2007-03-18 10:45:50 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
The human body can't take much more than 10 G's without serious damage such as crushed bones and collapsed lungs, therefore, that would limit what humans can do in airplanes...
2007-03-18 10:53:24 · answer #1 · answered by ALOPILOT 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Acceleration, basically. Humans can tolerate only around 7g in the vertical plane of their body (OK a good and well prepared pilot can manage 9g for a short time, but most will lose it before then and GLOC leaves a pilot stupid for a while after he wakes up, enough time to get killed), much less in the negative direction and very little lateral acceleration. A fighter aircraft without a human on-board would be able to turn hard in any direction. Linear acceleration and deceleration aren't much of an issue, aircraft aren't powerful enough to accelerate fast and probably never will be, deceleration costs you energy and that's undesireable in most circumstances. Humans don't do well with the sudden onset of acceleration either, they need time to prepare themselves.
Humans aren't the only limitation on aircraft manoeuverability, combat manoeuvers cost you energy which limits your ability to reach places where missiles aren't. But while instantaneous violent manoeuvers aren't the be all and end all of combat the limitations imposed by humans do ultimately limit survivability.
2007-03-18 11:13:24 · answer #2 · answered by Chris H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm with ALOPILOT. G forces are going to be the limiting factor. I was pretty good in my day (hell, I was the best!) and 9 g was about my limit.
Late note: I keep forgetting I'm not necessarily talking to other pilots and need to expand on these answers. Chris is right about the limited time. The 9 G I spoke of could only be tolerated for about 15 seconds of useful consciousness. It was not the most pleasant of experiences, either.
2007-03-18 11:08:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not just Gs, people, although that is the biggest limitation. Gs don't just affect the blood flow to the brain. Gs put incredible forces on all the organs as well. Reaction time is a big factor. Faster more agile jets force pilots to react much faster to situations.
2007-03-18 16:27:51 · answer #4 · answered by Me again 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not "might", but already have. Even old F16 manuevers are limited by the driver's physical limitations.
2007-03-19 22:22:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The human inner ear controls balance, or which way is up...
This will probably be the biggest hurdle for designers.
2007-03-18 10:54:43 · answer #6 · answered by wi_saint 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