A RAAF Mirage wheels up landing story worth reading
ruprecht,
Yep that photo encapsulates pretty much all the original team with some many more notables following.
PFL...
15,000 overhead at 300 kts pointing towards base.
10,000 at base slowing to 240 for gear extension. Accel to 270 kts once gear doors were closed.
5000 on final at 270 kts.
1500 feet short final (1nm) at 270 kts commence flare.
Wipe off 100ks during the flare and land at 170kts.
Made the Space Shuttle look like child's play.
Yep that photo encapsulates pretty much all the original team with some many more notables following.
PFL...
15,000 overhead at 300 kts pointing towards base.
10,000 at base slowing to 240 for gear extension. Accel to 270 kts once gear doors were closed.
5000 on final at 270 kts.
1500 feet short final (1nm) at 270 kts commence flare.
Wipe off 100ks during the flare and land at 170kts.
Made the Space Shuttle look like child's play.
First Mirage ride was with Oggie Worth - he was then OC Butterworth. Second ride was with Gus Larard. I think Dave Bowden was my CO at 75SQN at the time. (Can't remember when the change of COs happened when I was at 75SQN.) Tex Watson was OC Richmond when I was posted back to 2AD. The items on the wall at my man cave also include Reg Meissner's memorial AIP cover.
Great times....
Great times....
Last edited by Clinton McKenzie; 31st Aug 2016 at 22:47. Reason: Correction - second ride was with Gus Larard. N L-M was an Area Manager CASA when I was there.
The photo
Can't work out what's under the pitot. Looks like an IFR probe (surely not, on a gravity refuelled airplane!)
Oh, is it one of those TP-style data probes??
Oh, is it one of those TP-style data probes??
Last edited by Minnie Burner; 1st Sep 2016 at 09:30. Reason: Bright(?) idea...
Thanks, Fris.
The light starts to shine!
Also explains what the Greek or German Air Force were doing flying the jet! Doh!
Must be the place where they're converted to right-hand drive, right?
The light starts to shine!
Also explains what the Greek or German Air Force were doing flying the jet! Doh!
Must be the place where they're converted to right-hand drive, right?
The probe was known as the "gust pobe".
IIRC the aircraft was used for high speed (600kts) low level flights through areas of high mechanical turbulence. This was an Aeronautical Research Laboratories project to measure gust shapes in the real world cf that used in aircraft design.
I do recall one pilot got a 6g bump - pretty impressive considering the low slope of the Cl/Alpha curve of the Mirage.
IIRC the aircraft was used for high speed (600kts) low level flights through areas of high mechanical turbulence. This was an Aeronautical Research Laboratories project to measure gust shapes in the real world cf that used in aircraft design.
I do recall one pilot got a 6g bump - pretty impressive considering the low slope of the Cl/Alpha curve of the Mirage.
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
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Re the photo; Tony Ford (back row left) was my CPL Flight test(s) examiner.
Tony Ford (back row left) was my CPL Flight test(s) examiner
Thread Starter
1500 feet short final (1nm) at 270 kts commence flare.
Wipe off 100ks during the flare and land at 170kts.
Wipe off 100ks during the flare and land at 170kts.
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So what happened to Nick? Did he go on to have a successful RAAF career or did he have to do penance at a desk or in Townsville or Darwin running logistics or something awful?
have a successful RAAF career or did he have to do penance at a desk or in Townsville or Darwin running logistics or something awful?
I never flew it, but losing 20kt per second in a low aspect ratio jet on the back side of the drag curve is well within the bounds of possibility.
Originally Posted by Centaurus
Wipe of 100 knots in what is probably a five second flare? 270 knots commence flare at one mile before the threshold? Slight exaggeration maybe?
A-4, but might give some guidance Centaurus.
Means a loss of 30 to 40 knots in the flare.
The aircraft is on final approach when lined up with the landing runway. Optimum conditions are 1000 feet AGL, 2000 to 3000 feet of straight-way, and 180 KIAS. If high, altitude should be lost by nosing over slightly permitting airspeed to increase. Minimum airspeed on final is 170 KIAS. If excessive airspeed exists on final (over 200 KlAS), manual speedbrake extension is effective in reducing airspeed. Speedbrakes should be used only if excessive airspeed exists and landing on the runway is ensured.
FLARE. The flare should be commenced 200 to 300 feet above the runway at 180 KlAS. THIS IS A CRITICAL PHASE OF THE APPROACH AND REQUIRES OPTIMUM PILOT TECHNIQUE. A sequence of minor nose rotations to produce a series of slight reductions in rate of descent (step effect) allows time for constant appraisal of the flare at each incremental position and provides a satisfactory means for effecting a smooth landing. Airspeed dissipates
very rapidly (power off) during the flare.
LANDING. Optimum touchdown speed is 140 to 150 KIAS. Approximately 5000 feet of runway will be required for stopping at these airspeeds. Airspeeds below 140 KlAS should be avoided to prevent a hard landing. A safe landing can be accomplished at touchdown airspeeds as high as 180 KIAS if sufficient runway remains.
Lack of sufficient airspeed to stop the steep rate of descent may not only result in an unsafe landing but may also preclude safe ejection.
FLARE. The flare should be commenced 200 to 300 feet above the runway at 180 KlAS. THIS IS A CRITICAL PHASE OF THE APPROACH AND REQUIRES OPTIMUM PILOT TECHNIQUE. A sequence of minor nose rotations to produce a series of slight reductions in rate of descent (step effect) allows time for constant appraisal of the flare at each incremental position and provides a satisfactory means for effecting a smooth landing. Airspeed dissipates
very rapidly (power off) during the flare.
LANDING. Optimum touchdown speed is 140 to 150 KIAS. Approximately 5000 feet of runway will be required for stopping at these airspeeds. Airspeeds below 140 KlAS should be avoided to prevent a hard landing. A safe landing can be accomplished at touchdown airspeeds as high as 180 KIAS if sufficient runway remains.
Lack of sufficient airspeed to stop the steep rate of descent may not only result in an unsafe landing but may also preclude safe ejection.
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.. but losing 20kt per second
Only ever had the one backseat ride. The ASI change during a demo clean max rate roll was in the order of 100kts as I recall .. the ASI certainly was an agile device compared to what a chap might have been used to .. the roll rate must have been in the order of 400 deg/sec or higher.
Only ever had the one backseat ride. The ASI change during a demo clean max rate roll was in the order of 100kts as I recall .. the ASI certainly was an agile device compared to what a chap might have been used to .. the roll rate must have been in the order of 400 deg/sec or higher.