Concorde's Last Flight
Discussion
You can quite easily fly at supersonic ground speeds on a normal airliner. If the tail winds are right many transatlantic flights from the US hit supersonic ground speeds. 
Just recently I was on a flight from Chicago that was pushing almost 800 mph ground speed. Arrived so early we ended up stuck in a hold for ages over LHR until it opened. 
Just recently I was on a flight from Chicago that was pushing almost 800 mph ground speed. Arrived so early we ended up stuck in a hold for ages over LHR until it opened. dvs_dave said:
You can quite easily fly at supersonic ground speeds on a normal airliner. If the tail winds are right many transatlantic flights from the US hit supersonic ground speeds. Just recently I was on a flight from Chicago that was pushing almost 800 mph ground speed. Arrived so early we ended up stuck in a hold for ages over LHR until it opened.
Yeah, but not the same though is it. Just recently I was on a flight from Chicago that was pushing almost 800 mph ground speed. Arrived so early we ended up stuck in a hold for ages over LHR until it opened. How about going the other way?
Well from what little I've read, most countries don't like giving out Type Certificates for aircraft that are capable of supersonic flight, which is why its a ball-ache trying to get older jets restored and back into the air, especially if its for private use. What that says to me is they don't want civilians breaking the sound barrier, or have I got the wrong end of the stick?
You are correct about "most countries".
But a couple of aircraft capable of supersonic flight have been given civil approval in the US. One is the aforementioned F-104. There is also at least one SAAB 35 Draken flying in private ownership in the US.
Even the F-86 Sabre - of which a number are operated privately in the US, can break the sound barrier if pushed.
But a couple of aircraft capable of supersonic flight have been given civil approval in the US. One is the aforementioned F-104. There is also at least one SAAB 35 Draken flying in private ownership in the US.
Even the F-86 Sabre - of which a number are operated privately in the US, can break the sound barrier if pushed.
Eric Mc said:
But a couple of aircraft capable of supersonic flight have been given civil approval in the US. One is the aforementioned F-104. There is also at least one SAAB 35 Draken flying in private ownership in the US.
There's more than one F-104 flying in the USA..... The Starfighters Display Team often fly a 3-ship formation 
As you say there's a couple of Draken's flying Govt. work, plus there was until recently a couple of Mig 21's, both now sadly have crashed.
Also there's the F-4 Phantom and F-100 Super Sabre operated by the Collings Foundation.
Eric do you know what Cobham operate in the UK, another UK civil contractor for a lot of defence work, I believe they have some fairly rapid stuff, and have seen something more fighter shaped than biz shaped many times operating out of Hurn. I'm sure there are many others like Qinetiq and MOD agencies like DSTL that operate fast jets on less of a military aspect and more of a R&D basis under acivilian guise.
I wonder if the Hunter flight academy will let you take their hunter supersonic. http://hunterflightacademy.com
OneDs said:
Eric do you know what Cobham operate in the UK, another UK civil contractor for a lot of defence work, I believe they have some fairly rapid stuff, and have seen something more fighter shaped than biz shaped many times operating out of Hurn. I'm sure there are many others like Qinetiq and MOD agencies like DSTL that operate fast jets on less of a military aspect and more of a R&D basis under acivilian guise.
Nope nothing 'fast and pointy' operated by any of those companies as far as I'm aware, other than possibly a few Hawk's.There are a handfull of Hunters used a lot on civvie/MOD contract work, which belong to HHA based at Scampton, but are often operated out of Newquay and Boscombe Down.
Of course the Sea Vixen is based/operated at Hurn, but that's pure display only, not used on contract work.
OneDs said:
Eric do you know what Cobham operate in the UK, another UK civil contractor for a lot of defence work, I believe they have some fairly rapid stuff, and have seen something more fighter shaped than biz shaped many times operating out of Hurn. I'm sure there are many others like Qinetiq and MOD agencies like DSTL that operate fast jets on less of a military aspect and more of a R&D basis under acivilian guise.
Yes - Cobham are quite well known. I've seen them perform at various air shows using their specially adapted Falcon 20 biz jets. They have operated Hunters and Hawks as well at various times. I don't think the Hawks carried civil markings though.Cobham have used a number of names over the years. They were also called FR Aviation - which harks back to the time when the Royal Navy had an "in-house" unit known as the FRADU (Fleet Requirements and Development Unit).
Eric Mc said:
Cobham have used a number of names over the years. They were also called FR Aviation - which harks back to the time when the Royal Navy had an "in-house" unit known as the FRADU (Fleet Requirements and Development Unit).
I think you will find that they were called FR Aviation because, prior to that, the name was 'Flight Refueling', a company that Sir Alan Cobham started in 1934 and NOT because of FRADU.While FR did take over the FRADU contract from Airwork in 1983, FRADU had existed since 1972 when the Fleet Requirements Unit (FRU) and the Air Direction Training Unit ADTU merged to form FRADTU which was then later renamed FRADU.
Currently FRADU is operated by SERCO although the aircrew are RN, the unit becoming 736 NAS in June this year.
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