re the tail skid. Only boeing aircraft have them. No AB has them because airbus hardwires a Virtual one into the system that prevents this from happening, however they have had a couple where the system has failed.
Tronski, tailskids arent options, they either have them in the design or they dont. The 737-800/900 have them, the 747's do not though i think the new -8's might and the 757-300, 767-300/400's and 777-300. Now the 747's because of their high tail design would require a massive pilot error to scrap the tail which is why they probably were never added to it. Typically it seems though with boeing after the first strech of an aircraft, they add them.
and just because they have tailskids doesnt mean that the tail surface still wont come into contact with the ground. if you keep the rotation going, then it will just pivot off the tailskid and the fuselage past the skid can come into contact with the ground. There is a video on youtube of airbus doing the VME tests on the A380 and on the first run, the plane rotated further than planned and it scrapped aft of the skid (they added one for the tests)
@ rufus, yes but we still would have to upgrade the hangars and all the ground support equiptment which with the 767 we wouldnt. I mean heck, The navy had to cut holes in the doors of the hangars just to fit two P-8's into the hangar like they previously did with the P-3's. even now, only 1.5 aircraft fit into each hangar.
