Originally Posted by
bcgallacher
I was informed that stall trials on the Trident 3b were protected by a rocket motor attached to the vertical bulkhead below engine number 2. Presumably it would have been fired if the aircraft settled into a deep stall.
I suspect that whoever "informed" you was confused by the RB162 boost engine on the T3B. I've never heard of a "rocket" being installed and the boost engine was really there because of the lack of main engine power in some conditions (you'll have to read the full history of the Trident to see how such a situation could have occurred - all due to commercial politics and not design skills at De Haviland ! )
I was on the crew for a number of Trident stall tests. Each was about 3 hours when we did full stalls just as safetypee describes. The first was a Trident 2 (GVFM, 11 November 1972) . This was during a "continuing airworthiness" C of A renewal. At that time it was still a requirement that aircraft in line service were tested to confirm that initial certification performance was still being met. The test was conducted by Gordon Corps who was I think CAA deputy chief test pilot in the left seat, the right seat pilot and commander was the Flight Manager Technical Mike Channing, I was the P3 (in the SPO/FE seat).
A few months later (4/5 April 73) we did the same stall tests in 5B-DAE which was a Cyprus Airways aircraft, out of Hatfield - I think these were pre-delivery tests, one with Gordon Corps for the CAA, the other with Pat Fillingham who was DeHaviland's (subsequently Hawker Siddely) Deputy chief test pilot. (That aircraft was subsequently written off after damage on the ground in Nicosia, along with another Trident, during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The sad remains of the other one 5B-DAB were still there in April this year according to Google Maps - apparently the only airframe on the abandoned airport.
And as other have pointed out, absolutely no connection with AF447. I suspect cunliffe's uncle's story can safely be discounted!