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Old 1st Dec 2000, 04:00
  #6 (permalink)  
EchoTango
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Have you not started trigonometry yet ? Get stuck into it.

An aircraft flying down an ILS approach is approaching the ground at a 3 degree (more or less) angle.

So if it is flying in still air at a speed of S knots (1 knot =6080 feet per hour) then its vertical speed V is defined by the equation

V / S = sin(3 degrees)

where sin(3) = .0523

So if the aircraft is doing 150kt, its vertical speed is 795 fpm in still air, which fits with C1's comment.

If he is correct, then the 747 is designed to fly down the glide slope and be planted on the ground without any relief due to flare or ground effect.

(Edited to reverse the definition of V and S)

[This message has been edited by EchoTango (edited 01 December 2000).]