Thanks for your inputs. A further thought / question which I would appreciate your comments / input on. (I hope my ramblings appear coherent!!)
I've just dug out the book again (cheap child's fighter guide), and looked at the figures quoted. 1545 MPH max speed, ceiling of 60,000.
1545 MPH converts to 1342 Knots. Now, using my whizwheel, I'm getting a rough calculation (not taking compressibility into account) that an IAS of 422 knots (inner scale) gives TAS of 1342 knots (outer scale) when at 60,000 and MINUS 56.5*C. Does that mean from a pilot's perspective, if you were taking off to perform an intercept, you could accelerate to 422 knots during your initial climb, and then maintain an IAS of 422 knots for the entire flight as you climbed to FL600. Your TAS and Mach # would steadily be rising rapidly obviously, ultimately to figures above??
Above tropopause, Mach 1 is roughly 574 knots (?). 1342 knots gives theoretical mach 2.34 as Retired F4 kindly pointed out. That I comprehend. I think.... I suppose the one thing I'm still not clear on, is what is the high speed flight crew primary concern regading speed. Are they monitoring MACH#, IAS, or both equally? Can you zip along at Mach 2.34 and have a limiting IAS structurally? Surely not? (Frozen ATPL training didn't address this!)
Thanks again for comments so far, and I look forward to your further comments.
Last edited by wangus; 19th August 2010 at 10:39.