Falling Out of the Sky

This is a 1951 Approach Plate for Idlewild Airport (now JFK). Look at the glideslope and the speeds (you will need to click on the images to get a good look.


From the Outer Marker to the runway was 2.5nm and, at 160mph, took just over a minute.

This is for the Space Shuttle.



From the Final Approach Fix to the runway is 8nm and the Shuttle flies that in 40 seconds. The glideslope is 18 to 20deg (not 3 or 4deg) and, of course, there is no missed approach procedure. The damn thing just about falls out of the sky. About the only thing that would fly a steeper engine-out glidepath might be a Seabee. Or a brick.

Here is one more plate, just for fun:




(Anyway, I'm done for the night. )