Can large commercial planes fly upside down? Great question!!
The hit movie Flight starring Denzel Washington as pilot Whip Whitaker continues to draw fans who are asking the same question.
In the movie, Captain Whitaker flips his twin-engine 150-seat MD-88 on its back to keep it flying longer to avoid crashing into a neighborhood before it makes a crash landing – right way up – in an empty field.
The scene, a Hollywood masterpiece of special effects, has people asking can an airliner fly upside down. The answer is yes for a “little” bit!
Unlike military fighters, commercial planes do not have the engine power for sustained inverted flight and rely on lift from the wings.
Boeing, which in 1997 merged with McDonnell Douglas, builders of the MD-88, was very clear when the movie was released: “The MD-80 series cannot sustain inverted flight. The MD-80, as with all commercial airliners, was designed to fly upright. Commercial airliners are only tested and certified for upright flight.”
However, one Boeing aircraft has flown upside down – twice!
It happened in August 1955.
During the 1955 International Air Transport Association Annual General Meeting in Seattle, Boeing hosted airline chiefs at the Gold Cup power boat racesat Lake Washington.
The highlight, before the power boat race was to be a fly-by of the “Dash-80” Boeing 707 prototype. But to impress the chiefs of the world’s airlines, Boeing’s legendary test pilot “Tex” Johnston put the Dash-80 into a 1G roll which, while not overstressing the airframe, gave Boeing’s then-President Bill Allen severe heart palpitations.
Not content with one roll, and in case any of the airline executives thought they were seeing things, Tex brought the Dash-80 around again and repeated the maneuver. The next day Tex quipped to Allen when asked about the barrel roll, “I was just selling airplanes.”
The famous barrel roll was made even more famous when commemorated on canvas by famous artist – and Airlineratings.com US Bureau Chief – Mike Machat
FAQs
Large commercial planes, such as passenger airliners, are not designed to fly upside down, and attempting to do so would be extremely dangerous and potentially catastrophic.
Can big planes fly upside down? ›
Most any aircraft can fly inverted, albeit with some varying degrees of difficulty; but then only very briefly if they are not designed to do so. The problem mostly lies with fuel and oil starvation while inverted.
Why can t commercial airplanes just fly out into space justify your answer? ›
That's because conventional planes need air for both propulsion and lift, and space is essentially a vacuum. The first plane to reach space was the X-15, designed in the mid-1950s for the US National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), forerunner of NASA.
What is the largest plane you can fly without a type rating? ›
A private pilot license (PPL) is basically the most basic of the 3 flying licenses and it restricts a pilot from operating any plane over 12,500 lbs.
Can commercial airlines fly upside down? ›
Commercial airplanes are built to fly efficiently and rely heavily on the shape of their wings. They generally cannot fly upside-down despite what various movies might claim. Acrobatic planes are made with more symmetrical wings so that it is easier to fly upside-down.
What planes can fly upside down? ›
A stunt plane's lift-to-drag ratio is higher than the average plane, meaning that they are able to generate more lift and thrust while in an inverted position. This allows them to fly upside down without losing altitude or speed.
Can you fly a Cessna 172 upside down? ›
Can a Cessna 172 fly inverted? It is not certified to do so and does not have eithe an inverted fuel system of a way to keep oil flowing to luberacate the engine but if that is ignored and the pilot can pull positive Gs all the way around it might be capeable of a barrel roll or a loop or even a 1/2 Cuban 8.
Can a Cessna 172 go upside down? ›
Yes. A Cessna 172 can fly upside down.
Can you fly a fighter jet upside down? ›
Fighter jets can fly upside down because they are designed to do so. They have special features that allow them to maintain lift and control while inverted.
What is the fastest plane in the world? ›
According to BBC Science Focus, the NASA X-43 was the fastest aircraft ever made, with an extraordinary speed of Mach 9.6, or 7,366 mph. Coming in second place is the NASA/USAF X-15, with a max speed of 4,520 mph. However, the fastest fighter jets still in service is the MiG-25 Foxbat, reaching 2,190 mph.
The maximum height that a commercial airplane is allowed to reach when they fly is 42,000 feet, as this is the universally approved maximum altitude.
Are there any aircraft that can fly at 60000 feet? ›
There are no specific regulations governing civil aircraft operations beyond the altitude of 60,000 feet. Nevertheless, certain exceptional aircraft like the Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144 have managed to ascend to altitudes of FL600 (equivalent to 60,000 feet).
What is the largest aircraft never built? ›
That would probably be the Lockheed Martin CL-1201, a design study for a truly massive nuclear powered aircraft that would serve a variety of roles, including that of a airborne aircraft carrier, complete with its own air launched fighters. This monster of a aircraft would be 5,265 tons, in excess of…
What is the maximum horsepower a private pilot can fly? ›
Aircraft Horsepower; Altitude and Airspace
Horsepower refers to the amount of power an airplane's engine can develop. Pilots who hold a recreational pilot's license are limited to flying aircraft which have no more than 180 horsepower. However, private pilots are permitted to fly airplanes possessing 200.
Do planes ever flip over? ›
While turbulence can feel scary, airplanes are designed to withstand massive amounts of it. "A plane cannot be flipped upside-down, thrown into a tailspin, or otherwise flung from the sky by even the mightiest gust or air pocket," wrote pilot Patrick Smith on his site, AskThePilot.com.
Do fighter jets go upside down? ›
Fighter jets are known for their supersonic speeds and impeccable maneuvers. One of the key distinctions of fighter jets is their ability to achieve and sustain an inverted flight. The wings must continue to generate lift even in the upside-down position.
