HUD view of Shuttle landing

[wmuflyguy]

Dumb question:

Do they hand fly it, or is it like a cat III ils?

I believe it can be done both manually and automatically.

 

[siucavflight]

I wonder what is on page 5-3?

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

I wonder how many items are on the after landing check...

 

[Dilligaff]

I wonder what is on page 5-3?

Girlie pictures!

 

[AC560]

I wonder if the Commander puts his hand on the gear lever over Texas just to piss off the Pilot.

 

[P-Dawg_QX]

I wonder if the Commander puts his hand on the gear lever over Texas just to piss off the Pilot.

Hehe..."You did call for gear, right?"

 

[minitour]

I wonder if the Commander puts his hand on the gear lever over Texas just to piss off the Pilot.

ROFL

....God, I hate that.

-mini

 

[mzaharis]

I believe it can be done both manually and automatically.

Although a manual capability exists, the approaches are usually flown automatically, except for landing gear deployment. They are even looking at automating that, so if they want to use the ISS as a lifeboat, they can "roll the dice" and try to return the Orbiter unmanned if they leave the crew in the ISS, for a return on another orbiter flight (I read that one a few weeks ago, in Aviation Week, IIRC).

Here's a somewhat dated, but very detailed, description of how they manage their energy so that they can start an unpowered descent half a planet away, and cross the threshold with the exact right amount of energy every time (assuming that the craft maintains structural integrity).

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/mission_profile.html#mission_profile

 

[Instinct]

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/mission_profile.html#mission_profile

That's fascinating, thanks for the link!

 

[ultrarunner]

You can DL all kinds of good video here:

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/main/index.html