[Bigbean]

Here's a place to post up things that you feel are amazing. I'm into avation and just about any mechanical, facinated by the progress.
Others, feel free to share what makes you take a second look. Tech, science, Whateva, share, we'll all benefit.

This is the A380 Airbus,  the worlds largest passenger airliner. Depending on the config, can fit 800 peeps. yes. 800

I also feel amazed in response to it. I'm more of a computer maniac. But I appreciate engineering on all levels. Whether it's small the size of a chip or it's abstract like in software engineering or it's magnificent and tangible like a giant aircraft it's all mostly the same to me. It's hard for me to appreciate fully engineering that I do not understand on a detailed level, like the example you give here, BUT as a hobbyist that programs (and have a degree in it) I think I can relate to your fascination with the amount of work and resources that went into this!

[luvdemwhoppers]

USS Gerald R. Ford, now under construx, was designed before
the EMALS (Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System) was even developed/tested. It's compact compared to
steam driven catapults and requires less maint.  Risky Biz for Pentagon bigs. proof it works in the   pudding
CVN-78 wiill enter service in 2015.

Go Navy-

[rtpoe]

Hey! It's actually named after a legitimate Republican war hero!

[luvdemwhoppers]

 re Gerry,
These behemoths are modular in construction. Sections built one at a time and hoisted over the keel, welded/bolted
(glued) in place. . Keel laid 2009, finish date 2015. WTC 1 & 2 took 6-7 years to erect.
Pic posted is not of the CVN 78 but just to give and idea of the put-2-gether.

[luvdemwhoppers]

huge dump trucks

[SwitcherX]

Me.



Switcher "The pinnacle of human evolution" X

[luvdemwhoppers]

fly swatter
not yet available in da hood.

[solvegas]

Me.



Switcher "The pinnacle of human evolution" X

Delusion is not a Modern Marvel. 

[Andrew]

  I'm going with the space shuttle.
I was snowbirding near Daytona prior to bike week 7 or 8 years ago and happend to be there for a pre-dawn launch. I was about 40 miles away and even from that distance it was awe-inspiring. I could see the glow of the burners climbing through the tree line and it was probabley a mile up when it cleared the tree line. At that point all I could see was the burners and the exhaust trail, looking like an expanding gray thunderstorm. After a minute of that visual, the shuttle hit the dawn horizon line and the shuttle now appeared as a silvery glint ahead of the exhaust plume, which became in the sunlight more like a roll of vanilla cotton candy being contstantly un-rolled. I was even able to see the booster rockets detach and fall for a while, themselves also twinkling in the dawn sun.
  This was all set against a clear sky in silence. As the shuttle got to the point where it couldn't be seen with the naked eye any longer, that's when the sound came. It started softly at first and very deep in tone, like distant thunder. It stayed as a deep bass tone as it continued to grow louder and louder, taking a minute perhaps to reach full volume. The birds in the trees flew away in fright. I could feel the walls of the bike trailer I was leaning against vibrating as it stayed at volume for at least 2 minutes. Nothing else could be heard, except for the deepest bass tone/rumble that the rocket engines had made.
  Then the sound subsided and all that was left was the graceful arc of the exhaust plume, pointing the way to the stars.     
  And this was from about 40 miles away! I'm going with the space-shuttle as a modern-marvel.
  Tri(Iplay bass and I likes it)umph

[luvdemwhoppers]

^Hello Triumph, is that a  Bonnie i see in you avatar? Thanks for your contrib. I'm with you on the Shuttle. Some argue it's the most complex
machine ever built. I wouldn't argue. I stayed home from work for the very first  launch. It was such a thrill for me. Looking back. a successful
journey for NASA albeit with tragic interrupts. USAF investigating scramjet tech these days,,,, perhaps for the next generation of
Shuttles.

[luvdemwhoppers]

what happens at Mach 1

[Andrew]

  -luvdemwhopper- Sorry, that's a '64 Tiger, the 650cc single carb cousin to the famous Bonneville. I built that bike from parts and swap meet finds to look a bit older than it really is. Thanks for asking.
  As for the space shuttle I'm also not going to argue that it is/isn't one of the most complex machines around. The feeling I had watching it take off from a distance was of human wonderment, knowing that if we can do that, then anything the human race can think of doing, can be solved. Perhaps we are the most complex (bio-machine) thing to come around. This may explain why I'm always marveling at modern morphs of massive mamms!
  But I can tell you who the worlds most famous engineer of complex machinary is;
                             Rube Goldberg!!!
  Triumph

[luvdemwhoppers]

^sweet, and from parts no less. Nice work.My current 2wheeler is a beat up abused HD.  Re space shuttle. Book is closing  soon. USAF testing hypersonic scram jets.(mach 6,) First test yielded 3500mph, they were expecting more. Second test flight sched for 3/23, but I have not been able to confirm any result of planned test. I have pic of scram but have to wait for 24hr window. Thanks for your reply and keeping this thread alive. Best regards LDW/SC.

[prinz]

USS Gerald R. Ford, now under construx, was designed before
the EMALS (Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System) was even developed/tested. It's compact compared to
steam driven catapults and requires less maint.  Risky Biz for Pentagon bigs. proof it works in the   pudding
CVN-78 wiill enter service in 2015.

Go Navy-

  now if they will just stop naming them after presidents /politicians!    It truely grinds my ass they have abandoned the traditional Carrier names for the CVNs..

[luvdemwhoppers]

^thanks for your reply. I'm on fhe fence when it comes to naming vessels in the fleet. I like those named after states/cities., but that
list runs out fast. Anywho.. Meet big Emma, Emma Maersk that is. Currently the worlds largest container carrier. All of 1300' x 184' and
good for 25 knots +/-. Turning the screws are  Wärtsilä-Sulzer 14RTFLEX96-C engine, currently the world's largest single diesel unit, weighing 2,300 tons and capable of 109,000 horsepower  She's capable of carring over 12,000+ Teu (containers of 20') In service since 2006 and too wide to fit through the Panama Canal (Canal is under construction to widen/lengthen but that's for another post) aka post panamax vessel. The owner, A.P. Moller has placed order with Daewoo shipyards for larger capacity vessels what should enter service in/about 2014.
 Say Hi to Big Emma