> While working for a large well known aircraft manufacturer in so.cal who
> was doing a structural test on the rudder portion of new jumbo jet about
> 25 years ago. It seems that in building up the test framework that would
> have the pull cables and test equipment attached to the framework, the
> engineers made a mistake and had the fixture about 6 foot to far south,
> and for the plane to be set up in the hanger for all the tests, it would
> have to be moved. as I recall the structure was about 50 feet square
> and 50 feet tall.the plane had to be backed up into this test rig. the
> bottom beams were about 12 to 18 inch heavy eye beams 50 ft per side
> than going up, graduating to about 12" etc, etc, to about 6 inch beams
> at the top. It looked like the structure for a high rise building
> (Massive) My guess would be something like 100 tons? It took months to
> construct this test setup. and it would take many more to disassemble
> and reconstruct for a 6 foot move costing much in dollars and time, as
> the company was pushing everyone to get the testing done as quickly as
> possible to keep on schedule. The next thing that we noticed was a group
> of people came in and bolted 4to6 round plates (about 12to16 inches
> across and 4or5 inches thick with a thick rubber skirt around the bottom
> so that it was about 1/2 inch above the concrete floor of the hanger.
> they hooked these plates up to the shop air, aprox. 135 to 210 PSI and
> said that they were going to move the test structure by floating it to
> the proper position. We all thought they were nuts. However when they
> turned on the air it made a whirring sound and air gushed out the bottom
> of the plates and a few of these people (4to6) begin to push and the
> 100+ ton structure moved easily, the required distance. They unbolted
> these plates and we never saw them again. I have heard of hover craft
> etc. However I didn't think it possible to move such a massive and heavy
> structure with plates and shop air? Black operations? Anti gravity? Just
> a thought of many at the time. It sure pulled this defense contractors
> chestnuts out of the fire at that time. Now a question. Is this
> possible, with the setup and air pressure used?? (Comments) ???
>
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