Jump to content

SR-71 44 years


pvarn

Recommended Posts

I'm celebrating 44 years since the SR-71 world speed record flight from Beale AFB USA to Farborough England Air show on Sept 1 1974 by reproducing the flight on Sat Sept 1, 2018 on the Vatsim Network. Time TBD but will be morning PDT. Total flight duration is roughly 5.5 hours.

 

I invite other SR-71 enthusiasts to join me in a casual flight.

 

Requirements:

Vatsim:

Vatsim membership with experience following Vatsim procedures and rules.

Experience filing/following an IFR flight plan.

Experience Communicating with Vatsim ATC.

Experience tuning Vatsim radios and private channel.

Experience maintaining appropriate aircraft separation in a multiplayer or AI environment.

When climbing/accelerating under ATC control, we will all request "unrestricted climb" from the controller.

 

Aircraft:

SRX2012 SR-71a updated to srx2012Updt4N3a and tested to known working.

Able to complete BECKY training flight with a Checkride score of >= 90.

Able to complete air refueling.

Able to follow a detailed SR-71 flight checklist.

 

Weather:

Due to high altitude and speed, a high fidelity real world weather add-on such as Active Sky X or Active Sky 2016 is recommended. Otherwise, use the static weather which comes with the Beale saved flight in the "Extra" folder of the SRX 4N3A distribution. Attempting to use the FSX real world weather is likely to produce unacceptable fight control.

 

Flight Plan:

FP details available in the distribution "Extra" folder file: "flight_plan_procedures.txt" and "record1 procedure(edited notepad).txt"

A map image of what the plan looks like is file: "SRrec1MAP.gif"

 

Goals:

1) Enjoy the company of other Blackbird lovers.

2) Satisfaction of completing a challenging real world historical fight in a simulated airliner/ATC world.

3) Casual non-military radio conversation. Have fun is more important than 100% realism.

 

I personally have completed this flight dozens of times in this aircraft so know without a doubt with attention to detail and procedures the flight can be completed as documented using this model.

 

When closer to the time of the flight, I will detail the private Vatsim channel we'll be using and the exact pre-flight meeting and take off times using this thread.

 

Some pilots will find it helpful to load the model's flight checklist in a separate Web Browser application where the checlist item boxes can actually be toggled off/on.

 

Hope you are able to join me for some good ol' fashioned aviation chat and watching the world whisk by at Mach 3.2+ while being challenged by the same efforts the real world pilots had during this historical flight.

 

Those not able to take off as a group are still welcome to join the flight for the conversation taking off whenever you can during the 5 1/2 hour flight. An added challenge contest to time the NY-London Gate-to-Gate portion of the flight to compare who gets the best time at 1X CPU.

 

I can be contacted at the email address in the model distribution to chat about anything concerning planning this flight.

 

See you at KBAB on or near Sept 1. Fly high. Fly Fast.

 

-Pv-

2 carrot salad, 10.41 liter bucket, electric doorbell, 17 inch fan, 12X14, 85 Dbm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
So far this is still on. Vatsim private channel will be SR71. For those who might be interested in another flight with direct connection, let me know. We'll have to figure out a voice server. I have a Ventrilo server, Discord App and Skype.
2 carrot salad, 10.41 liter bucket, electric doorbell, 17 inch fan, 12X14, 85 Dbm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was thinking about doing this with my F-22 since I fly it at mach 2.35 at FL500. Granted if I followed you I'd be about 30 minutes or more behind. Another factor is I don't like flying longer than an hour. HAHA

 

If I did this I do have a TeamSpeak server. I don't care for Discord and I never use Skype anymore.

 

Did you have anyone else interested?

 

Do yo have a FMC in the SR-71? I only have GPS capability.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The purpose of this flight is to re-create a particular historical event which is still the world record 44 years later. I fly it exactly as the original pilots flew it including simulated refuels on the historical tracks. I have the teamspeak client and open to different kinds of multiplayer flights.

This flight changes altitude and speed on roughly 45min-1.5hr intervals so the whole thing is not flown over Mach 3.

With SR Habus there is the added challenge of comparing the NY-London gate-to-gate time to see if any of us can break the world record and who has the best time.

 

I attached a map of the flight.

The historical gate time is 01:55:32.

The gate markers are:

from NY Gate (10 miles past waypoint DRIFT) 3744.5 miles into the flight

to Lon Gate (43 miles prior to waypoint BEXIL) 5818.1 miles into the flight

 

SRrec1MAP.gif

 

"Do yo have a FMC in the SR-71? I only have GPS capability."

 

The SR-71's inertial navigation system is almost identical in function and accuracy to the FS9 GPS which is included in the SR panel. I also use an external navigation program which automatically calculates turn prediction distances so I do not have to micromanage the onboard GPS as much.

 

-Pv

2 carrot salad, 10.41 liter bucket, electric doorbell, 17 inch fan, 12X14, 85 Dbm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am a fan of HABU and have quite a bit of simtime in various releases.

I want to get more realistic profiles with refueling.

Previously, I departed with low fuel and simulate an aerial rendezvous.

Then boom and zoom the entire route without coming back down for more fuel.

It had the range and I've done hops across the globe.

Most FS9 flying is 2d panel and I'm trying to get more VC time now in FSX.

Thats a problem since the 2d panel had a cheat where you clicked on the horizon indicator(or some gauge) and you could see the rwy with the nose-high attitude.

