Crazy Descent Rate

[Flight simmer 2]

Was browsing FR24 the other day and came across this: 

 

 

 

Evidently backed on on another flight tracker app. 

 

 

 

 

[nachezdc9 25]

Not so strange, If you are very high (maybe a big shortcut) you can make an open descend with speedbrakes and m.80/340 kts and you will get more than 6000 ft/min. Is not confortable for passengers but when necesary you can do it.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

That was the standard descent rate for Concorde. It started off quite shallow (1800fpm) shortly after starting down. Once below Mach 1.5 thrust was further reduced resulting in the descent increasing to around 4000fpm. Once sub-sonic thrust was reduced to idle and to maintain 350kts IAS it pitched down even more to 5000-6000fpm. The pressurisation was so good passengers never noticed a thing.

 

Occasionally ATC would want them down even quicker and the crew would engage idle reverse on the two inboard engines. That could produce descent rates of 8000fpm or more. :Big Grin:

 

All in all a very special aircraft.

[Flight simmer 2]

Interesting stuff! The Concorde sounds like it was quite a ride, it's a tragedy this legend of aviation is no longer with us. 

 

I don't get why a regular airliner would have to descend at such a steep rate, there was no traffic or any other extenuating circumstances, well on FR24 anyway. It was also still a long way from its destination (300km+) where even flights at FL430 don't typically start descending, quite late in the evening when traffic is relatively light. This particular flight clearly went from FL340 to FL250 in a major hurry. There was a jetstream present (as you can tell by the speed), but still that is generally not a reason to go into such a steep descent. Just seems so random. Maybe they  encountered heavy turbulence? Wish I was a pax on that flight though  

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

Yes, aviation took a huge step backwards on 24 October 2003.   Mach 2 to Mach 0.86 in 24 hours. But it lives on in FSX! :Applause:

 

All I can think about that flight was there was kind of on-board emergency that required the aircraft to get down quickly. But that emergency could have then been resolved thereby negating the aircraft to continue the descent. Just a thought.

[HighBypass 2,339]

Yes, aviation took a huge step backwards on 24 October 2003.   Mach 2 to Mach 0.86 in 24 hours. ....

 

 

I hear that, Ray! Indeed the world is slowing down...

 

But I digress