Well, it is more intuitive for a glider where it's obvious that pitch controls both speed and height.

It would be possible to build an aircraft where power influenced speed substantially and where you wouldn't be able to change altitude without co-ordinated use of the elevator and throttle. The fact that we don't build aircraft to fly like this is ultimately a design decision.

It depends on the available power though. On something like an F16 engaging the burner makes the world go in reverse without a massive increase in lift whereas doing it in a powered snot rag (or flexwing...:}) merely makes you go up a bit.

ABDG ;)

Take yourself off to South Africa! Take a ride in a Lightning and see a demonstration going from almost zero to 40,000 feet straight up and then say that power does not equal speed :E
Or even come in the Slowtation jet I fly and I will demonstrate it for you!!!
You will bust VNE in seconds low level if you advance thrust to anywhere near Max or trade that thrust for climb.

Pace

Point taken - I should have specified 'spamcans'. Is that offer for real :E

DAR - thanks for that. I, too, was lucky enough to be knocked into shape by some wise old pelicans whose respect it was important to gain (purely selfish - you don't respect them, they'll just spit you out 'cause they can't waste their limited time, and then you've lost a golden opportunity).

I always knew I didn't know a lot, but I thought I knew a heck of a lot more than I actually did know (after all, I'd read and understood the books... no flight sims back then).

Thankfully I had the sense to realise, when these guys spoke (let alone when they flew) I really was at the bottom of the slope. That was 34 years ago, a lot of taildragger, aeros, and strip time ago... But, that learning mountain still stretches upwards in front of me. I guess it always will.

I thought the Lightning rides were all bets off now in SA since the F6 piled in? I heard that there's a group out in the States that are getting a T5 back into airworthy condtion, I think in Mississippi somewhere.

I had the dubious pleasure of being in at the demise of the Lightning in '88. I remember speaking to (I think it was ) Dave Roome who told me he took a Lightning up to 88,000 ft over Singapore and could see from Vietnam all the way down the Malay peninsula.

Mind you, that was back in the day when we had an Air Force. There aren't enough guys in the RAF to half fill Old Trafford now. Literally.

I've just reminded myself I know an excellent story about a Hunter spinning over Singapore but is far better told by the culprit.

Thing

You are right the Lightning flights are not available in SA anymore but what a machine :E I know a BA Captain who used to fly them.

I was up at Doncaster and saw them Roll out the Vulcan Bomber another creation from a previous era then picked up the Citation and flew to Filton where Concorde sits on the end of the runway.

What a crime selling off Filton to be turned into housing.
Never mind I am sure they will call the streets Concorde Avenue, Airport road etc :{

Think we have lost a lot in creativity, imagination and pure passion from those pioneering days and superb creations which were made all those years ago.
Just imagine what the test pilots from those eras were like?

Oh well progress?? I expect give it a few more years and we will have priced and regulated GA out of the market too in our big brother and liability society!
As for the RAF maybe we might all be recruited as some sort of call up Dads Army to patrol our shores in 152s :ok:

pace