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Hello Captain's.
Here is the sumary of EHAM-KJFK Concorde test flight.
This morning, we'll test the supersonic on the future Amsterdam - New-York link.
Weather is very good, crew in very good shape.
The bird is waiting us at Gate.
Today the pax will be 100 full.
We've planned 95.2 Tons of fuel to join Big Apple.
We'll be at MTOW.
Push and start clearance obtained, engines 3 and 2 are started with GPU connected because Concorde haven't APU. When done, the towing car place the Bird on the taxiway.
During the push, engines 1 and 4 are started up using power and air from the runing engines.
Once deconnected from towing car, taxi lights are set on, parking brake released.
The ground crew show us the right sign to go.
Here we go...
Runway in use is 09 so we'll have to make a large right turn to facing the first waypoint avoiding overfly the city.
The ruduced power will be engaged 1minute and 20 second after full power set.
4 reheats engaged.
"3, 2, 1, Takeoff". The full power is applied, timer launch and we are pushed back in our seats by the accelleration.
Fastest than the best F1 car, the Bird increases speed the runway seems short when we ear "V1" and a few seconds later, "Rotate".
The nose going up quikly and we reach 14°. "V2" is called then Concorde leaves the ground.
"Positive climb", the gear lever is set to UP.
As soon we reach 400ft AGL the auto pilot is engaged.
"3, 2, 1, Noise", Reheats are shuting down and throttles back to Noise value.
We have to pull the stick to keep a positve rate of climb as the Bird lose speed.
We now engage the right turn and begin to push throttle again.
Now we engage the autothrottle to 250 Kts.
Concorde doesn't like low speed, so the pitch is very high.13/16° and drag is high too.
The first way point is selected on the INS. This first point is XIDIL in MANCHE sea.
It was choosen because it is at more than 25Nm from French and English coastlines.
This is required to accellerate above the sound speed. The Bang carpet is 25Nm large from each side of the Bird.
During this first leg, we are climbing to 10.000 ft where we accellerate to 400Kts and climbing to 26.000 ft which will be our subsonic level before final accelleration.
At this altitude, we read M0.95.
About 28 minutes after takeoff, XIDIL is reached after passing the "Pas de Calais".
It's time to go beyond the sound barrier.
MAX CLIMB mode is engaged, and reheats are set on 2 by 2 to limit the stress of passengers.
The reheats will bring us to M1.70 where they'll be shutoff.
Passing the Mach, shock wave drives instruments crazy for 1 or 2 seconds.
Concorde lighly climb to 60.000ft.
unfortunatly, the weather is hot and it can't reach this level because the nose temperature will be more than 127°C the max temp allowed.
So we need to stay at FL580 max. at the end of the trip.
Passing the Lands Ends VOR (LND) at the South West end of England, reaheats are shutoff after 11 minutes and 18 seconds from their start.
M1.7 is reached now. The bird continue to increases speed and finally stop at M2.03 and 51.000 ft.
We follow now the old Concorde Route through Atlantic.
The next step of this flight will drive you to the TOD and you'll know all the secret of the Concorde descent approaching NY.
Pictures arrive....
Hope you like this story.
Friendly Pierre
Here is the sumary of EHAM-KJFK Concorde test flight.
This morning, we'll test the supersonic on the future Amsterdam - New-York link.
Weather is very good, crew in very good shape.
The bird is waiting us at Gate.
Today the pax will be 100 full.
We've planned 95.2 Tons of fuel to join Big Apple.
We'll be at MTOW.
Push and start clearance obtained, engines 3 and 2 are started with GPU connected because Concorde haven't APU. When done, the towing car place the Bird on the taxiway.
During the push, engines 1 and 4 are started up using power and air from the runing engines.
Once deconnected from towing car, taxi lights are set on, parking brake released.
The ground crew show us the right sign to go.
Here we go...
Runway in use is 09 so we'll have to make a large right turn to facing the first waypoint avoiding overfly the city.
The ruduced power will be engaged 1minute and 20 second after full power set.
4 reheats engaged.
"3, 2, 1, Takeoff". The full power is applied, timer launch and we are pushed back in our seats by the accelleration.
Fastest than the best F1 car, the Bird increases speed the runway seems short when we ear "V1" and a few seconds later, "Rotate".
The nose going up quikly and we reach 14°. "V2" is called then Concorde leaves the ground.
"Positive climb", the gear lever is set to UP.
As soon we reach 400ft AGL the auto pilot is engaged.
"3, 2, 1, Noise", Reheats are shuting down and throttles back to Noise value.
We have to pull the stick to keep a positve rate of climb as the Bird lose speed.
We now engage the right turn and begin to push throttle again.
Now we engage the autothrottle to 250 Kts.
Concorde doesn't like low speed, so the pitch is very high.13/16° and drag is high too.
The first way point is selected on the INS. This first point is XIDIL in MANCHE sea.
It was choosen because it is at more than 25Nm from French and English coastlines.
This is required to accellerate above the sound speed. The Bang carpet is 25Nm large from each side of the Bird.
During this first leg, we are climbing to 10.000 ft where we accellerate to 400Kts and climbing to 26.000 ft which will be our subsonic level before final accelleration.
At this altitude, we read M0.95.
About 28 minutes after takeoff, XIDIL is reached after passing the "Pas de Calais".
It's time to go beyond the sound barrier.
MAX CLIMB mode is engaged, and reheats are set on 2 by 2 to limit the stress of passengers.
The reheats will bring us to M1.70 where they'll be shutoff.
Passing the Mach, shock wave drives instruments crazy for 1 or 2 seconds.
Concorde lighly climb to 60.000ft.
unfortunatly, the weather is hot and it can't reach this level because the nose temperature will be more than 127°C the max temp allowed.
So we need to stay at FL580 max. at the end of the trip.
Passing the Lands Ends VOR (LND) at the South West end of England, reaheats are shutoff after 11 minutes and 18 seconds from their start.
M1.7 is reached now. The bird continue to increases speed and finally stop at M2.03 and 51.000 ft.
We follow now the old Concorde Route through Atlantic.
The next step of this flight will drive you to the TOD and you'll know all the secret of the Concorde descent approaching NY.
Pictures arrive....
Hope you like this story.
Friendly Pierre
