C17 into Northolt?
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: MAN
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From the BBC:
Five Britons held in Guantanamo Bay as terrorism suspects for two years are due to arrive back in the UK shortly. A plane carrying the men and anti-terrorist police officers is scheduled to touch down at RAF Northolt in west London at around 1700 GMT.
Uniformed police officers, acting as an escort team on behalf of the government, and two independent observers, including one from the Muslim community, are also on the flight.
Five Britons held in Guantanamo Bay as terrorism suspects for two years are due to arrive back in the UK shortly. A plane carrying the men and anti-terrorist police officers is scheduled to touch down at RAF Northolt in west London at around 1700 GMT.
Uniformed police officers, acting as an escort team on behalf of the government, and two independent observers, including one from the Muslim community, are also on the flight.
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: London
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah,
Never saw anything earlier but last month a C-17 went over my house en route to Northolt.
I live in Harrow-on the Hill in northwest London and that's pretty much the biggest thing that has ever landed there.
The occasional Hercules comes in but nothing that big normally.
The reverse thrust on the C-17 is one of the most powerful in the business, so I suppose it can land there fairly easily. I was lucky enough to see the C-17's of Charleston, South Carolina, when I flew in there on a training flight from Florida back in the summer of 2000. They look deceptively slow on take off as well and never cease to amaze with how easily they fly for such large aircraft.
However, carrying people rather than tanks makes it a bit easier.
Never saw anything earlier but last month a C-17 went over my house en route to Northolt.
I live in Harrow-on the Hill in northwest London and that's pretty much the biggest thing that has ever landed there.
The occasional Hercules comes in but nothing that big normally.
The reverse thrust on the C-17 is one of the most powerful in the business, so I suppose it can land there fairly easily. I was lucky enough to see the C-17's of Charleston, South Carolina, when I flew in there on a training flight from Florida back in the summer of 2000. They look deceptively slow on take off as well and never cease to amaze with how easily they fly for such large aircraft.
However, carrying people rather than tanks makes it a bit easier.
Just glanced at the Boeing site for the figures and am suitably impressed by this machine:
The engines are equipped with directed-flow thrust reversers capable of deployment in flight. On the ground, a fully loaded aircraft, using engine reversers, can back up a two-percent slope.
With a payload of 160,000 pounds, the C-17 can take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles, and land on a small, austere airfield in 3,000 feet or less. The C-17 is equipped with an externally blown flap system that allows a steep, low-speed final approach and low-landing speeds for routine short-field landings.
C-17s have set 33 world records – more than any other airlifter in history – including payload to altitude, time-to-climb, and short-takeoff-and-landing marks in which the C-17 took off in less than 1,400 feet, carried a payload of 44,000 pounds to altitude, and landed in less than 1,400 feet. These records were set during flight-testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in 2001.
I'd like to see one backing up a 2% slope?! And does an assault landing really involve reversers and 25,000fpm descents? Surely not...
Cheers
WWW
The engines are equipped with directed-flow thrust reversers capable of deployment in flight. On the ground, a fully loaded aircraft, using engine reversers, can back up a two-percent slope.
With a payload of 160,000 pounds, the C-17 can take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles, and land on a small, austere airfield in 3,000 feet or less. The C-17 is equipped with an externally blown flap system that allows a steep, low-speed final approach and low-landing speeds for routine short-field landings.
C-17s have set 33 world records – more than any other airlifter in history – including payload to altitude, time-to-climb, and short-takeoff-and-landing marks in which the C-17 took off in less than 1,400 feet, carried a payload of 44,000 pounds to altitude, and landed in less than 1,400 feet. These records were set during flight-testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in 2001.
I'd like to see one backing up a 2% slope?! And does an assault landing really involve reversers and 25,000fpm descents? Surely not...
Cheers
WWW
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Near to Prestwick,Scotland
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Topgundom & Wycombe
Re the C17 being the biggest plane into Northolt.......
