Overheard an interesting conversation this arvo between BN CEN and several Virgin flights. The controller seemed baffled by their slow speed. When asked, the pilots responded that they were cruising (.61 to .63 mach) at such a cost index because the company "beancounters" instructed them to and insisted that they not diverge from these speeds.
Doing some (rough) calculations that puts a TAS at FL370 at about 355kt... thats slower than a Q400 at FL230! Granted, this was a quick calculation using a website I found (old CR-2 evades me...), and may be slightly out.
Don't you guys usually get about at .74-.78 depending on cost index??? That seems like an enormous difference. What's the deal? Just interested, as was the bloke I was flying with.
