What happens if a EMP pulse is set of...

effee

Golden Member
Sep 4, 2004
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Lets just imagine that somehow, someone was able to sneak it past security...and he/she sets it off in mid air.

Would the pilots still be able to control the plane down for landing? If I am not wrong, the plane is brand new and depends heavily on electronics.

So with the instruments gone from the EMP pulse, the pilots would have virtually no control over the plane? Do the newer fly by wire planes come equipped with old school controls
 

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
68
91
They all have manual override controls for the steering, but who knows about things like fuel injection.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
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their shields will go down

c'mon now, hasn't starcraft taught you anything?
 

LordMorpheus

Diamond Member
Aug 14, 2002
6,871
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does the A380 have backup cable controls? I'd doubt it, it'll have redundant hydraulics, but I doubt it'll have cables.

I bet it would wind up crashing, the pilots might be able to do some things but it'd be really hard to bring an A380 down safely without any electronics.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,221
17,894
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err, fly by wire means you instruct the mechanism to act, not actually pulling a steel cable to change the flaps. No power = dead bird.
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
Originally posted by: effee
Lets just imagine that somehow, someone was able to sneak it past security...and he/she sets it off in mid air.

Would the pilots still be able to control the plane down for landing? If I am not wrong, the plane is brand new and depends heavily on electronics.

So with the instruments gone from the EMP pulse, the pilots would have virtually no control over the plane? Do the newer fly by wire planes come equipped with old school controls

oh the pilots will control the plane all the way to the scene of the crash
 

Nyati13

Senior member
Jan 2, 2003
785
1
76
Originally posted by: LordMorpheus
does the A380 have backup cable controls? I'd doubt it, it'll have redundant hydraulics, but I doubt it'll have cables.

I bet it would wind up crashing, the pilots might be able to do some things but it'd be really hard to bring an A380 down safely without any electronics.

The A380 has a backup hydraulic flight control system. In the event of total electronics failures, and engine failure the aircraft would turn into a very heavy glider. There would be enough hydraulic pressure in the backup system (being a backup system, it does include pressurized hydraulic storage tanks for complete power failure emergencies) for a very basic divert and emergency landing attempt.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,221
17,894
126
Originally posted by: Nyati13
Originally posted by: LordMorpheus
does the A380 have backup cable controls? I'd doubt it, it'll have redundant hydraulics, but I doubt it'll have cables.

I bet it would wind up crashing, the pilots might be able to do some things but it'd be really hard to bring an A380 down safely without any electronics.

The A380 has a backup hydraulic flight control system. In the event of total electronics failures, and engine failure the aircraft would turn into a very heavy glider. There would be enough hydraulic pressure in the backup system (being a backup system, it does include pressurized hydraulic storage tanks for complete power failure emergencies) for a very basic divert and emergency landing attempt.

cool, someone with useful information, unlike me (neffer)
 

MrWizzard

Platinum Member
Mar 24, 2002
2,493
0
71
Originally posted by: effee
Lets just imagine that somehow, someone was able to sneak it past security...and he/she sets it off in mid air.

Would the pilots still be able to control the plane down for landing? If I am not wrong, the plane is brand new and depends heavily on electronics.

So with the instruments gone from the EMP pulse, the pilots would have virtually no control over the plane? Do the newer fly by wire planes come equipped with old school controls

Lets imagine that somehow someone was able to sneak a grenade into your stomach without you noticing. Then they set it off when you are walking.

Would you be able to make it to the bathroom on time? If I am not wrong, you would have some serious indigestion.

So without your lower body you would have virtually no control over your legs. Do you have regenerative robot legs? ;)

EDIT:what Nyati13 said is probably true, but I wonder if the EMP would destroy the electric workings of the impeller that makes the backup system work...
 

randay

Lifer
May 30, 2006
11,018
216
106
Ive got a million bucks on "Nothing happens, the plane lands, and you go to FPMITAP."

electronics are most likely all shielded.
 

manowar821

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2007
6,063
0
0
Originally posted by: randay
Ive got a million bucks on "Nothing happens, the plane lands, and you go to FPMITAP."

electronics are most likely all shielded.

Uh... Good luck shielding from a good EMP weapon.

Shielding is for low energy interference, not a weapon style massive jolt of energy.