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

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

That's a relief, thought this was another PT/fitness test thread....

Thanks
 

Cheers NoD...appreciate the quick response. :ok:

And they have to run and break just to show how punchy and macho they are:)

Salt and vinegar with that chip, sir?

Always remember back in the 70's watching the TV coverage of the Open from St Andrews, with the commentator complaining about the noise made by 43 Squadrons Lightnings as their pilots "showed off" as they went in to land at Leuchars, just over the water!

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?

Something that 43 Sqn pilots wouldn't have taken along if ever the Fighting Cocks had flown Lightnings.............:D

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.































:p

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.

Never met a pilot who could fly an instrument approach better than one advised by a nav.

Despite what the voices in a pilots 'mind' head might say.

You will have to forgive my faulty memory - yep, at the time I was dishing out the fuel (71 - 77) 43 were flying Phantoms at Leuchars (with navs and still doing run in and breaks to the annoyance of the golf commentator!)

Belated thanks for the fuel you gave away, T*********Nav, we were all very grateful for the service.

PS I was personally very careful to fly my F4 as quietly as possible, so as not to upset the golfers.:O

Personally I'd rather listen to the F4s and Lightnings than watch the bloody golf!:)

Why not get the best of both worlds? Golf and fast jets! :ok:

Could there be anything better???

Err . . . how much room have we got? :rolleyes:

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.