Clarification/Follow-up by denberg on 08/31/03 5:26 am:
Dan

Thanks for your answer BUT what I really wanted to know was -

OK assume money is no object
OK assume airports are infinitely large
OL assume engines are infinitely powerful

then with the materials we have TODAY, what's the longest we could possibly build an aircraft before it would snap in half from its own weight? Half a mile? Two miles?
What?

Thanks,

Paul.

Clarification/Follow-up by wvseagull on 08/31/03 4:20 pm:
OK, Paul, the longest would be 7283.17 feet, if titanium is used, 5729.38 feet if composites are used, 4019.83 if aluminum is used, and 1208.1 if portland cement is used.
Do NOT ask for the mathematics or any explanation of how I got these numbers, as I will just refer you to a structural engineer.
Regards, Dan

Clarification/Follow-up by denberg on 08/31/03 4:26 pm:
OK Dan I take your point and I still regard you as a first rate expert even if you can't give me an answer to the nearest millimeter!

All the best, and many even more trying questions to no doubt follow,

Thanks for bearing with me

Paul.