Repairing Airplanes Inflight, From the Outside (Jun, 1930)
It sure would suck if you dropped something.
Youthful Miami Inventor Blazes Another Trail in the Safety of Flying
ONE of the difficulties of air travel is the impossibility of making repairs outside of the cockpit while the ship is in flight. This holds particularly true when the trouble is centered about the tail. James Terry, inventor, of Miami, Fla., is shown demonstrating his safety device which makes it possible to make repairs without landing.
What exactly is this “safety device”? Is it that piece of rope, which the engineer tries to hold onto? It looks everything but safe.
Comment by Leo — March 26, 2008 @ 4:48 am
This still doesn’t address the problem of working on the engine while the prop windmills in the relative wind. Sorry, but if you need a repair and think I’m going outside in flight to fix it, you’re crazier than this inventor!
Comment by Rob — March 26, 2008 @ 12:15 pm
ACDC must’ve seen this article..
“Oh, we’ve got big balls
We’ve got big balls
We’ve got big balls
Dirty big balls
He’s got big balls
She’s got big balls
But we’ve got the biggest balls of them all”
Comment by Sporkinum — March 26, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
There was a pair of brothers in the 20s or 30s who set a time-aloft record. They had special catwalks on the aircraft so they could change oil and spark plugs while in flight!
Comment by Rick Auricchio — March 26, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
If your tail needs repairs maybe you shouldn’t be in the air.
Comment by Ednonymous — March 27, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
DO NOT WANT!!!!
Comment by cockgrinch — March 28, 2008 @ 2:00 am
This can be used for jet planes, too!
Comment by Shontopapa — September 9, 2008 @ 5:49 am
“This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard, ladies and gentleman. We are currently cruising on a height of 10000 ft, outside temperatures are -60 degrees. You will be happy to know that we are going to reach our destination right on schedule, as we saved 20 minutes by not doing that needed repair on our tail before takeoff. Lunch will be served in 10 minutes from now, and if you see our repairman passing by your window, give him a round of applause!”
Comment by TimeFlies — January 8, 2009 @ 7:08 am
I’m pretty sure that’s Lao Che’s plane from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Shorty, get our stuff!
Comment by Paul — March 12, 2009 @ 9:50 pm
This article proves without a doubt that Modern Mechanix is the predecessor of Mad Magazine.
Comment by Bayard — April 7, 2010 @ 4:44 pm