Aviation Myth, or Great Trick?

[gkainz]

I remember reading or hearing that some third world fighter jets used Escort automotive radar detectors! Syria, Egypt or Israel?

I believe I read somewhere that our pilots bought commercial automotive radar detectors and used them as SAM warning systems early on in Viet Nam. Don't know if that was true, a sea story, or I'm mis-remembering.

 

[Ghery]

I believe I read somewhere that our pilots bought commercial automotive radar detectors and used them as SAM warning systems early on in Viet Nam. Don't know if that was true, a sea story, or I'm mis-remembering.

The sea story I heard was that some F-5 drivers got tired of getting beat up by F-15s, so they installed Fuzzbusters and started surprising the F-15 jocks.

Now, you know the difference between a sea story and a fairy tale?





















A fairy tale starts out "once upon a time" and a sea story starts out "this ain't no s**t!"

 

[flyingcheesehead]

You folks have me wondering what they use to monitor speed on Atlanta highways. I see the little gray boxes up there and I had always assumed they were radar. But, I hear nothing of them setting off radar detectors.

The only thing ever mentioned in the media I can recall was they were not and could not be used for enforcement purposes.

A friend of mine worked for the company that put the system up in Atlanta and many other cities. This is how he explained it to me:

There are both loop detectors (in the pavement) and *microwave* (not radar) detectors that you see under bridges. There are also cameras that can be used to determine the source of a traffic backup.

The system has limitations specifically to avoid privacy and enforcement concerns. Namely, the cameras cannot be zoomed in far enough to read license plate numbers; and the speed detection systems do not read out anything faster than "Speed limit or above." After all, the system is designed to detect SLOWdowns, not speeding.

 

[ScottM]

You obviously have no experience on super bikes. 0 to 60 mph in under 3 seconds *STOCK* is normal. 0 to 100 mph? About 5 seconds. Modern 1000 cc motorcycles are scary fast. There is nothing in that video that makes me think it is fake.

You can't pay attention to the digital speedometer either. There is delay with it. It only refreshes so often. They are somewhat inaccurrate at the higher speeds. But I've seen bikes that make this one look like a moped.

I went looking for some data and had a hard time finding it. But I did find this nice video of a BMW1200s with an analog speedometer. It took just about 26 seconds to achieve 280kph or 175mph (roughly), and while he was turning it it hard to get a good start speed I see about 7 seconds to get up to 105kmh or 60mph. Perhaps the super bikes accelerate faster but I doubt the original rider was on one.

These numbers seem in line with what you and I are saying. You can also see that it is harder to go from 100 to 150 kph that it was to go from 50 to 100 kph. So using the acceleration rate for the latter will not give you a reasonable idea of what the acceleration for the former will be. But remember this all comes down to is the original video showing a speedometer calibrated in kph or mph?

Acceleration from 90-150mph hour in 2 seconds seems exceedingly difficult in a street bike, even a high performance one. As this video shows 90-140kph in 2 seconds is achievable. But we see that it takes this rider almost 9 seconds to go from 140kph (90mph) to 225kph (140mph)

I think based on the data that I have seen that kph is far more reasonable explanation for the speed in the very first video.

 

[jesse]

I went looking for some data and had a hard time finding it.

The data is all over the place. You just need to know what bikes are *fast* and read the reviews.

But I did find this nice video of a BMW1200s with an analog speedometer. It took just about 26 seconds to achieve 280kph or 175mph (roughly), and while he was turning it it hard to get a good start speed I see about 7 seconds to get up to 105kmh or 60mph.

The BMW1200S is not a GSXR1000. Nor was this guy really getting on teh bike. I'm not sure why you're saying it took 7 seconds to get up to 60 mph. He didn't HIT the throttle until he was straight and as soon as he did that he blew past 60. You can't count any of the time until it is straight and you hear the motor start working.

Perhaps the super bikes accelerate faster but I doubt the original rider was on one.

That bike isn't exactly a moped. It is pretty much the definition of super bike. Suzuki GSXR1000.

0 to 60 = 2.95 seconds
0 to 100 = 5.5 seconds.

Exactly what I said.

http://www.jesseangell.com/forums/gsxr1000.pdf

These numbers seem in line with what you and I are saying. You can also see that it is harder to go from 100 to 150 kph that it was to go from 50 to 100 kph. So using the acceleration rate for the latter will not give you a reasonable idea of what the acceleration for the former will be. But remember this all comes down to is the original video showing a speedometer calibrated in kph or mph?

