What happens if a plane has a tail strike?
A tail strike on landing tends to cause more serious damage than the same event during takeoff. In the worst case, the tail can strike the runway before the landing gear touches down, thus absorbing large amounts of energy for which it is not designed. The aft pressure bulkhead is often damaged as a result.
Are tail strikes common?
While tail strikes are uncommon, they are a risk during hard landings, go-arounds, and even attempted go-arounds. Photo by Christoper Rose. This time, the 17-year-old Cessna 172 pilot with 67 total flight hours landed safely on Runway 24.
What does a tail strike feel like?
Put simply, a tail strike is when the tail of the aircraft makes contact with the runway surface. This can happen either during take-off or landing. Whilst this may just feel like a bump, it can be a serious incident. It is not a common occurrence, however, with pilots well trained to prevent it from happening.
How do you stop a tail strike landing?
Avoid increasing the pitch, or letting the pitch increase (e.g. ground spoilers effect) after a bounce. Perform a walk-around inspection to detect any marks that might have resulted from a tailstrike that was not noticed during the landing.
How is a tail strike detected?
Some aircraft have a small attachment, known as a tail skid, at the base of the tail to absorb any contact. And systems on most aircraft will detect whether a tail strike has occurred and alert pilots. Concorde is also a good example. It had a set of retractable wheels at the tail to protect it from a tail strike.
Why do 787 wings flex?
Allowing the wings to flex improves aerodynamic stability. The aircraft is more streamlined and experiences less drag. It helps provide a smoother ride for passengers and minimize turbulence. The 787 fly-by-wire technology also helps here to automatically raise or lower the wing trailing edge during the cruise.