Reverse in the flare was very useful given Trident high approach speeds. But Edi 31/13 was perfectly usable without it (as were all the other ex-RAF 6000 foot runways) provided it wasn't wet. Gibraltar had the additional frisson of having a particularly damp overrun.

Having flown aeroplanes in multifarious ways (manual throttle/auto throttle/diy throttle/get-the-other-chap-to-do-it) - I've always found it slightly amusing that some think their virility/feminity challenged if they don't handle their own throttles.

Autothrottle in manual flight only works if attitude is accurately controlled (otherwise it hunts). Quite liked the Tri system of asking for power settings as it discouraged over-control of power and meant the engines were being properly monitored - particularly on landing. It was perfectly possible to fly a fixed power approach on Trident (as with other aeroplanes) by playing the drag curve.

Unlike the other marks, the T3 had a tendency to skip on touchdown. Using reverse in the flare not only meant the engines hadn't fully spooled down (as previously pointed out) but also ensured a component of the thrust was ensuring good contact with the runway (no skip). Curiously, landings with full reverse thrust could often be very smooth - although the psychological effect on the nervous passenger can be imagined.

Interestingly, both Max Kingsley-Jones's Trident monograph and Keith Gaskells's "History of BA" quote Zulu Uniform as operating that AMS charter, Zulu Victor having gone tech earlier in the day.

Quite a lot of tosh in the preceding pages about the de-activation and indeed removal of the T3 boost engine. It was never the case. The boost engine was seldom used in anger during the latter years of BA service, resulting in serviceability issues, usually a failure to start. Aficionados attributed the cause to inadequate fuelling during start due to lack of use.
An unapproved but reliable remedy was to purge the fuel line by removing the boost engine igniter CB and perform a start cycle until a nice cloud of fuel vapour appeared from the jet pipe (usually requiring a helpful observer - or the startled comments of nearby a/c) A blowout cycle was then performed followed usually, by a good start.
As a member of the crew performing the very last BA Trident flight, Zulu Mike, LHR to Wroughton on 28th Feb 1986 to join the Science Museum collection and I can attest that we performed a full power takeoff with boost and that the empty a/c went up like a homesick, if noisy angel.

Just in case you didn't all know this, the RB162 was originally designed by RR for use in VTOL civil airliners. The multiple small engines were intended to give adequate redundancy (compared with the single vectored thrust engine in the military Harrier).
I designed and stressed the turbine blades, and still retain the broken bits from the previous design of blade (it had failed on the test bed). Some test bed failures in those days at RR were pretty dramatic.
Of course civil VTOL never happened, so the Trident application was a welcome use of a redundant design.

just reserecting an old thread


just seen a photo dated 4/1968 at Athens with a BEA Trident on the ramp (old BEA red square livery)
cannot make out if its is a new T2E or not but the nose gear doors look like they have 2 open ala T1C

anyone know why a Trident would be at ATH in spring 1968 I thought this was Comet domain ?

the link is here to view photo
Altes aus Afrika - Fotos - Historische Aufnahmen und FRA-Erinnerungen - FRA-Spotterforum

where is this?

https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/wp-...img3302443.jpg

Aberdeen I believe. It was reputed that the Captain was heard to say "now they'll HAVE to wash the f---ing thing" as it rolled to a rest!

That would certainly explain the two BAA vehicles with "Aberdeen" in big letters along the side. :O

T3 aquaplaned on landing, May 22nd 1978.

I remember when I was training on GMC at Glasgow, T3s taxying for 24 (now 23) would start the booster as they passed the tower. First you would get clouds of vapour, then a gout of flame as it lit!!

That doesn't mean it WAS at Aberdeen, Dave !

Looking at earlier exchanges on another subject, this could well have
been an inter-governmental plot to fool a gullible populace into thinking it was Aberdeen....

Did it really take place?

Tridents had taken over the LHR-Rome-Athens-Istanbul-Ankara "stopper" by 1968, along with LHR-Rome-Athens-Beirut. A short range Trident 1C could have managed all those stops.

Here's a 1968 timetable :

http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...6/be686-16.jpg

rog747
 

I was on the crew that was due to operate the Trident return flight to London after a night stop at Aberdeen. The date was 22nd May 1978 ?

Good point. We need a competent truther on the case. :O

If that's not an oxymoron.

I saw that one happen.

In those days the passenger terminal gave a pretty full view of the runway. As the Trident landed there was a loud gasp and much muttering of "no way!" etc from the assembled pax. It was obvious to everyone that that by the t/d point there was zero chance of a successful outcome. Well before t/d there were several saying out loud things to the effect of "that's **** ed it!".

I was standing chatting with Tom P, who wryly said "I hope the bugger doesn't ask us (Beacopters) for a transfer".

IIRC the aircraft landed with a tailwind just outside limits but the crew were exonerated.

Trident & the Flying Saucer
 

I am surprised the story of a Trident flying into Moscow and a flying saucer has not come up.

One day at a sailing club, I asked Captain Tony Colin (BA 747 then) if he had ever seen a flying saucer. As that week there had been reports in Bexleyheath were I lived at the time, of people seeing one.

The answer was yes, there was even a cartoon in The Times of him and his Captain and an article about the incident. I did remember reading about it and the cartoon years before, not knowing it was him.

Tony was often my buddy on rescue duty at the sailing club and he would take the boat to the limit. As for me, I would just lay down in the boat and let him get on with being the helm.

If you see this Tony, email via Pprune the family would like to hear from you.
Mike

thanks for that - it def looks like a 1c at ATH in photo 4/1968

going to Rhodes old airport Maritsa at night was no fun i bet

Gib and Heraklion were the dodgiest of places...
With the former the pax would ask whether we would go to Tangier for them to get a ferry across.
The later had a 707? parked in the lagoon ...suffered from rotor in the lee of the mountains.
Flew two approached on a DC9 in severe Turbulence at night...one of the few to get in but with hindsight wasn't very clever.

Only one Trident 2 (FC) had been delivered anyway by April 1968; I doubt they had come into mainstream service by then. The rest of the fleet arrived over the next 15 months.