Scott--I'm sorry but this video is MPH. You just need to look at it and understand the bike to realize it. Let me show you exactly why I am 100% confident that it is 100 mph.

The big center gauge is obviously the tachometer. The reason this is big and center is because these bikes have an insane amount of power and it is all you care about. Inside this gauge on the right you'll see a digital gauge. This is the gear you are in. To the right of that is the speedometer in MPH.

Let me show you the gear shifts. Take a look at the video at exactly 1:00. You'll see that it is in second gear. At 1:04 you'll see him shift to third gear. At 1:14 you'll see him shift to 4th gear. At 1:28 you'll see him shift to 5th gear. 5th gear is going to be about the fastest gear on a GSXR1000. His fastest speed was 175 mph at 1:33 in the video. He was in 5th gear at over 12,500 RPM. 175 MPH *IS* the speed you would get on that bike. It is absolutely silly to think that a GSXR1000 would max out at 108 mph (175 kph = 108 mph) in 5th gear at near redline.

Now I'll show you the final proof. Here is a picture of a GSXR1000 tach in mph:

Here is the one in KM/H:

Now look at the video again. The quality is poor but you can tell there is *NOTHING* on that gauge where KM/H would show. BUT there is writing where the MPH mark would be. If you watch the entire video watching that spot you'll see the MPH mark. You'll never see anything in the KP/H spot.

Acceleration from 90-150mph hour in 2 seconds seems exceedingly difficult in a street bike, even a high performance one.

Where in this video does he go from 90 to 150 in 2 seconds? I've watched it several times. This isn't in there.

I think based on the data that I have seen that kph is far more reasonable explanation for the speed in the very first video.

If you had any experience on this motorcycle you would know it is without a doubt mph. He gives the bike all it has, full throttle, 5th gear. He indicates 175 mph. This is *SPOT ON* for a GSXR1000.

You really have to ride one of these things to understand how insanely fast they are. They are something that really needs to be respected.

 

[AWACSEng]

So, does wx radar trigger fuzz busters or no? If you want to see who can pee farther while riding your scooters take it to another thread please.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

While driving across central Nevada, on Hwy 50 (loneliest road in America), the fighters from TopGun at Fallon NAS would bef lying nap of the earth, and would sneak up on cars and blow up their radar detectors (mine included). The F-16's out of the SLC would do it too, in central Utah. (near Sevier Dry Lake)

At just a few hundred ft AGL, they would really put the fear of cops in you, cause it would happen so quickly and powerfully... You'd swear there was a cop right on your bumper!

The sound of those jets going overhead, that fast, that low, scares the snot out of you when you're in a car... now that I'm riding a motorcycle, too, I have to wonder if I'd lose control if they pulled that stunt on me on two wheels.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Radar detector! For what? So we knew we blew by someone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE86N5sEsW0

Yikes Dave! 175mph... I had visions of armadillos....

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Now I'll show you the final proof. Here is a picture of a GSXR1000 tach in mph: <snip> Here is the one in KM/H: <snip>

Now look at the video again. The quality is poor but you can tell there is *NOTHING* on that gauge where KM/H would show. BUT there is writing where the MPH mark would be. If you watch the entire video watching that spot you'll see the MPH mark. You'll never see anything in the KP/H spot.

Jesse wins that argument. Can't argue with the evidence.

 

[silver-eagle]

Isle of Man is UK. Most probable in kph. Regardless, that's some pretty wild driving.

 

[jesse]

Isle of Man is UK. Most probable in kph. Regardless, that's some pretty wild driving.

Not quite. Read the above. Go ride a GSXR1000 and then we can talk. Set the bike up the same--12,500 RPM in 5th gear. Look at the speedometer. I can promise you it won't say 108 mph.

 

[gismo]

Not quite. Read the above. Go ride a GSXR1000 and then we can talk. Set the bike up the same--12,500 RPM in 5th gear. Look at the speedometer. I can promise you it won't say 108 mph.

I'm not sure I've got the balls to look at the speedometer when doing 175 mph on two wheels.

 

[sba55]

Isle of Man is UK. Most probable in kph. Regardless, that's some pretty wild driving.

Isle of Man is not in the UK. Regardless, though, speed limits in GB are in mph, so why would he be using kph? That aside, the obvious reason to do this on the Isle of Man is that they don't have speed limits outside the towns there.

-Felix