Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler

Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | Airline Operations | Flying the Concorde

DVA7477
Captain, B777-200

Joined on June 24 2009
50 State Club
Globetrotter
Quincentenary Club
Everett 250 Club
Million Mile Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary

Sandwich, MA USA

575 legs, 2,299.2 hours
2 legs, 2.9 hours online
573 legs, 2,297.3 hours ACARS

Posted onPost created on May 24 2013 22:19 ET by James Beck

All,
I tried a training flight in the Concorde tonight in preparation for requesting a checkride in one. I've studied the manual and attempted a flight tonight and despite following the procedures spelled out in the manual to a "T" I was unable to make the transition from subsonic cruise to supersonic cruise. Even at a low VS and afterburners on I start bleeding air speed after about 38000 ft or so. Any suggestions? I'm using the DVA fleet aircraft and again, I really feel like I followed the procedures in the AOM to the letter. Thanks!

Keegan

James Beck

Captain, B777-200

DVA1427
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP

Joined on December 14 2003
Online Double Century Club
50 State Club
Tri-Jet Triumph
Globetrotter
Moose Club
US Capital Club
Everett 250 Club
Quincentenary Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary

"Livin' in the Dog Pound!"
Kannapolis, NC

558 legs, 1,984.3 hours
250 legs, 611.8 hours online
384 legs, 1,530.5 hours ACARS
38 legs, 82.7 hours event

Posted onPost created on May 24 2013 22:36 ET by Lewis Gregory

Make sure your speed is above Mach .90, preferably closer to .95, before trying to light the afterburners and transition to supersonic flight. Concorde is amazingly sensitive to angles of attack and even a small pitch change can produce enough drag to put you behind the power curve and unable to accelerate. Keep the VS low and drop it further if you start bleeding speed at all.

Lewis Gregory

Senior Captain, MD-11

DVA8180
Senior Captain, B747-400
OLP, 737-ATP, VFRADV

Joined on January 09 2010
50 State Club
Globetrotter
DVA Fleet Master
US Mountaineer Club
US Coastal Club
Tri-Millennium Club
Online Century Club
Three Million Mile Club
Everett 1500 Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary

Lynchburg, VA

3,816 legs, 8,894.3 hours
140 legs, 226.6 hours online
3,770 legs, 8,754.2 hours ACARS
19 legs, 30.8 hours event

Posted onPost created on May 24 2013 23:54 ET by Matt Lynn

not sure if the manual states it but start your aim for mach 1 at FL300... I've been able to keep my speed just under the MMO on the climb above FL300 and that means you should be in a constant acceleration all the way up

hope this helps

Matt Lynn

Senior Captain, B747-400

Posted onPost created on May 26 2013 11:43 ET by James Beck

Ok guys, might need a little more help. My most recent attempt resulted in a much better climb to supersonic. I set my altitude to FL550 and at about FL530 I started bleeding airspeed again. By this point I was climbing at 200 FPM at Mach 1.7. At around 53000 I started losing a little bit of airspeed and it continued to drop after I leveled out at 55000. CG looked good, I was pumping fuel aft regularly throughout the climb. Matt - I looked at your logbook and noticed one of your Concorde flights (CDG-JFK I believe) you had NO problem whatsoever climbing to supersonic, what's your secret? I really thought after a good climb the last issue I would have would be maintaining cruise speed. Thanks again for the help!

Keegan

James Beck

Captain, B777-200

Posted onPost created on May 26 2013 11:59 ET by Lewis Gregory

If you start bleeding airspeed, level out immediately. Concorde's flight profile is generally a very slow climb, but depending on atmospheric conditions, it may never reach FL600 or possibly even FL550. Since they had their very own set of NATs (SM, SN, and SO), Concordes never really had fixed altitudes on their flight plans when supersonic over the North Atlantic. They basically aimed for either Mach 2 (give or take) or whatever speed took them close to the maximum skin temperature allowed, and the autopilot would climb at a rate that allowed maintenance of that speed.

Lewis Gregory

Senior Captain, MD-11

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