A Conversation for The Quite Interesting Society
QI - flight of the navigator
A Super Furry Animal Posted Sep 11, 2008
I'd hazard another guess at the Specific Ocean, because it's simply too wide and no helicopter has the range to get from one side to the other.
Planes do, though.
RF
QI - flight of the navigator
Mu Beta Posted Sep 11, 2008
Interesting, but not interesting enough...
B
QI - flight of the navigator
Taff Agent of kaos Posted Sep 11, 2008
going back to runways
is it the runway threashold
planes once on the runway must take off and travel beyond the end of the runway before turning, while helicopters once airbourne can fly off in any direction
QI - flight of the navigator
Mu Beta Posted Sep 11, 2008
A runway threshold certainly figures in the answer, but that's as close as you've got.
B
QI - flight of the navigator
swl Posted Sep 11, 2008
Chinooks, Merlins and Blackhawks can all be refuelled in flight so technically they could cross the Specific.
The longest flight recorded for a helicopter without refuelling was actually set by a tiny OH6 Cayuse in 1966. It flew from Florida to California - 3560km.
QI - flight of the navigator
Taff Agent of kaos Posted Sep 11, 2008
looking at the question again and the film speed came to mind
you must take a plane over the airfield / airport perimiter fence to land it yet you must not take a helicopter over the periminer fence as an airport is a no fly zone apart from landing and taking off aircraft
QI - flight of the navigator
lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned Posted Sep 11, 2008
Planes are kept in a holding pattern for landing. I don't think helicopters will be allowed near them 
QI - flight of the navigator
Whisky Posted Sep 12, 2008
Lets try something completely silly...
The stern of an aircraft carrier...
Because of the ruddy great cheesewires running across the deck to catch landing planes... if you miss that in a plane you end running off the front end of the carrier, which then promptly runs over you... Whereas if you're in a helicopter the last thing you want to do is to try and land ontop of a load of cables stretched across the deck.
QI - flight of the navigator
Rod Posted Sep 12, 2008
Sounds good, Whisky. Let's try another...
That active volcano, Mount Wossit. Planes in the vicinity fly over, for observtion / photography - at a decent height they'll have some warning of upcomers. Helicopters, on the other hand...
QI - flight of the navigator
Rod Posted Sep 12, 2008
The Zulu songs - ahem - or at least rugby ones:
One of them 
See him there, the Zulu warrior, See him there, the Zulu chief - chief - chief. .
Another verse (or song) Zimba! Zimba! Zimba! - repeat ad nauseam. (Simba is (?) Zulu for lion).
QI - flight of the navigator
sidneylopsides Posted Sep 12, 2008
I was thinking of a picture I saw once of a plane stuck in an extinct volcano crater, but that would be the opposite way round!
There was something to do with the downdraft that meant you couldn't get the lift to fly out again. Maybe there is something similar, somewhere.
I keep thinking it must be something at every airport, similar to what has been mentioned before.
QI - flight of the navigator
Rod Posted Sep 12, 2008
Yeah, but Mu Beta has said one specific place (but a runway threshold is involved).
So it's a specific runway.
How about one hard up against a mountain (Hong Kong used to be like that - hairy) where planes can handle (or even use) the updraught) but choppers can't.
?
QI - flight of the navigator
Godless-Years Posted Sep 12, 2008
Is it just me or is everyone spelling PACIFIC incorrectly?
QI - flight of the navigator
A Super Furry Animal Posted Sep 12, 2008
Yes. SPECIFIC Ocean.
As opposed to that other, vague ocean.
RF
QI - flight of the navigator
Mu Beta Posted Sep 12, 2008
Rod might be wavering towards the correct answer. Certainly the closest to the correct line of thinking so far.
If none of you have seen the answer to this before, you'll be impressed when you do.
B
QI - flight of the navigator
bobstafford Posted Sep 12, 2008
Mmmm
combining the updraught idea with heat and volcanos etc
Can choppers fly over sources of heat and planes can
Key: Complain about this post
QI - flight of the navigator
- 41: A Super Furry Animal (Sep 11, 2008)
- 42: Mu Beta (Sep 11, 2008)
- 43: Taff Agent of kaos (Sep 11, 2008)
- 44: Mu Beta (Sep 11, 2008)
- 45: swl (Sep 11, 2008)
- 46: Taff Agent of kaos (Sep 11, 2008)
- 47: lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned (Sep 11, 2008)
- 48: Mu Beta (Sep 12, 2008)
- 49: Whisky (Sep 12, 2008)
- 50: Rod (Sep 12, 2008)
- 51: Rod (Sep 12, 2008)
- 52: Rod (Sep 12, 2008)
- 53: lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned (Sep 12, 2008)
- 54: sidneylopsides (Sep 12, 2008)
- 55: Rod (Sep 12, 2008)
- 56: Godless-Years (Sep 12, 2008)
- 57: swl (Sep 12, 2008)
- 58: A Super Furry Animal (Sep 12, 2008)
- 59: Mu Beta (Sep 12, 2008)
- 60: bobstafford (Sep 12, 2008)
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