"Dan Moos" wrote in message
news:n_IHd.8859$IP6.2793@trnddc05...
I live in Washington state, home of McCord airforce base. They have C-17's
there, and the local news station just stated what seems to me to be an
unbelievable fact. They reported that th C-17 can descend 20,000 feet in 1
minute. Now I'm a general aviation pilot, and 2,000 feet per minute is a
fast descent in my world. Is 20,000 fpm with a C-17 for real, or did the
news (KOMO channel 4 for you other western Washinton folks) get it wrong?


Sounded like a lot to me, then I began to wonder what the descent rate was
for the EgyptAir 767 that crashed into the Atlantic 6 years ago:

"The maximum rate of descent recorded during the dive was about 39,000 fpm
at 0150:19, as the airplane descended through about 24,600 feet msl..."

This was hit at a 40 degree down angle, but according to the report, either
the descent or recovery or both caused the elevators to work opposite each
other, resulting in a loss of control after the "recovery" that led to a
second dive:

"However, the data indicate that the airplane impacted the ocean about
0152:30, with an average descent rate during the second dive of about 20,000
fpm."

Given that the captain had essentially recovered the aircraft after the
alleged intentional first dive, it almost seems like a descent like that is
possible. I can't imagine a situation in which it is practical, even for a
military supply mission. Maybe an F-16 on a bombing run, but a C-17 loaded
with whatever, trying to get in and out of a hot LZ....I dunno...those
things are heavy!

John K.
Student Pilot