PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Briton to Pilot First Commercial Space Flights
Old 2nd May 2013, 13:59
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John Farley

Do a Hover - it avoids G
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Chichester West Sussex UK
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Sorry if it upsets any gliding fans but what SS2 requires at the end of each flight is nothing that is even vaguely related to the sport of gliding.

Many moons ago I did some low L/D operations as well as enjoyed a Discus (for example). The Discus needed some thought, aptitude and currency to be operated well (and what a delight it was). But low L/D is a totally different kettle of fish. It is actually easier to land from a glide angle of some 45deg and with a speed of 250kts that the Discus ever will be.

Why so? Because when you are pointing down at the ground at 45deg and a stabilised 250kt your impact point becomes pretty clear. So all you have to do is adjust the impact point to the beginning of the lead in lights, pull out of the dive at low level and drift down the lead in lights while the speed bleeds back and land on the numbers at 150-170 kt. No skill. Don’t worry about the wind either.

To the onlookers the pilot who keeps doing this spot landing day after day appears to be some sort of flying god. He is nothing of the sort because it is so easy.

To practice this sort of approach using a Hunter I liked 10,000 ft in the vicinity of the downwind leg, then with gear down and full flap dive at the flap limit of 250ft as described above. Absolute doddle.

Mind you getting the SS2 to the start of such a circuit is something else again – and also has nothing to do with the sport of gliding.
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