DrPhil2501 Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Okay, fellow Mythbusters. Lets discuss some unsolved myths that have yet to be proven or labeled downright baloney. I'm sure we are all curious... Name some myths that originate either from movies or perhaps urban legends. Die Hard 2, where McClane opens the fuel tank, streaming a line of jet fuel. He then uses his cigarette lighter to light the fuel line, which leads to the plane and explodes just as it is about to leave the ground. Fact or crap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevron 7 locke Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Okay, fellow Mythbusters. Lets discuss some unsolved myths that have yet to be proven or labeled downright baloney. I'm sure we are all curious... Name some myths that originate either from movies or perhaps urban legends. Die Hard 2, where McClane opens the fuel tank, streaming a line of jet fuel. He then uses his cigarette lighter to light the fuel line, which leads to the plane and explodes just as it is about to leave the ground. Fact or crap? I think that may have a basis in truth, jet fuel is highy flammable and even a spark could set it off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan7 Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I think that may have a basis in truth, jet fuel is highy flammable and even a spark could set it off Source? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevron 7 locke Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Ummmmm...my brain? the fact is that Jet fuel is flammable...maybe a spark wouldn't set it off but it is flamable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrPhil2501 Posted November 27, 2008 Author Share Posted November 27, 2008 Source? Why? I think its plausable. The ignited flame would likely jump from downward stream to the next leading back up to the fuel tank. Though you also need to consider how fast it would take for the fire to reach the already moving plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Didn't the MythBusters do something similar to this--the one where they lighted the stream of gas coming from a truck...not the same as jet fuel though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan7 Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Something gives me the impression none of you guys have tried to light petrol in low temperatures; not that its impossible, but I find it highly unlikely that the end scene in DH2 would actually happen. Edit - Wiki on the subject... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_fuel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrPhil2501 Posted November 27, 2008 Author Share Posted November 27, 2008 Something gives me the impression none of you guys have tried to light petrol in low temperatures Have you? EDIT didn't the MythBusters do something similar to this--the one where they lighted the stream of gas coming from a truck...not the same as jet fuel though... I haven't watched it recently... how did that one go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan7 Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Have you? Yup... You do all sorts of crazy things when travelling in the Sahara desert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 I haven't watched it recently... how did that one go? It is a realatively older one. Well, the truck was driving in circles and going relatively slow, but the flame did catch up to the truck. That is when they put the fire out. It did catch up to it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Buttercrust Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 Okay, fellow . Fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrPhil2501 Posted November 28, 2008 Author Share Posted November 28, 2008 It is a realatively older one. Well, the truck was driving in circles and going relatively slow, but the flame did catch up to the truck. That is when they put the fire out. It did catch up to it though. Ah, ok. I must not have seen that one then But I suppose it can vary differently if it were Jet Fuel (which, yes I am fully aware of, won't go well with motor vehicles ) Fixed. thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mav Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 OK, I'll put this to bed right now, I believe the plane from Die Hard 2 was a Boeing 747 the 747 has a Vr - Rotation speed that ranges from around 155-160 knots (nautical miles per hour) source. I don't know how fast fire will ignite down a line of fuel, but 155 knots is pretty fast. A small single-engine prop plane lands at about 60 knots, and that is still faster than your average car on a highway. Also take into account the affects of wind, rate of fuel flow, from the tank and cold weather. The likelihood of the fuel spilling in an continuous line with no breaks is low, and that is being generous. Also, the snow will melt upon contact with the fuel, further diluting your fuel mixture on the ground. The cold weather also makes it more difficult for the fuel to ignite, have any of you tried starting an aircraft engine in below freezing temperatures, simply put it is a pain in the behind. Now lets assume for a moment, that the fuel on the ground ignites, ok definitely possible. Now it continues to rapidly ignite down the line jumping gaps of absent fuel and accelerating to speeds considerably faster than the aircraft in question. Now the fire actually catches up with the aircraft and ignites, but would the entire plane explode? Now I can't say this part for certain, but I doubt it. You need 3 things for a fire, fuel, oxygen, and an ignition source. There is air in the fuel tanks, but for an explosion to happen the fuel to air ratio has to be rather specific, the stoichiometric ratio for fuels is usually around 14:1 to 15:1 which is around 6 to 7 percent fuel and this is assuming the fuel is evaporated to that percentage. Most jet aircraft have to have FADEC's (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) computers to maintain that ratio just for the engines to operate. Also under normal circumstances there is no air in the fuel lines so the fire propagating is unlikely. Granted the first "explosion" could rip apart the lines, so unless you wanna actually test it on your next trip, it's hard to know for sure. Also lets say all you lost is an engine, a British Airways 747 took off from LA on a flight back to Europe and lost an engine before reaching the eastern US seaboard, they did not declare an emergency, they continued the entire flight, landed short of their destination, but still made the trip across the Atlantic, successfully. The point is there are too many factors working against this "myth". In short... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 ^ Question answered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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