answer #2 · answered by Malcolm W 2 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Let me guess, you look out the window and saw the vanes not turning? They don't, they are called Fixed Stator Guide Vanes and smooth out the airflow, they aren't supposed to move at all. There are some internal to the engine that also perform this function that will change their angle relative the spinning blades called Variable Stator Guide Vanes, but you can't see them from outside.
2016-03-29 01:51:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As far as i'm conecern its for safety purposes. 1. when the aircraft is on the ground and doing an engine run this will allow people to know that the N1 of the engine is rotating. 2. when the aircraft is on flight this will allow the birds to see/notice the danger of this engine coz birds doesn't realize the aircraft engine when it is on air and its very dangerous if a bird goes into the engine. sometime they call it "scare crow".
2007-02-10 23:45:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Germans did that a lot with the propeller cones on their fighters in WWII. It was kind of like something they used to make the aircraft unique. Different squadrons and different pilots had different patterns and colors. They had dozens upon dozens of different patterns. Some of them looked really sharp! It was similar to how the American (and some British) fighter planes had shark teeth or pin-up girls painted on them.
As for why the spiral pattern is STILL used on planes today, I haven't the slightest idea. I'm guessing it's to draw attention to the moving turbine...ya know, kind of a safety thing.
2007-02-10 19:26:23 · answer #5 · answered by The Man In The Box 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I've wondered the same thing. Having some knowledge of jet engines, the only thing I can think of is it allows ground crew to tell whether the engine is spinning or not more easily. Pretty lame, I guess, but it's all my little mind can come up with.
2007-02-10 19:23:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Its for visual purposes. In dark situations you cant see the engine running so that kinda shines because its yellow in colour and it allows the ground staff to see if they can report to the captain movement of N1 during start-up.
2007-02-10 19:26:29 · answer #7 · answered by ZUS 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
....... to show the motion or movement that engine is running .......... so that you stay away ........... engine can suck you in from quite a distance .............. therefore have no loose clothing on you whenever near it ............
2007-02-10 23:00:08 · answer #8 · answered by spaceman 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
so you can tell if it spinning or no
2007-02-10 19:49:11 · answer #9 · answered by dld542002 1 · 2⤊ 2⤋