ruddman
...Being that the Concorde looks like a slippery sob, how were the descents planned?...
The distance required to decel/descend from M2.0 in cruise/climb down to 3,000 at 250 kts was obtained from a checklist chart. Entering with the (expected) FL at Top of Descent and then correcting for the average wind component expected in the descent and also for the temperature deviation from ISA gave the required track miles. It wasn’t used a lot, because generally the more critical descent requirement was to decelerate so as to be (just) below M1.0 at a specified point on the arrival route, for noise reasons, to avoid booming land.
There was a second chart, utilised in the same way as the first, which provided this information. Sometimes this distance might need to be increased a little, as, if a subsonic cruise was expected before continuing the approach, the engines were “warmed” up at M0.97 and after passing FL410, by the application of power, for one minute, by the Flight Engineer.
...Did you just pull the throttles back to flight idle?...
Only if you were willing to run the risk four pop surges from the engines and the near certainty of a clip round the ear from your Flight Engineer.
Usually the pilots handled the throttles from “Power Up to Gear Up” and from “Gear Down to Shut Down”. The Flight Engineer generally did all the rest, which, thankfully, left all the tricky drills and procedures as his responsibility.
...Or was there a little more engine management and more gradual handling of the engines and descent?...
On a normal decel/descent, the handling pilot would select ALT HOLD and then ask the Flight Engineer to reduce power to 18º TLA (Throttle Lever Angle). The speed would decay to 350 kts IAS (Indicated Air Speed) IAS HOLD was engaged and the descent flown at 350 kts IAS. The next power reduction (32º TLA) came when, still flying at 350 kts IAS, the Mach number reduced through M1.50.
...And I'm guessing the approach speeds were fairly high so hitting the touchdown zone was pretty important?...
In terms of not running off the end of the runway, touching down in the correct spot was as important on Concorde as on other aircraft types.
However, due to the geometry of Concorde on landing, the tail, engine pods and reverser buckets were already fairly close to the runway. Add in a “firm” touchdown, or if the wings are not completely level, and ground clearance becomes marginal, so a prolonged flare and floated landing, with an increasing aircraft attitude, was not acceptable. The risk of a pod, tail or a reverser bucket scrape on Concorde was greater than on most conventional jet aircraft.
... So if things got out of shape a little, and a G/A was required, how do you handle what looks like 4 rockets on the wings and applying the right amount of power?...
- Disconnect the autothrottles.
- Apply FULL power without reheat.
- Rotate to 15º and level the wings.
- Check for Positive Climb then call for the Gear Up.
- Maintain 15º and accelerate (you will accelerate!)
- Passing around 210 kts, reduce power to 95% N2.
- Approaching 250 kts, engage Autothrottles for 250 kts
- Reduce Pitch Attitude, aiming to achieve 2,000 fpm RoC.
- Do not miss the level off altitude for the GA profile.