Bad Idea of the Year
Posted by: Basil on 18 January 2004
Sometimes, heavy, military transport aircraft need to take off from short runways. If they can't manage this under their own power they will use a JATO [Jet Assisted Take Off) unit, which is a high-powered, solid- fuel rocket. If you somehow came into possession of a JATO, what would you do with it?
Not long ago, the Highway Patrol in Arizona discovered a pile of twisted, charred metal embedded 3 feet into a cliff face, 125 feet above the ground. Their first thoughts were that it must be a light aircraft that had crashed into the cliff but, on further inspection, it turned out to be the remains of a 1967 Chevy Impala. A certain amount of detective work established the likely cause of this rather unusual collision. The driver of the Chevrolet had acquired a JATO and bolted it on to his car. He had then selected a long straight road, accelerated to a reasonable speed and then fired the JATO. This would have caused the Impala to accelerate to 350 mph within 5 seconds, the thrust continuing for at least another 20 seconds. Two and a half miles after ignition the thick rubber marks on the road surface indicated that the driver had attempted to use the brakes which immediately melted, blowing all four tyres. By this time, any control the driver might have over the rest of the journey was totally insignificant -especially when the car reached a bend in the road and took off. The car flew for about one and a half miles before smashing into a cliff face, 125 feet above ground, where it embedded itself in a crater 3 feet deep. The majority of the driver's remains were not recoverable, although fragments of fingernail and bone were removed from what was believed to be a section of the steering wheel.
No matter how much fun this little adventure might sound, don't try it at home, kids.
This cautionary tale is an extract from "A Dwarfer's guide to Everything" By Craig Charles.
One of the funniest books I've read in a long time.
Not long ago, the Highway Patrol in Arizona discovered a pile of twisted, charred metal embedded 3 feet into a cliff face, 125 feet above the ground. Their first thoughts were that it must be a light aircraft that had crashed into the cliff but, on further inspection, it turned out to be the remains of a 1967 Chevy Impala. A certain amount of detective work established the likely cause of this rather unusual collision. The driver of the Chevrolet had acquired a JATO and bolted it on to his car. He had then selected a long straight road, accelerated to a reasonable speed and then fired the JATO. This would have caused the Impala to accelerate to 350 mph within 5 seconds, the thrust continuing for at least another 20 seconds. Two and a half miles after ignition the thick rubber marks on the road surface indicated that the driver had attempted to use the brakes which immediately melted, blowing all four tyres. By this time, any control the driver might have over the rest of the journey was totally insignificant -especially when the car reached a bend in the road and took off. The car flew for about one and a half miles before smashing into a cliff face, 125 feet above ground, where it embedded itself in a crater 3 feet deep. The majority of the driver's remains were not recoverable, although fragments of fingernail and bone were removed from what was believed to be a section of the steering wheel.
No matter how much fun this little adventure might sound, don't try it at home, kids.
This cautionary tale is an extract from "A Dwarfer's guide to Everything" By Craig Charles.
One of the funniest books I've read in a long time.