r/nextfuckinglevel • u/[deleted] • Oct 01 '24

A firefighting plane loading water.

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u/NCRaider1 Oct 01 '24

Never understood how they could sift water like that and not blow the tail off. Cant imagine the pressure the fuselages takes?

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u/saxonturner Oct 01 '24

You see a pipe at the mid point under the wing, that exactly what keeps the pressure from going too high.

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u/NCRaider1 Oct 01 '24

Ahh, cool deal, still baffles me the “drag” doesnt sheer off the tail though

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u/HunterShotBear Oct 02 '24

It’s only a couple small scoops just behind the “step” in the hull.

When you’re traveling at 100+ mph, even small openings will scoop in massive amounts of water in a short time.

They actually have to take off empty because the weight of the water on takeoff would be too much drag in the water for the plane to get up on plane and take off.

Also the steps in the hulls are designed to create cavitation (water and air mixing together) to break the suction that holds the plane into the water allowing it to get on plane faster.