There were a couple of C141 Starlifters that came in during Ronnie Reagan's presidency..... One in particular on a Sunday afternoon which I remember very well, it was one of the white and grey ones....... The A40 was shut etc etc...
More recently, I have seen C17's in there and even a couple of B757's..... ( The US Air Force versions )
Ian H
Re the C17 being the biggest plane into Northolt.......
There were a couple of C141 Starlifters that came in during Ronnie Reagan's presidency..... One in particular on a Sunday afternoon which I remember very well, it was one of the white and grey ones....... The A40 was shut etc etc...
More recently, I have seen C17's in there and even a couple of B757's..... ( The US Air Force versions )
Ian H
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Valley Where the Thames Runs Softly
Age: 77
Posts: 556
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It seems a bit odd that they used a C17, which must be the most expensive aircraft the RAF has, for half a dozen people. Surely a charter-in would have been vastly cheaper?
Plenty of room for a few boxes of Havanas though.
Plenty of room for a few boxes of Havanas though.
Surely a C130 would have been a cheaper option?
Or would that have been seen as punishment without trial?
Or would that have been seen as punishment without trial?
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TM,
At least one, provided we stayed servicable of course
, and with all those scuffers onboard absolutely no problems with guarding the aircraft 
all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
At least one, provided we stayed servicable of course
, and with all those scuffers onboard absolutely no problems with guarding the aircraft all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: uk
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
but hang on, the scuffers I've dealt with always play a bizzare 'crew duty' shuffle, resulting in s*d all guarding by themselves and our poor santas little helpers getting stitched for it....
but then again, I hear coco beach is an excellent nite stop....
but then again, I hear coco beach is an excellent nite stop....
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
W.W.Welshman
Having been privledged to be on the initial Cadre for the C-17 I can confirm that this is an awesome aircraft.
Your info is almost correct as it can back up a 2% slope fully loaded (164,900 lbs) but needs an lots of throttle at that weight. The Assault landing is a landing with full flap, 5 degree glideslope and max braking effort.
What you are talking about with 25,000 Fpm rate of descent is the "Tac Descent". This is completed with full Speed Brake and reverse idle whilst pushing the nose down. 25,000 Fpm is a little over the top but 16-20,000 is normal. Completed one with a USAF crew whilst carrying an M1-A1 main battle tank, great fun but made me pray i'd restrained it correctly.
Having been privledged to be on the initial Cadre for the C-17 I can confirm that this is an awesome aircraft.
Your info is almost correct as it can back up a 2% slope fully loaded (164,900 lbs) but needs an lots of throttle at that weight. The Assault landing is a landing with full flap, 5 degree glideslope and max braking effort.
What you are talking about with 25,000 Fpm rate of descent is the "Tac Descent". This is completed with full Speed Brake and reverse idle whilst pushing the nose down. 25,000 Fpm is a little over the top but 16-20,000 is normal. Completed one with a USAF crew whilst carrying an M1-A1 main battle tank, great fun but made me pray i'd restrained it correctly.
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: SE England
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"but 16-20,000 is normal"
That really is impressive considering a free-falling human only descends at about half that rate
Edited to add pic for no real reason.
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/530269/M/
That really is impressive considering a free-falling human only descends at about half that rate
Edited to add pic for no real reason.
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/530269/M/
Last edited by Smoketoomuch; 12th Mar 2004 at 21:37.
Moose Loadie - wow. I had no idea. I had a basic understanding of typical Herc numbers a decade ago but the C17 is of another order it seems.
I can start to imagine the responsibility of tying down a main battle tank in such a scenario...
Cheers
WWW
ps You're not my dodgy neighbour with a pale green astra van by any chance are you?!?!
I can start to imagine the responsibility of tying down a main battle tank in such a scenario...
Cheers
WWW
ps You're not my dodgy neighbour with a pale green astra van by any chance are you?!?!
