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For systems as complex and interrelated as airplanes they sometimes do build a direct copy. That reveals for them the failures in their own techniques and mate
by etrevino 12y ago
For systems as complex and interrelated as airplanes they sometimes do build a direct copy. That reveals for them the failures in their own techniques and materials. Also, it serves as a general prototype for the next iteration.
- bediger4000 12y agoDo you have any idea what kind of copy? I mean, McDonnel Aircraft used to build what they called "iron birds", dimensionally accurate, but maybe not made of exactly the right stuff, as an iron bird was used to see if wiring harnesses and tubes fit through various runs. Using titanium parts for the iron bird would have been a gross misuse of money. There were also dimensionally correct copies made of the right materials, but usually without piping and wiring, for dynamic testing. I forget what they called those. I suppose CAD has eliminated a lot of the need for iron bird-style copies, but maybe not.