Funny and informative video on how to land the Space Shuttle

[2G]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a23751/space-shuttle-landing/?src=nlp&mag=pop&list=bespokepost&date=11252016

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Many years ago, NASA sent a group of future shuttle pilots to Ridge Soaring Gliderport for some actual glider flying. The Shuttle is - after all - a glider.

We taught them the TLAR (That Looks About Right) technique for making decisions and using the spoilers / dive brakes for accurate glide slope / touch down control.

Doris and I were later invited to Houston, Texas for an opportunity to do some landings using the space shuttle computer simulator.

They began by offering to tell us how to do it. I suggested they only tell us how fast to fly. Otherwise it is a glider after all, and using the dive brakes would be very similar to the gliders we fly.

The suggested airspeed was 250 knots. Doris and I both made three perfect landings.

Tom Knauff

[Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)]

Great link, thanks.

I liked the narration, witty as well as informative.

[Dan Marotta]

For anyone interested, there's a shuttle landing simulator at the Space
Museum in Alamogordo, NM. Landing the shuttle is not terribly difficult
for a glider pilot - performing an aileron roll on final is a different
story...

On 11/27/2016 7:45 AM, wrote:
> Many years ago, NASA sent a group of future shuttle pilots to Ridge Soaring Gliderport for some actual glider flying. The Shuttle is - after all - a glider.
>
> We taught them the TLAR (That Looks About Right) technique for making decisions and using the spoilers / dive brakes for accurate glide slope / touch down control.
>
> Doris and I were later invited to Houston, Texas for an opportunity to do some landings using the space shuttle computer simulator.
>
> They began by offering to tell us how to do it. I suggested they only tell us how fast to fly. Otherwise it is a glider after all, and using the dive brakes would be very similar to the gliders we fly.
>
> The suggested airspeed was 250 knots. Doris and I both made three perfect landings.
>
> Tom Knauff
>
>
>
>
>

--
Dan, 5J