Ftdk Jet
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Looking forward to returning to Japan soon but in the meantime continuing the never ending search for a bad bottle of Red!
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When the ATAR stopped the pilot threw a brick 'out the window' and flew formation on it to achieve the best glide angle. Ejection mandatory if not at high key (10,000ft AGL) within 1nm of THR though.
Apparently the Sabre was even worse!!
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mig3 - he was pulling your leg. Probably suffering the dreaded curse, too much beer. Glide ratio 6:1, thats not bad, even the T-28 in the carrier pattern configuration beat that at 4.5:1. And at a pattern altitude of 325 feet would have concentrated the mind in the event the fan stopped.
Did any RAAF guy ever dead stick a Mirage? Did hear one story but scenerio given seemed too improbable for words. Records available don't show it to have been the case.
Did any RAAF guy ever dead stick a Mirage? Did hear one story but scenerio given seemed too improbable for words. Records available don't show it to have been the case.
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I recall a Mirage dead stick demo at Amberley many years ago. The intention was to recover but the pilot mis-calculated and belly'd it.
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Deadstick Mirage
G' Day Brian Abraham
I recently read a book titled "Sock it to 'em Baby". In Chapter 3 the author, Garry Cooper, ex RAAF describes his forced landing in a Mirage circa early 1966. On a training mission shortly after take-off & accelerating through 400 kts, while climbing through 1500ft the engine gave a loud bang which was later found to be an eagle enmeshed in the engine. Trading speed for height he climbed to 4000ft till he slowed for the the best glide speed of 240kts, noticed a disused wartime strip at Hexam (1300 metres!). As he turned towards the strip he tried a restart to no avail. By this time he was too low to eject. Gear & flap lowered, he pulled up on the bush studded strip. No slaps on the back for officer Cooper however. Apparently, if you flame out, you bump out!!!...By not bumping out it set a bad example for junior officers (at that time) and is likely to cost your life & a very expensive aircraft.
I recently read a book titled "Sock it to 'em Baby". In Chapter 3 the author, Garry Cooper, ex RAAF describes his forced landing in a Mirage circa early 1966. On a training mission shortly after take-off & accelerating through 400 kts, while climbing through 1500ft the engine gave a loud bang which was later found to be an eagle enmeshed in the engine. Trading speed for height he climbed to 4000ft till he slowed for the the best glide speed of 240kts, noticed a disused wartime strip at Hexam (1300 metres!). As he turned towards the strip he tried a restart to no avail. By this time he was too low to eject. Gear & flap lowered, he pulled up on the bush studded strip. No slaps on the back for officer Cooper however. Apparently, if you flame out, you bump out!!!...By not bumping out it set a bad example for junior officers (at that time) and is likely to cost your life & a very expensive aircraft.
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I recall a Mirage dead stick demo at Amberley many years ago. The intention was to recover but the pilot mis-calculated and belly'd it.
In fact, I understand that even a stuck u/c is sufficient to require an exit via the booster, as the impact of the cabin following the high alpha approach was sufficient to compact the spine.
Nobody told that to one jockey who landed at Adelaide Aiport inadvertently with gear up and walked away from it.
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one jockey who landed at Adelaide Aiport inadvertently with gear up
An answer from the RAAF. The forced landing pattern for the Mirage was an exciting event – the high key point was at 15,000’ over the upwind threshold (i.e. the other end of the runway) the low key point was 1.5nm abeam the touchdown point at 10,000’ all executed at a best glide speed of 240-270 knots. The rate of descent to be checked in the flare was about 8500 feet per minute so the probability of stuffing it up (and the landing gear as well) was fairly high.
The recollection of the back bar story is consistent with several ex Mirage pilots. However, what is not spelt out - is the degree of back bar scepticism that always accompanied the story. From that I think we may be able to put the story to bed.
