Endless Runway concept could pave the way for future airports (2017)

Backbutton hijack warning!

Old discusssion from another URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14163430 (41 points | April 2017 | 43 comments)

Cherry picked partial comment by rpmcmurphy:

> I am also a pilot. I'll add to this by explaining a couple of basic principles in flying aircraft.

> The #1 reason this is a very bad idea is it is not compatible with flying what's called a stabilized approach, which is fundamental to safe landings. What this means simply is you fly your last (final) leg of approach on a straight line aligned with the centerline at a shallow glide angle. The moment before touch down you reduce engine power and flare (bring the nose up) and stall the wings just above the runway. If you are flying into a crosswind, you crab (fly with the nose angled into the wind to stay on centerline), then kick out of the crab angle just prior to touchdown (you control the rudder with foot pedals). A banked circular runway is totally incompatible with this. If you misjudge your approach a bit and land long, you miss the runway. You have to go from wings level to a banked turn at exactly the right moment. Lots of potential for things to go wrong. It's just a bad, unsafe idea.