For an example of short sortie times consider XA856, the second prototype P1B, which was based at the Rolls-Royce Flight Test Centre at Hucknall, near Nottingham during the 1960s, together with a Mk 2 and a Mk 3 Lightning.

XA856 was fully instrumented for the development of the Avon 300 Series and had very limited internal fuel.

A typical high altitude test flight, once one had struggled into anti-G leggings, pressure suit and pressure helmet, entailed a reheat takeoff and climb to 36,000 ft over Oxford before turning left for the Wash and cruising at 0.8 Mach under radar control.

When over the Wash clearance to accelerate was given and the aircraft turned left onto the supersonic lane just off the East coast.

Start the wire recorder and accelerate to Mach 2.0 or 2.1 and pull up into a zoom climb taking camera shots and calling engine data into a voice recorder every 10,000 ft.

Level off at 75,000 ft at 1.2 Mach and carry out the required engine handling tests such as a series of hot reslams from max reheat to 80% rpm and back into Max reheat, accompanied by quite frightening intake banging.

By this time the aircraft would be some 150 miles out over the North Sea and a left turn and glide down towards Hucknall would end over the airfield with just enough fuel for one circuit and a diversion to RAF Waddington 28nm away.

Total flight time, wheels up to touch down - 25 minutes.