Forgiveness if this has been posted before... I didn't see it using a quick search.

But this is incredible looking!
Cockpit view of a C17 descending at twice the rate of a skydiver!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khBioU1qFVY

Especially that part at 0:26 with the nose pointed down to the sea! Wow!

The F15 may have the fastest (non-classified) ground to altitude record, but the C17 has the fastest altitude to ground ratio!!!

It doesn't even look like it has the reversers open!

TWA772LR wrote:

The F15 may have the fastest (non-classified) ground to altitude record, but the C17 has the fastest altitude to ground ratio!!!

It doesn't even look like it has the reversers open!

It's a little tricky to see, but the reversers ARE indeed open.
You can make out the white vanes at the aft edge of the cowl.
I don't know how a descent like this could be made without them!

Impressive. I can't even imagine how that would feel

The G forces would be immense at pullout. Stunning!

AA737-823 wrote:

TWA772LR wrote:

The F15 may have the fastest (non-classified) ground to altitude record, but the C17 has the fastest altitude to ground ratio!!!

It doesn't even look like it has the reversers open!

It's a little tricky to see, but the reversers ARE indeed open.
You can make out the white vanes at the aft edge of the cowl.
I don't know how a descent like this could be made without them!

Saw just now after reading your post. This is why i love the C17, it is the one big plane that you actually CAN fly like a fighter.

I guess the only way to descend faster is to A) nose down 90° and full throttle, or B) just plain fall out of the sky like a brick. Either way, this is probably the only way to descend like that AND live!

Hi:
Technical anecdot: 1980's soviet civil airplanes like IL-62M, Tu154M, did not carry a pax Supply emergency Oxygen System (like Oxygen Generatos or dedicated system.
Their Operational Specification asked for an emergency descent from FL 33000 - 35000 to around 8000 (?) where there is enough Oxygen concentration on air to maintain life.
For IL-62, procedure call for Landing Gear Extension in a level flight (to be use as aerodynamical brakes) and, when indication says: Gear Down, they start a Brutal descend to avoid pax O2 problems for long time. Once descent was initiated, first one pilot and them the other, wear O2 Mask available for crew..
Do not recall a real such situation.

edmaircraft wrote:

The G forces would be immense at pullout. Stunning!

I would assume no more than 2.5g.

Best regards
Thomas

Quite an impressive machine! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUUU-C-7o98

While very impressive for a large aircraft, fighter aircraft used the 'bonzai' maneuver frequently while ingressing into the target area. At 25,000 ft or so, roll inverted, pull the nose down to 60-70 degrees nose low, roll back upright, then adjust throttles as necessary so you don't boom anybody. Plan a 3-4g pull up so as to level off 500' feet above the ground at 500 knots. Took much less time than 58 seconds.

I just found this multi-cam video of C-17 tactical approach that puts the two above to shame!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo5DprrlEwo

outbackair wrote:

I just found this multi-cam video of C-17 tactical approach that puts the two above to shame!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo5DprrlEwo

Awesome video. Always interesting to watch the crew work like that.

The Brylcreem Boys of Betty Airways love their Royal Air Force C-17s. In fact, I would venture that had the brass not got involved with the A400M the RAF would have been happy with a mix of new Hercules and a bigger C-17 fleet.

The RAF was also doing tactical approaches and landing like this with the full Medevac fitout in the main cabin with TA surgeons and nurses working constantly. Amazing people in a plane that McDonnell Douglas built like a tank.

For engine nerds
https://youtu.be/Yo5DprrlEwo?t=294

Something you rarely see nowadays, thrust reversers with reverse in the hot stream. Civilian versions generally just use bypass air nowadays.

edmaircraft wrote:

The G forces would be immense at pullout. Stunning!

Not really. Thrust reversers are stowed 2000 feet above level off altitude and you make the level off as smooth as you want.

Starting the maneuver is more violent. Once those reversers are out the plane wants to slow, and fast. This requires a large pitch down change which will put you around 0 g for a few seconds. After that the g's even out to 1 and the entire plane shakes all the way down.

outbackair wrote:

I just found this multi-cam video of C-17 tactical approach that puts the two above to shame!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo5DprrlEwo

This video is well produced, but the approach is a very typical one that is employed a lot more than the descent with 4 thrust reversers out.