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British F-35Bs to bring vertical landing abilities to highways

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Re: British F-35Bs to bring vertical landing abilities to highways

#331

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can’t help but think it must be about protecting the aircraft rather than protecting the surface, as in ukraine roads are commonly built out of reinforced concrete slabs, and somewhat less commonly, but still frequently, they are built to take the weight of tanks, and are wide and straight enough to accommodate even large aircraft - there’s a strip of highway north of Mariupol that was originally built to accommoda…

Sorry to bother you on a random comment, but is your airship thing still current?

Yes. As with most things it’s taking time to get things moving - I’m still raising an initial round of funding, and am at the “I will if they will” on several counts stage, and am working with a local council to get my hands on a large chunk of industrial park on a grant. Not far off the target, and a few potential investors yet to approach.

It’s going to take a while to go anywhere, but in the meantime I’m working with a couple of aerospace engineer friends/family on solidifying the concept. If nothing else I’m having fun figuring out how to make something the size of a skyscraper fly with next to no energy expenditure.

Re: British F-35Bs to bring vertical landing abilities to highways

#332
post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can’t help but think it must be about protecting the aircraft rather than protecting the surface, as in ukraine roads are commonly built out of reinforced concrete slabs, and somewhat less commonly, but still frequently, they are built to take the weight of tanks, and are wide and straight enough to accommodate even large aircraft - there’s a strip of highway north of Mariupol that was originally built to accommoda…

Is concrete used much in Europe? I’d think asphalt is a much more common highway surface material.

A lot of Warsaw pact countries, yes, and in Ukraine it was still common a decade ago when last I was there.
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