Quote:
Originally Posted by Vipergrün
I don't recall the last Boeing I flew on, but last week flew to Munich and back on an Airbus A340. Is it just me or do these planes seem to have a lot of weave and flex in turbulence? At times the plane seemed to 'snake' thru the air. Ok, perhaps a bit extreme, but....
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Funny you should say that. I grew up in an F4-D. The only thing that flexed on that was your own glutes anytime the thing was within a foot of the deck. Short, solid, multi camber wings, even shorter anhedral tail, extendable nosegear strut and extendable tailhook.
Mach 1.5 180-degree turn radius? If you were young and stupid, and could do the constant 7 G's... turn radius was 6 miles. Miles. Nothing vibrated or 'swayed' during that turn except your heart and the cuffs around your lower regions.
I rode to Tahiti not too long ago on an A340-300. LAX to NTAA, 10+ hours. Thru the Intertropical Convergence Zone, across the equator, thru lots of tops and turbulence. I was right over the rear of the wing.
My impression was exactly as yours. Sway and waddle. The wings are so slender and flexible (a good thang) and the fuselage so long, it seemed to flex it's way thru the turbulence the entire time. While it made a comfortable ride, it was disconcerting at first, seeing all 4 engines each describing their own unique arc as they flexed at the end of their pylons differently from the rest of the wing. I am used to the relative stiffness of a whale and while the 747-400's will do some of that (when heavy and high), it is several orders of magnitude more obvious in the A340.
This from a guy normally upfront, and not aware of these cabin perceptions. Being up at the tip of the arrow means you don't feel anywhere near the movement like in back.
Not a criticism of the bird, mind you, just a similar experience as yours. Yes, as a pax, I did sleep some of the way, and nothing I saw or felt would keep me from doing it again.