Helicopters and VTOL planes suffer from something called ground effect the closer they come to… the ground. It’s one of the most difficult things to manage as a pilot.
I’m not saying what we’re looking at is pilot error, I’m just saying that landing is more like a hurricane than a breeze.
There’s supposed to be tons of autopilot/assist that kicks in. If this was a test flight then they probably hadn’t quite got it fully functional yet. Even with the assists though, a sudden gust can massively change the ground effect dynamics.
That’s why ekranoplanes usually have hydrofoils or absolutely massive surface areas.
Helicopters and VTOL planes suffer from something called ground effect the closer they come to… the ground. It’s one of the most difficult things to manage as a pilot.
I’m not saying what we’re looking at is pilot error, I’m just saying that landing is more like a hurricane than a breeze.
Shit, TIL, my ass thought it was easier than a traditional landing.
There’s supposed to be tons of autopilot/assist that kicks in. If this was a test flight then they probably hadn’t quite got it fully functional yet. Even with the assists though, a sudden gust can massively change the ground effect dynamics.
That’s why ekranoplanes usually have hydrofoils or absolutely massive surface areas.