Some cargo plane wings are designed to bend like bamboo during a typhoon
The legendary C-130 Hercules cargo plane utilizes high-strength aluminum wings that can flex up to 15 degrees, mimicking the resilience of bamboo to survive extreme turbulence and heavy landings.
Engineers designed the Lockheed C-130 Hercules with high-aspect-ratio wings that act more like flexible plants than rigid metal. Using a specialized 7075-T6 aluminum alloy, the wingtips can bend upward by 15 degrees to absorb gust loads equivalent to 4.5 Gs.
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