Tartan 51/52 today 19 Jun

[Chris558]

All superb, but the last one is a cracker!

[Paul K]

I suspect they were flying an "accompanied letdown", where the pair fly an approach in formation, with the leader overshooting in the final stages of the approach to allow the number two to land.

Thanks a lot Charlie, that explains it. I've seen smaller combat jets do that, but didn't know you also do it in aircraft as large as the VC-10. Can you tell me what the purpose of an accompanied letdown is ?

[DaveB]

I dunno what the actual purpose is Paul but they seem to do this quite a lot. The aircraft will have been in formation (from what I've seen) well before the landing stage. I've seen em in close formation crossing the Lichfield corridor and trundling down the A40 like this too. Were they at Filton, they could probably land at the same time but Brize isn't wide enough

EDIT.. here's a link off Pprune which explains it https://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-312617.html ;-)
ATB

DaveB :tab:

[Nigel H-J]

All I got on that link Dave was a 'data base error'

Great photographs Tonks though looking at the 'Final Turn' maybe a trick of the camera or even the angle it was taken but that appears to be a very late turn with no chance of lining up on the centre line surely that has to be a turn onto the downwind leg?. :think:

Regards
Nigel.

[DaveB]

It's you Nigel.. you've put the KOD on it I checked it from here before posting and it still works for me :think: Anyway.. to cut a long story short, it's a recognised procedure that has to be practiced annually. It allows an aircraft that has lost a pile of stuff up front to get back to an airfield by following another aircraft which has been sent up to lead him in. At a given point, the lead aircraft will break leaving the 'stricken' aircraft to land safely using the Mk1 Eyeball and approach lights ;-) That's slightly condensed and uses a lot of technical jargon but you get the idea

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[Hot_Charlie]

That's about it. Good formation practice too, and something a little different to normal formation.

[Nigel H-J]

It's you Nigel.. you've put the KOD on it

Oh heck!! Looks like I've knackered it!!

Thanks for the explanation Dave.

Regards
Nigel.

[DaveB]

OK mate. I've just tried it again and it still works for me. I suppose you could try cutting and pasting the link into your browser ;-)

Having just read it again, the procedure is primarily if a 'receiver' has suffered massive degradation of his/her systems so mother hen is able to give fuel then guide her chick back to safety (again, excuse the use of technical jargon) While it looks cool and is very probably a great deal of fun for the crews.. when used for real in poor weather with 400ft vis and in the dark with the fighter having only secondary instruments to help.. it can be a nerve racking experience but one that could/would undoubtedly save both a pilot and an airframe

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[DaveB]

Hi Mr T (in sunny Kemble - though I hope not at this time of night)

Tks for confirming that ;-) I thought I'd said as much (without the bit where the no.2 see's how difficult it is to lead) but it's nice to have it 'qualified' ;-) Reading the index of that particular AP.. there is also an 'accompanied departure'. Do you ever practice that too??

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[speedbird591]

.. there is also an 'accompanied departure'. Do you ever practice that too??

Thing would have to be pretty bad on the ground if you needed to get a crippled aircraft into the air to save it!

(Sorry, Dave - couldn't resist! )

On the other hand, it's something that Ryanair might want to use to keep the punters on the move!

Ian