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English: Smoke Detectors General field: Tech/Engineering Detailed field: Construction / Civil Engineering
Source text - English Smoke detectors are a critical piece of safety equipment in our homes but we have the tendency to ignore them. During inspections, I find inoperative smoke detectors or other deficiencies in fire protection equipment in about 50% of existing construction homes.
One of the most common deficiencies are smoke detectors that are too old. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends replacing your smoke detectors every 10 years or 87,000 hours.
The reason for this recommendation is your smoke detector loses sensitivity over time. Your detector may test just fine but the test button just verifies the electronics are working.
Every detector is required to have its date of manufacture printed on it. It is a fairly simple matter to remove the detector and look at the date.
If your smoke detector has turned yellow, then there is no need to look at the date. The plastic used to produce the detector contains Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR). These compounds yellow with age as they are exposed to ultraviolet light. If your smoke detector has turned a nice yellow or yellowish brown, it is well past time to replace the unit.
The NFPA statistics on fire safety and operating smoke detectors are sobering.
• Three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (38%) or no working smoke alarms (21%).
• The death rate per 100 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms (1.18 deaths vs. 0.53 deaths per 100 fires).
• In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, almost half (46%) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
• Dead batteries caused one-quarter (24%) of the smoke alarm failures.
Translation - English Smoke detectors are a critical piece of safety equipment in our homes but we have the tendency to ignore them. During inspections, I find inoperative smoke detectors or other deficiencies in fire protection equipment in about 50% of existing construction homes.
One of the most common deficiencies are smoke detectors that are too old. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends replacing your smoke detectors every 10 years or 87,000 hours.
The reason for this recommendation is your smoke detector loses sensitivity over time. Your detector may test just fine but the test button just verifies the electronics are working.
Every detector is required to have its date of manufacture printed on it. It is a fairly simple matter to remove the detector and look at the date.
If your smoke detector has turned yellow, then there is no need to look at the date. The plastic used to produce the detector contains Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR). These compounds yellow with age as they are exposed to ultraviolet light. If your smoke detector has turned a nice yellow or yellowish brown, it is well past time to replace the unit.
The NFPA statistics on fire safety and operating smoke detectors are sobering.
• Three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (38%) or no working smoke alarms (21%).
• The death rate per 100 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms (1.18 deaths vs. 0.53 deaths per 100 fires).
• In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, almost half (46%) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
• Dead batteries caused one-quarter (24%) of the smoke alarm failures.
English: Basic Aerodynamics General field: Tech/Engineering Detailed field: Aerospace / Aviation / Space
Source text - English The main purpose of this section is to clarify the concepts of lift, drag, thrust, and weight. It is not necessary for virtual pilots to have a complete understanding of the four forces.
The relative wind acting on the airplane produces a certain amount of force which is called the total aerodynamic force. This force can be resolved into components, called lift and drag.
Lift is the component of aerodynamic force perpendicular to the relative wind. This is also referred to as the lift vector in tactical discussions.
Drag is the component of aerodynamic force parallel to the relative wind.
Weight is the force directed downward from the center of mass of the airplane towards the center of the earth. It is proportional to the mass of the airplane times the strength of the gravitational field.
Thrust is the force produced by the engine or engines. It is directed forward along the axis of the engine (which is usually parallel to the long axis of the airplane).
Translation - English The main purpose of this section is to clarify the concepts of lift, drag, thrust, and weight. It is not necessary for virtual pilots to have a complete understanding of the four forces.
The relative wind acting on the airplane produces a certain amount of force which is called the total aerodynamic force. This force can be resolved into components, called lift and drag.
Lift is the component of aerodynamic force perpendicular to the relative wind. This is also referred to as the lift vector in tactical discussions.
Drag is the component of aerodynamic force parallel to the relative wind.
Weight is the force directed downward from the center of mass of the airplane towards the center of the earth. It is proportional to the mass of the airplane times the strength of the gravitational field.
Thrust is the force produced by the engine or engines. It is directed forward along the axis of the engine (which is usually parallel to the long axis of the airplane).
English: Stalls and Spins General field: Tech/Engineering Detailed field: Aerospace / Aviation / Space
Source text - English Any time you push the plane to the limits of its performance you have to be aware of the possibility of stalling the aircraft. High performance turns and maneuvers at the edge of "the envelope" of the plane's capabilities need to be performed with care. If you push the plane beyond its abilities, the plane may rebel. The experienced pilot learns the limits of aircraft and learns to "fly the edge of the envelope".
If you push the plane too hard you can stall the aircraft. A stall can cause the plane to enter a spin. The pilot has to react quickly to regain control of his aircraft, or it may well enter a spin from which the plane cannot recover.
What is a Stall?
A stall is when the wing stops generating lift. A "stall" occurs when the airflow over the wing (or other surface) is disrupted to the point where it no longer generates lift. This is measured by "angle of attack" which is defined by the angle between the chord line of the wing (the line through the cross section from the trailing edge to the leading edge) and the relative wind. When you exceed the critical angle of attack, the wing will stop making lift and stall. This can happen in any configuration, altitude or airspeed.
In simple terms, when you are flying too slow, or trying to turn or maneuver too hard, the wing may no longer be able to generate lift. A stall results.