 

I know sim weather has fun keeping up with HABU as it goes through the sectors in a hurry!

The GPS has to have almost a direct course. VOR to VOR won't cut it.

I have encountered(FS9) the International Date Line fun too.

Autopilot gets weird and needs reset. Always fun at 81K and 3.1m!!

 

So, I am just beginning to look at AI tankers and AI flight planners to be able to do better HABU missions. Any help appreciated!

I just downloaded your files but doubt I will be ready for the event you're hosting.

 

Have fun and hope it's not raining when you get to Mildenhall!!

I seem to recall landing there at night in a foggy rainstorm....palms dripping!

Gary

 

Former RTW Team Member

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gary,

 

Your flight experience in FSX will be so different from what you had in FS9 they cannot be compared.

The flight we are doing on Saturday has four refuel tracks and cannot be completed without at least three of them.

 

The latest flight model for FSX has detailed kneepad specs, procedures, and checklist. Mastering the checklist is necessary to get through a complete flight. Even if you cannot get up to power by Saturday, I'm open to other flights and help with training flights. A BIG HELP is the distribution references a Training Adventure download you can run right in the sim taking you through a complete flight step-by-step with all the button presses and what the gauges should look like and fly. Get through that tutorial and you'll be able to do anything. The manual is very detailed. There are many gauges other aircraft do not have so you need to understand what they do. All of them work. There are no dummy switches.

Welcome to a new HABU experience not available in any other FSX SR-71 distribution.

It's quite easy to switch between the 2D and 3D screens (3D for landing and looking around) and 2D for access to more gauges than the 2D can provide.

-Pv-

2 carrot salad, 10.41 liter bucket, electric doorbell, 17 inch fan, 12X14, 85 Dbm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I'm thinking a whole new ballgame with the realistic profiles.

I'll be working on it!

Still want to have AI tankers in holding patterns for this.

Once I read your training info, I'll have more questions I'm sure.

I used to have a 3-ring binder to fly the Concorde properly......

Gary

 

Former RTW Team Member

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Send me emails to the address in the distribution with any questions. There are also links to YouYube videos with various flight mode demonstrations.

-Pv-

2 carrot salad, 10.41 liter bucket, electric doorbell, 17 inch fan, 12X14, 85 Dbm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Send me emails to the address in the distribution with any questions. There are also links to YouYube videos with various flight mode demonstrations.

-Pv-

 

Thanks!

I have it installed and have been RTFM.

I must say, you have definitely done your homework on the HABU!!

 

Will be doing the pattern hops soon for some familiarization at KBAB.

Then, on to BECKY!

Gary

 

Former RTW Team Member

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was at the Farnborough airshow with my father as I was only 12! the day this record took place, I remember a message over the tanoy that the SR-71 had just taken off from Beale AFB USA & it seemed like no time at all had passed & it was landing!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Flight is still on for Sat morning. I will be online between 7AM-7:30 Pacific (2PM-2:30 Zulu) for near 8AM departure.

The following flight plan and procedure traces the original flight almost exactly and when the weather matches, also reproduces the historic timing.

 

Refuel note:

All refuel using provided refuel gauge are 2 updates or a total fuel load of 55-65K lbs per refuel max. The refuel intervals being relatively close together and never full allowed the aircraft to use high rates of climb for maximum speed as opposed to a typical max range mission where "Cruise Climb" method was more typical.

 

Those using the FS GPS should be prepared to manually advance to the next waypoint 10-50 miles (depending on departure angle) prior to crossing to prevent overshoot due to the aircraft's extreme speed and inertia.

FS's GPS has a maximum of appx 3.5 miles turn prediction which isn't enough for supersonic aircraft.

 

Vatsim Flight Plan:

KBAB EGLF

FMG LWL AIR_REFUEL_35KFT PIH MACH_ACCEL LGU SNY JYU EUF CTF

AIR_REFUEL_35KFT ISO MACH_ACCEL ATLIC DRIFT NY_GATE CUTOX ACK KANNI YYT GPS

GPS_REFUEL_35KFT MACH_ACCEL 5115N GAPLI NAKID BHD39

LON_GATE BEXIL VAXEL SUGOL FILET AIR_REFUEL_34KFT SINGA SILVA BPK VATON

 

Filed Flight Notes:

Beale to Farnborough record flight Sept 1, 1974 07:12Z re-enactment.

 

Procedure: Take off 45K lbs Std Load to 41K ft Mach 1.37. Descend to refuel LWL-PIH @ 35K ft.

After turn to LGL accel-climb to 80K ft Mach 3.2 cruise (or best temperature alt/spd) @ SNY.

NY-London timed gate Start: 10 miles past waypoint DRIFT

London Gate End: 43 miles before waypoint BEXIL. Historical Time: 1hr:55min:32sec

Total Flight time until end of refuel over waypoint SINGA: 5hr:08min:16 sec.

Total until land Farnborough apprx 5.5 hrs.

 

-Pv-

2 carrot salad, 10.41 liter bucket, electric doorbell, 17 inch fan, 12X14, 85 Dbm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Considering a date for the SR-71 return flight from Farnborough to Beale which set the 1974 London to LA world speed record. Let me know if interested.

-Pv-

2 carrot salad, 10.41 liter bucket, electric doorbell, 17 inch fan, 12X14, 85 Dbm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...