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Old 13-October-2003, 03:09 PM
jgravatt jgravatt is offline
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Default Explanation Error in Book
I haven't read every thread here, so maybe this has already been brought up. Sorry if I"m duplicative.

I was rereading the chapter on top 10 movie mistakes (section on turning spaceships in space). You explain that a plane turns by banking, which causes the thrust to turn to the side or something to that exten--if forget the exact terminology used. Anyways, this is not correct.

An aircraft does turn by banking. However, it is the horizontal component of lift created by banking which turns the aircraft. It is not really changing the thrust or however it was actually explained.
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Old 13-October-2003, 06:22 PM
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If anyone has their book handy could they post the exact language here. Thanks.
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Old 13-October-2003, 07:50 PM
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Quote:
We moribund humans are conditioned to expect airplanes to bank as they make turns. Tilting the wings of the plane helps redirect the thrust to the side, turning the plane. But note what is doing the pushing: air.
Bad Astronomy (pp 248-249)
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Old 13-October-2003, 08:15 PM
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Default Re: Explanation Error in Book
Quote:
Originally Posted by jgravatt
I haven't read every thread here, so maybe this has already been brought up.
That's the raison I am here--The Bad Aviator brought it up a little while ago, and there was some discussion you might be interested in.
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Old 13-October-2003, 08:29 PM
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Thanks, I wasn't sure that it'd been covered. I enjoyed the book nonetheless!
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Old 13-October-2003, 09:28 PM
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I think this was corrected in the fifth printing, but I don't have one here to check. I'll take a look later.
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Old 14-October-2003, 03:46 AM
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I'm really looking forward to another book, hope one is coming soon.
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Old 15-October-2003, 02:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eroica
Quote:
We moribund humans are conditioned to expect airplanes to bank as they make turns. Tilting the wings of the plane helps redirect the thrust to the side, turning the plane. But note what is doing the pushing: air.
Bad Astronomy (pp 248-249)
My edition (5th. edition) has the same statement. (Erotica may have the same edition as me.)


The description of thrust sounds scientifically valid to me from what I know about how the shuttles moves in space.
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Old 15-October-2003, 08:45 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NASA Fan
(Erotica may have the same edition as me.)
Erotica? Oh, you tease!
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Old 15-October-2003, 02:01 PM
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Only one edition, five printings. Right?
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Old 16-October-2003, 04:39 AM
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Hmmm... any sixth printing on the horizon?
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