June 5, 201610 yr After two failed attempts (overspeed crashes!), I finally got this beautiful bird up and away to FL750. Decided to take her from NASA's place at Palmdale over to Boscombe Down, here in the UK (home of the Empire Test Pilot's School). According to a flight planner, almost 5000nm. Apparently she has a combat radius of under 4300nm, but that does include travelling at Mach 3. Set her up for a max range flight at M2.7, it's going to be close!! Taxiing out at dawn. POWER!! Turning to align with the GPS track. Into the wild blue yonder Top of the world, Ma! M2.7, ground speed of 1600kt - it'll do. Well that didn't take too long! Between me and ATC we tried getting her low and slow enough for an approach to Boscombe, but no. I had to report a missed approach - back up to 3500 feet for fresh vectors into a misty Boscombe Down. That's better! Some of the taxiways seem a little tight, better droop the wingtips... In the background we see another beautiful, fast white bird. Well this is a fantasy flight - don't think Boscombe actually has a Concorde, but this afcad file does! Shutdown. EDIT - I said it was going to be close regarding the flight distance: She only had about 14000 lbs of fuel left when I was taxiing her in! Thanks for looking. Mark Robinson Part-time Ferroequinologist Author of FLIGHT: A near-future short story (ebook available on amazon) I made the baby cry - A2A Simulations L-049 Constellation Sky Simulations MD-11 V2.2 Pilot. The best "lite" MD-11 money can buy (well, it's not freeware!)
June 5, 201610 yr What a beautiful aircraft in 1954 it could out fly any intercepter.......great shots1 HLJAMES
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