Originally Posted by
gums
Salute!
The big question is how in the hell the plane got there, ya think?
As far as the horizontal distance versus vertical distance goes, it is not betond my personal experience. As a light plane pilot previously recalled, if the plane is in a fully-developed stall, it can descend at a great rate without much forward velocity. In my own experience, one jet I flew had exceptional directional control in a full stall ( rudder versus aileron for maintaining a heading and picking up the low wing). Just release back pressure and it came right out. I could descend at 10,000 feet per minute or more ( the vertical velocity meter was pegged) with an indicated speed of about 60 knots. So I could go one mile and lose 10,000 feet or so.
Hi gums,
were it for the horizontal distance alone I would agree.
The problem is that the combination of horizontal speed and vertical speed does not fit at all for an A330 @210t coming down from 35kft.
The average RoD of 6000 ft/min is the typical spin RoD of a GA light aircraft. As I calculated earlier for an A330 @210 t I would expect RoD of ~20.000 ft /min at altitude slowing down to ~14.000 ft/min at S/L as terminal velocity e.g. in a flat spin.
That is the problem I have with the 4nm and 4,5 mins. I simply cannot see it descending with 60kts at a rate of 6.000 ft/min. At 60kts (~30kts IAS at altitude) the required lift for that RoD is not there.