At post #84 an experienced USMC FJ aviator asked zoom Lightning pilots –
Hi, What IAS did you have at 87,800 ft.? (He noted: We wore full pressure suits (in the F4) and would get to around 80,000 ft. having to zero G it over the top at 5 units AOA…)
He asked because we have had zoom claims by Firestreak "till you've been up there, doing the job, don't mock it" (@#42), Hale (88K @#45), DR (good write up for 87.8K @ #65) and the DB story (93K @#117).
But
none of these claimants has given us an IAS reading at the top of their zoom.
Yet it is a very important IAS value as it determines if the pilot can retain some aerodynamic control of his aircraft.
Was the speed low, say less than 120kts IAS with the aircraft in a zero g parabola for a few seconds? Did the aircraft depart, tumble, yaw, spin, make a tail slide, flame out the burners and/or engines, lose pressurisation and the air turbine electrics?
All these events would be quite exciting in a Lightning in a dark blue sky environment.
"Earth curvature was visible and the sky was quite dark" is a quote.
So are there any IAS values at peak altitude in print? Or do we now await a claimant to exceed 100,000' in a Lightning?
Add to this melting perspex nav lights, a wavy windshield & a pitot probe with a tempered sheen (#117) + some M2.2 flight and the Guinness Book of Aviation Records will perhaps have to be reprinted for Xmas!