Translation - English Any time you push the plane to the limits of its performance you have to be aware of the possibility of stalling the aircraft. High performance turns and maneuvers at the edge of "the envelope" of the plane's capabilities need to be performed with care. If you push the plane beyond its abilities, the plane may rebel. The experienced pilot learns the limits of aircraft and learns to "fly the edge of the envelope".
If you push the plane too hard you can stall the aircraft. A stall can cause the plane to enter a spin. The pilot has to react quickly to regain control of his aircraft, or it may well enter a spin from which the plane cannot recover.
What is a stall?
A stall is when the wing stops generating lift. A "stall" occurs when the airflow over the wing (or other surface) is disrupted to the point where it no longer generates lift. This is measured by "angle of attack" which is defined by the angle between the chord line of the wing (the line through the cross section from the trailing edge to the leading edge) and the relative wind. When you exceed the critical angle of attack, the wing will stop making lift and stall. This can happen in any configuration, altitude or airspeed.
In simple terms, when you are flying too slow, or trying to turn or maneuver too hard, the wing may no longer be able to generate lift. A stall results.
Source text - English Tactical formations are employed in order to bring multiple aircraft to bear upon the enemy together. Formations are the basis of all wingman and larger engagement tactics. The easiest and most effective formation to employ in the virtual aerial combat arena is the echelon and finger four formations. This is due to the lack of peripheral vision in the online simulation environment. Line abreast formations are historically more effective but more difficult to employ in the virtual world. As a result the echelon formations shown will be the primary formation for most online flying. Combat spread or line abreast formations may be used when entering a known hostile zone or upon contact with the enemy.
As we intend to employ the tactical doctrines of Double Attack, Loose Deuce and Fluid Four, our formations will be of a spread variety. Horizontal separation of aircraft should be approximately 1 to 2 turn radii.
Lead Pursuit
Lead pursuit involves predicting where the bandit will be at a future time. Lead pursuit does the following things when employed against a turning target.
• Increases closure velocity.
• Decreases range to target
• Increases angle off the tail
• Decreases aspect angle
Against a target flying a straight path, Lead Pursuit does the following:
➢ Decreases range
➢ Increases closure
Lead pursuit may be used in the following situations:
./ To get into the turn circle of a target with poorer turn performance
./ To use geometry to decrease range on a target attempting to extend or disengage
./ To set up a high angle snapshot opportunity
./ As a prelude to a lag roll or barrel roll attack
Pure Pursuit
Pure pursuit is simply pointing your nose at the target. It has very limited usefulness.
Against a turning bandit is does everything that lead pursuit does, only slower. What it does not do is set up lead for a shot opportunity. Pure pursuit against a turning target is only useful as a potential scare tactic. It will make the target break into you while you maintain energy for a disengage after the overshoot.
Against a straight-line target, pure pursuit can be used to decrease range on a slower target.
Translation - English Tactical formations are employed in order to bring multiple aircraft to bear upon the enemy together. Formations are the basis of all wingman and larger engagement tactics. The easiest and most effective formation to employ in the virtual aerial combat arena is the echelon and finger four formations. This is due to the lack of peripheral vision in the online simulation environment. Line abreast formations are historically more effective but more difficult to employ in the virtual world. As a result the echelon formations shown will be the primary formation for most online flying. Combat spread or line abreast formations may be used when entering a known hostile zone or upon contact with the enemy.
As we intend to employ the tactical doctrines of Double Attack, Loose Deuce and Fluid Four, our formations will be of a spread variety. Horizontal separation of aircraft should be approximately 1 to 2 turn radii.
Lead Pursuit
Lead pursuit involves predicting where the bandit will be at a future time. Lead pursuit does the following things when employed against a turning target.
• Increases closure velocity.
• Decreases range to target
• Increases angle off the tail
• Decreases aspect angle
Against a target flying a straight path, Lead Pursuit does the following:
➢ Decreases range
➢ Increases closure
Lead pursuit may be used in the following situations:
./ To get into the turn circle of a target with poorer turn performance
./ To use geometry to decrease range on a target attempting to extend or disengage
./ To set up a high angle snapshot opportunity
./ As a prelude to a lag roll or barrel roll attack
Pure Pursuit
Pure pursuit is simply pointing your nose at the target. It has very limited usefulness.
Against a turning bandit is does everything that lead pursuit does, only slower. What it does not do is set up lead for a shot opportunity. Pure pursuit against a turning target is only useful as a potential scare tactic. It will make the target break into you while you maintain energy for a disengage after the overshoot.
Against a straight-line target, pure pursuit can be used to decrease range on a slower target.
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Experience
Years of experience: 35. Registered at ProZ.com: Aug 2019.
Bachelor
of Science, Louisiana Tech University, graduated March 1989
FAA
Airline Transport Pilot, Commercial Pilot
Currently - sole owner of Spot On Inspection, PLLC in Houston, TX
During my aviation career, I authored multiple technical
manuals related to the training and qualification of flight crews. I have also
written extensively on aviation training subjects for various recreational aviation
organizations.
As owner of Spot On Inspection, PLLC, I regularly author
construction and real estate industry related articles for my business website
as well as daily writing of technical reports covering building inspection
results.
Expertise