Sorry for the back to back posts but a couple of questions for you pilots and aeronautic engineers:
1) About ditching procedure. As far as I understand, you're supposed to remain above stall speed while in the air. From the nice side view video, although not at all a perfect source, it looked like he was still moving pretty fast, enough for some more yardage in the air. Also, I assume that an airbus hitting the Hudson stops just like a failed attempt at skipping a rock. Instead of a nice smooth hydroplane it's gonna be 160 - 0 kts faster than Porsche C4S. My question is why not keep the plane above the water UNTIL stall speed, low enough so that when stall occurs, it settles into the water just below.
I'd speculate it's a tradeoff between the vertical impact of hitting the water after a stall and the horizontal impact of the water bringing the plane to the halt as more of a "landing" angle. That, or to ditch in a way without breaking off the tail/other part of the fuselage. Another option is that my logic is silly, wishful thinking, and that trying to hit the stall speed a few feet above the ground is too foolish or nearly impossible, so I should just sit down, eat my peanuts, and let Sully's boys do the piloting. Anybody know?
2) Are wing-mounted engines on any aircraft designed to detach if a certain force (like the Hudson at at nearly 200kts) is exerted?...Kind of like the release mechanism on Type 1 skiers' boots when they take a tumble....to avoid the entire wing or fuselage from being ripped off?
3) Not a question, but while I'm upset airbus hasn't released information about their secret "A-737" plans, I think our European friends over there in design and engineering deserve a handshake as well.