On a separate note, can any other users confirm the stall speed with full fuel etc and no flaps is well below 100kts IAS? Also, can anyone confirm the airbrakes cause little deceleration?
I have seen an old RAN magazine article written by a LT pilot saying 130 knots on approach with half fuel, full flaps, flap bleed air on (yes, it used this!), and "boards out". I have to assume this is with no external stores because he was doing CQs. Extrapolating, I have to guess he was saying:
EW = 23, 960 lbs
equipped pilot = 250 lbs (a larger piiot)
1/2 internal fuel = 4275 lbs
So approach weight would be about 28,485 lbs at 130 KIAS on speed. If the RN used USN philosophy, this would be 10% above stall onset, or 118 KIAS.
As a reminder, using speed brakes is critical - it keeps you "spooled up" on the power, makes small power changes more effective in controlling rate of descent, and - PULLING THEM IN ON A WAVEOFF MAKES A BIG DIFFENCE IN WAVEOFF RESPONSE!!. Same if you bolter --
Been there, done that - good normally, not too bad occasionally, ugly - only once.