The Movie, 'Flight of the Phoenix'

[Gastronom]

Ok I watched this action packed movie and thought it was well done I just have a question about feasability with the plot.
The characters of the film get down by a sand storm so they use the parts that weren't mangled to create another airplane to fly themselves out of the desert. In this idea the passengers, I think about 6, were all strapped to the top of the wing and had installed a windshield for each position on the wing to protect the passengers.

Now wouldn't that change the airfoil of the wing and limit its ability to create lift? Air has to move across the top of the wing before lift can be created so wouldn't the windshields and passengers change the airflow impedding the lift capabilities??

Just a quest, please give your thoughts.

[Bill Mixon]

Yes it would but there is still a lot of wing out there producing lift.

Which movie are you refering to? I haven't seen the "new" one, but have seen the original from the 60's.
For the original movie they actually built and flew it so I guess you could call it feasable. ;)
http://home.earthlink.net/~eellbee/mantz2.html
http://stripe.colorado.edu/~steinerd/Phoenix.html

[JonB]

Hi guys:
I recall that as a result of the original movie, we lost a very talented pilot and designer, Paul Manz, who was killed in a roll over crash while filming. A minute of silence please!
Thanks,
Jon B.

[Gastronom]

The movie that I watched is the newest version. I haven't had the opportunity to watch the original yet but hope to soon.
So there shoudl be plenty of lift left on the wing? I wonder how much 'the passengers' disrupted the airflow. I would think that there has to be some sort of disturbance but not sure at all.. thanks for your input :D

[Murocflyer]

Yes it would but there is still a lot of wing out there producing lift.

Which movie are you refering to? I haven't seen the "new" one, but have seen the original from the 60's.
For the original movie they actually built and flew it so I guess you could call it feasable. ;)
http://home.earthlink.net/~eellbee/mantz2.html
http://stripe.colorado.edu/~steinerd/Phoenix.html


Great info & links. Thanks for sharing.

[ChrisP]

I think about 6, were all strapped to the top of the wing and had installed a windshield for each position on the wing to protect the passengers. Now wouldn't that change the airfoil of the wing and limit its ability to create lift?
You presumably missed the fact that the cargo plane had been transporting a large consignment of bean dip.
So with a name like 'Gastronom' and an interest in aerodynamics, you should easily understand that the answer lies in the acronym RATO (Ripsnorter Assisted Take Off). :D

[flieslikeabeagle]

I saw an article on the making of this movie in some electronics magazine - perhaps EDN, I forget.

An actual RC model of the "Phoenix" was built and flown for many of the shots in the movie. The model included the windshields and realistic looking dolls mounted on the wing.

The article mentioned that the plane was a bit of a bear to fly due to its severe assymmetry. Trimming the model at one speed would leave it far from trimmed at another speed.

-Flieslikeabeagle