Is it true that the Eurofighter Typhoon was intentionally made to be unstable for better agility?
Posted by WhyDoesEarthExist@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 8 comments
Sumbithc@reddit
Think of it like this, you can either have something react VERY abruptly to pilot input or, you could have it react minimally to pilot input. Stability is the latter, and agility is the former
Thebawbag1975@reddit
Does anyone know what AGERD relates to about this jet?
The tornado was MAGERD. I've no clue.
jeb_hoge@reddit
All modern fighters are.
RedditRedditGo@reddit
Yes but to different degrees.
AndyFelterkrotch@reddit
F-117 was a flying doorstop.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
That had little or nothing to do with agility. The F-117 wasn't designed to engage aerial targets or maneuver aggressively; it shouldn't even have been designated a Fighter.
The calculations to design a stealth airframe are complex and computers at the time were too limited to implement curved shapes. The entire aircraft was designed out of flat planar segments to achieve the smallest possible radar signature.
No one wanted the wingspan to be so short. They didn't need the dubious 'maneuverability' that affords and didn't include engines powerful enough to take much advantage of it. It was such a shitty flyer with those itty bitty wings they had to write new flight control software to even keep it airborne...
3720-To-One@reddit
Why was it designated as a fighter?
Solid-Feature-7678@reddit
The same reason it was painted black instead of a very dark blue even though the dark blue made it less visible at night. To attract pilots.
Also at Groom Lake (AKA Area 51) classified aircraft were often given fake Century Series designations. For example "acquired" Mig-21s and -23s were designated YF-110 and YF-113 respectively to confuse the Soviets.