Salute!
Yeah, Dave and Engines.
The Stubbies I see here with all the doors open but flying a conventional pattern do not seem to have the nozzles deflected, so there must be one flight control law mode that transitions from "fan engaged" but no nozzle rotation, to full landing/hover.
One day I saw what appeared to be a demo of all three versions, maybe for some high rollers, heh? The Bee was last in line for the overhead pattern.(circuit for you Brits). All the doors open. So I pulled off the road and watched as they all came back and the A and C landed, but the B stopped over the runway and hovered for a few seconds. It then accelerated and did a closed pattern and a short rolling landing. I would estimate it rolled maybe 500 or 600 feet.
I have personally talked with one or more pilots, including the USMC dude that had a lotta influence on the landing mode. He was a Harrier pilot and suggested that with the FBW crapola the plane should have an easier landing mode than the Harrier. Hence, move throttle for fore and aft, and use stick for up/down plus some left right. Rudder for yaw. The USAF pilots flying the sim said it was like cheating to land on a boat!
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All must remember that the aircraft/weapon system must meet the nation's operational requirements to engage in combat. The Harrier was one example that the Brits have used in combat more than once. However, I agree with the proposal for Britain to have a mix of Bees with either the "A" or Cee. Like they did with the Harrier and to some extent the Tornado.
My best wishes for the Motherland's acquisition and employment of a plane from the colonists.
Gums sends...
Last edited by gums; 1st Oct 2018 at 14:51.
Reason: typos