First Comet flight inaugurated

Post by **RAF_Quantum** » 17 Jun 2006, 18:20

Hi Guys,

Dave Balmer completed the first Comet flight today Heathrow to Edinburgh carrying a full load of 119 passengers. Congrats Dave.

Rgds

John
.

Avant-Garde-Aclue · Post by **Avant-Garde-Aclue** » 18 Jun 2006, 07:03

Congrats Dave, what's the fuel rates like? I'm interested in doing the Jo'burg run next Wednesday when my stint of nightshifts are over.

Regards

Sean

david balmer · Post by **david balmer** » 18 Jun 2006, 14:24

sean, still working the figures . here is what i have at the moment

taxi 450 lbs per engine
climb 3500 - 4500 at 2000ft pm at 7000rpm
cruise 2450 - 2600 at 26000ft at 300knts

562 mile flight used approx 7500kgs of fuel
288 mile flight used approx 4200kgs fuel, flight level 21000 speed 280kts

all i will say is watch the speed during climb, she's a pocket rocket, on landing she drops like a stone, watch the flaps. as you can see the higher the better and you can go faster. :yipeee:

Avant-Garde-Aclue · Post by **Avant-Garde-Aclue** » 18 Jun 2006, 15:59

Many thanks for that info Dave, after being bitten by the Vanguard fuel flow can I confirm that the fuel flow scalar should be 1.210?

Just did a test flight at 30500ft at IAS 286 was getting a 1000kg per engine per hour fuel burn.

Regards

Sean

david balmer · Post by **david balmer** » 18 Jun 2006, 16:48

sean, just completed a flight from france to malta.

fuel figures

12000kg start 10100kg at top of climb

28000ft- 6800rpm- 1500ft per min

cruise

26000ft- 85% engine- 1200kg per hour - mach 0.712
then i incresed speed to 0.72 this then changed fuel flow to approx 1300kg

decent -700ft per min 79% engine 800kg per hour.

hope this helps.

the route for south africa was not available last night.
mainly italy-middle east
norway-russia
france-malta
germany-russia
switzerland
scotland
:dance: lots to keep me happy for a while.

Avant-Garde-Aclue · Post by **Avant-Garde-Aclue** » 18 Jun 2006, 16:52

Great stuff Dave, thank you. I should have it pretty well sussed by the time I get to Beirut

Regards

Sean

LongHaul · Post by **LongHaul** » 18 Jun 2006, 17:08

Might I ask a silly question?

Where is the elevator trim gauge on the 4B? Ive looked all over the panel, and even tried some RTFM, but I cant find it anywhere!

Cheers

Rich

david balmer · Post by **david balmer** » 18 Jun 2006, 17:35

ok if i tell you, you promise not to tell any one else. well i have not found it either, what i do is open the checklist and press the elevator switch on my flight stick until the x goes and is replaced with a tick.
as for in flight you switch on the ap, height on. then use the pitch control with the artificial horizon. that's the only way i've found to control the elevator. unless someone else has found the gauge. :think:

LongHaul · Post by **LongHaul** » 18 Jun 2006, 17:42

Hmm, thought that might be the case. Am still struggling with the AP a bit, I keep stalling the a/c during the initial climb. I havent quite got by head aroung using IAS hold as a pitch hold yet

david balmer · Post by **david balmer** » 18 Jun 2006, 19:05

if you don't mind here is what i do to prevent the stall during climb.
first off don't use ap. get your speed upto about 240kts at a climb rate of 1500ft, by hand. once at 10.000ft then switch on ap. first switch on height, once the aircraft has leveled off then up the climb again with the fine pitch control on artificial horizon. little black button on bottom right. speed control is operated by hand only. heading is by ap.
also for decent i use ap for fine pitch down and heading, speed is controlled by hand. once you get used to it, this type of operation becomes second nature. i set rpm at 6500 and use the flaps to slow me down when comming into land. i've tried other methods but the old bird suddenly slows and down you go like a rock. even full throttle will not recover, it's that quick.