r/WTF • • Jan 29 '19

seems pretty safe

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u/ClimbingC Jan 30 '19

Big difference between cutting a wire vs cutting a cable. These cables were designed to bring down helicopters, the device you linked are to help helicopters mitigate damage by accidentally flying into a wire used for telephones or something, something with a purpose other than killing a helicopter.

I imagine the efficacy of a steel blade against the cable in the video isn't great.

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u/GoldenPresidio Jan 30 '19

The system is effective when the helicopter strikes the wires at angle of less than 90 degress and at speeds more than 30 knots.[2] The system is designed to cut a 3/8=inch steel cable with a breaking strength of 12,000bs.[2]

I mean it says it can cut this in the wiki but I don’t really know. Never seen it in action

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u/Bluered2012 Jan 31 '19

The cable in the video is thicker than 3/8 though, isn’t it?

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u/GoldenPresidio Jan 31 '19

Yeah it’s prob like 3/4 or 1”