Fast Jet Circuits
Thread Starter
Fast Jet Circuits
Hi All
I'm hoping someone here could answer a question for me.
I was watching some Hornets and Hawks arriving at RAAF Williamtown this week and noticed that late to mid downwind, they all appeared to be adding a large amount of power (well the noise got louder anyway). I wasn't in a position to see why and for all I know it was just a matter of acoustics that made it sound as if power was being increased substantially.
Was I hearing things and if not, what's happening here? Is it a configuration change (gear?) that requires a lot of thrust to overcome? And is this a practice peculiar to the way the RAAF flies circuits or is it the way fast jets are flown?
Thanks in advance.
Flyer
I'm hoping someone here could answer a question for me.
I was watching some Hornets and Hawks arriving at RAAF Williamtown this week and noticed that late to mid downwind, they all appeared to be adding a large amount of power (well the noise got louder anyway). I wasn't in a position to see why and for all I know it was just a matter of acoustics that made it sound as if power was being increased substantially.
Was I hearing things and if not, what's happening here? Is it a configuration change (gear?) that requires a lot of thrust to overcome? And is this a practice peculiar to the way the RAAF flies circuits or is it the way fast jets are flown?
Thanks in advance.
Flyer
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 2,044
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Swept Wing(s), drag, circuit design such that "power is up" for finals turn so engine is responsive.
The increase in power is more noteable since, presuming the join to the circuit is a "break", it will be at relatviely high speed (250K+ to maybe 400K), and from that point to mid downwind losing energy is the key, hence idle. "Mid downwind", you are approaching IAS / Alpha for the final turn and need to add power to stabilise speed / Alpha.
NoD
The increase in power is more noteable since, presuming the join to the circuit is a "break", it will be at relatviely high speed (250K+ to maybe 400K), and from that point to mid downwind losing energy is the key, hence idle. "Mid downwind", you are approaching IAS / Alpha for the final turn and need to add power to stabilise speed / Alpha.
NoD
And they have to run and break just to show how punchy and macho they are
And they have to run and break just to show how punchy and macho they are
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
I thought the run and break was because without a Nav on board, anything more navigationally complex than a 360 back to the runway would lead to them getting lost in the circuit.
Nav? Wozzat?
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Sunny (or Rainy) Somerset, England
Posts: 2,026
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And don't forget the dog. A dog was carried to keep the pilot company and the dog was there to bite the pilot if he even thought of touching any of the levers or switches.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Whyte House
Age: 95
Posts: 1,966
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A grumpy old device designed to dampen the seats in small corners of large aeroplane flight decks. Astonishingly, some very old aeroplanes even carried more than one of the breed; others also carried a variety of teenage wireless operators....plus a mumbling old fart to keep an eye on the dilithium crystals.
Despite what the voices in a pilots 'mind' head might say.
Something that 43 Sqn pilots wouldn't have taken along if ever the Fighting Cocks had flown Lightnings.............
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Fife
Age: 87
Posts: 519
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was dishing out the fuel
PS I was personally very careful to fly my F4 as quietly as possible, so as not to upset the golfers.
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: East Midlands
Age: 84
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My recollection is that a "Run & Break" is the quickest and best way to get an aircraft, or a formation of aircraft, from a tactical cruising speed and back onto the ground in the shortest time possible.
Get out of it, you pommies ... this is about RAAF circuits, and therefore any reference to 'runs and breaks' should be deleted, and replaced with 'initials and pitches'.
For the original poster, after the pitch (early downwind) the gear and maybe a stage of flap go out, so a reasonable power increase from idle is required to maintain downwind speed. Not that I was a knuck, but I did train on a jet some time ago, albeit a little one.
For the original poster, after the pitch (early downwind) the gear and maybe a stage of flap go out, so a reasonable power increase from idle is required to maintain downwind speed. Not that I was a knuck, but I did train on a jet some time ago, albeit a little one.