PorkyPorcellus 0 #1 November 13, 2015 A new Ford Service TV commercial features Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, heading up a team of mechanics about to fix a Ford truck. After all the truck's ailments are specified, Dwayne says; "Wheels up, flaps down." The pronouncement seems to be the equivalent of "Let's get to it", to make all the mechanics jump into action. The ad: http://www.ispot.tv/ad/A7Ig/ford-service-the-specialists-featuring-dwayne-johnson But isn't this "wheels up, flaps down" airplane analogy contradictory? You have the wheels and flaps down for take-off, but once airborne, when you pull the wheels up, you also pull the flaps up. You wouldn't put the flaps back down again to produce more drag. Don't you pull these two items in or out together, not opposite each other? Shouldn't it be "wheels up, flaps up" for takeoff, and "wheels down, flaps down" for landing? Does that phrase sound goofy to anyone else? Is this just something that sounds cool to TV audiences who don't know one darned thing about airplanes? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 291 #2 November 13, 2015 The entire ad is annoying. Not sure who would buy a tire at a dealer except in an emergency, but I'm not their target audience. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #3 November 13, 2015 PorkyPorcellus But isn't this "wheels up, flaps down" airplane analogy contradictory? You have the wheels and flaps down for take-off, but once airborne, when you pull the wheels up, you also pull the flaps up. It depends on a lot of things actually. Eventually, yes, you want to be clean to fly at your best performance, but you need not have flaps down for takeoff in some cases and in others, it's actually not recommended to have the flaps down for takeoff (other manufacturers specify a maximum takeoff flap setting that is usually far below the max flap setting). You also don't need to pull the flaps up at the same time as the gear coming up, again, depending on the airplane, the gear down usually produces far more drag than flaps on a take off setting, so you can get more lift for obstacle clearance from the flaps and less drag from having the gear up. In that case, I'd pull the gear up when it's no longer useful to me (no runway/good landing area available) but leave the flaps until passed the obstacle. (of course, if I am really having to squeeze the best possible performance from an aircraft, I've done something wrong by not leaving myself some margins) PorkyPorcellus You wouldn't put the flaps back down again to produce more drag. Don't you pull these two items in or out together, not opposite each other? Shouldn't it be "wheels up, flaps up" for takeoff, and "wheels down, flaps down" for landing? Some planes (like the Bonanza) are hard to slow down to flap speed without the gear down, so you don't dump them both at the same time but rather work them with each other. PorkyPorcellus Does that phrase sound goofy to anyone else? Is this just something that sounds cool to TV audiences who don't know one darned thing about airplanes? Yep, but people don't know what flaps are, so they just assume The Rock is right. Now, to make this more fun, what if he was talking about a J3 Cub?"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 38 #4 November 13, 2015 headoverheelsThe entire ad is annoying. Not sure who would buy a tire at a dealer except in an emergency, but I'm not their target audience. Bingo!lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #5 November 13, 2015 People actually pay attention to commercials? We press mute the nanosecond they start. Or fast forward on DVR. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zep 0 #6 November 13, 2015 normiss People actually pay attention to commercials? We press mute the nanosecond they start. Or fast forward on DVR. I just change channels, I think I can honestly say that the repetitious bullshit that the advertisers spew out pushes me further away from their products. Point in fact is that here (where I live) Oscar Myer is running an add for their Ham that states that it contains no coloring or conservatives, on my 1000 whatever HD screen it looks as pink and juicy as a baby's bum. Fucking impossible, for over ten years I've been chucking out natural ham with just salt spice and beer and it always comes out grey. Sorry but this is a rant. Corporate lies and adverts make me see RED. Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #7 November 13, 2015 PorkyPorcellus Is this just something that sounds cool to TV audiences who don't know one darned thing about airplanes? Many writers know very little but what sounds "cool". Accuracy is not their goal. Although not a licensed pilot, I do know that the gear and flaps tend to be used in the same directions during various phases of flight, i.e. both come down during approach, both are brought up at various points when departing. What I really want to know is this. Does The Rock actually own a Ford? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,340 #8 November 13, 2015 JohnMitchell Although not a licensed pilot, I do know that the gear and flaps tend to be used in the same directions during various phases of flight, i.e. both come down during approach, both are brought up at various points when departing. What I really want to know is this. Does The Rock actually own a Ford? 'Ski's comments on how/when flaps & gear are where is spot on. But it sounds cool to the uninformed. And if "The Rock" is a Ford spokesman, he will be driving them. If it's just a "one-off" commercial, maybe not. Note that I say driving, not owning. Around here, back in the 90s, Brett Farve had a big endorsement deal with the local "car conglomerate". One guy owns dealerships for just about every brand. So BF would be in a commercial touting the different brands, saying that no matter what you want, you could get it from them. The story I got from a friend who was a parts manager at one of the dealers was that part of the contract was that BF only drove cars from that dealer (and had the dealer tag on the back). The deal included his wife and other family members too. BF didn't actually own the cars, he would just drive them for a few months, after that they'd go back to the dealer and be sold as "demonstrators.""There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,381 #9 November 13, 2015 wolfriverjoe The story I got from a friend who was a parts manager at one of the dealers was that part of the contract was that BF only drove cars from that dealer (and had the dealer tag on the back). The deal included his wife and other family members too. Wow!The dealer provided a wife, too???"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #10 November 13, 2015 I had a wife once. Her husband came and got her though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muff528 3 #11 November 13, 2015 The older I get, the more I appreciate commercials. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,392 #12 November 13, 2015 >But isn't this "wheels up, flaps down" airplane analogy contradictory? Not if your goal is to take off and then quickly slow down to drop jumpers. So if his mechanics all had their BASE rigs on it might make sense . . . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 291 #13 November 13, 2015 PorkyPorcellus But isn't this "wheels up, flaps down" airplane analogy contradictory? Just roll it over. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #14 November 28, 2015 wolfriverjoe 'Ski's comments on how/when flaps & gear are where is spot on. I knew one day my AGI certificate would be useful, now I can retire it knowing it was worth the tests. "I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
