Science engineering lord of the rings

This aircraft mechanic’s reassuring explanation of the tape you often see on aeroplanes takes an unexpected plot twist into Middle Earth and it’s just fabulous

David Harris. Updated October 23rd, 2024

If, like us, you’re not the most confident of flyers, then you’ll probably have noticed that a lot of aeroplanes appear to have what looks like duct tape stuck on the fuselage and wings. It’s hardly reassuring, when you’re about to have your quaking and clammy body transported several miles above the planet at astonishing speeds, to think that the thin metal cylinder you’re in is held together by bits of Sellotape from Hobbycraft.

Which is why this aircraft engineer’s explanation comes as a great relief. It also takes a brilliantly bizarre turn.

Here’s @9mmSMG on Twitter, sharing a TikTok video from airplanefactswithmax which should help all nervous flyers.

A superb and completely unexpected analogy. Others were impressed, too…

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Source @9mm_smg