Originally Posted by
UKpaxman
Horses for courses mate, lets see a 737 land on 1300 x 31 metre runway with a 28 knot cross wind.
I recall that someone tried that at Dutch Harbour in the Aleutian Islands; the 737 left in pieces. Of course the route was a regular fish and pax run for the Air Pac 146 (gravel runway).
History has yet to determine the effect that the 146 will have had on the industry. Jet flights into LCY, Berne, Lugarno, Paro, Aspen, Orange County, Bromma, Queenstown, Vargar. The 146 pioneered European low noise night freight.
First UK/JAA aircraft certification, first ‘super fail passive’ Cat 3B certification (150m/50ft), first jet transport steep approach certification.
The flap noise represents ‘lift’; the wing design still provides the highest CL Max for any civil jet.
Until you have flown one you don’t appreciate what a good aerodynamics and control feels like – it’s manual control, it doesn’t need any fancy electronic fixes.
Are there any other jet transports in service without vortex generators? N.B the 146 has wing leading edge ‘stall breakers’ and nothing more.
I may have overlooked many highlights, I hope that there are more to come; unfortunately I have run out of time before the 146 has.