Parabolic Flight / Flight plan

A parabolic flight consists of three (3) steps:

Step 1: Starting from a horizontal flight at 20,000 feet (8000 – 9000 meters) in which acceleration is ‘’normal’’ (1 G), the aircraft accelerates upward at more or less a 45 degree angle. It’s acceleration is then 1,8 G which translates the objects having twice their original weight. It rises for approximately 20 seconds and reaches 24,000 feet.

Step 2: The pilot reduces engine thrust for approximately 20 seconds resulting in such a way that the natural forces having an effect on the aircraft are momentarily absent with the exception of its weight.  Submitted then to its own weight, the aircraft is in free-fall. We are then in 0 G phase (in reality, it is approximately 10-2 G), meaning in weightlessness phase (or micro-weight since it is not totally non-existant). An object in the cabin has then ‘’no more weight’’.  

What happens to the aircraft without engine power? Because of the initial velocity when climbing (before cutting engine power), it keeps on slightly rising, then starts to increasingly nose dive. 

Step 3: When the angle of descent reaches 30 degrees, the pilot pushes the engines back to full throttle and the aircraft undergoes a similar acceleration as the one from climbing (1,8 G) for about 20 seconds to eventually return to 1 G in a horizontal flight pattern. It is now ready to perform the same wave! To resume, a parabolic flight allows to obtain 20 seconds of weightlessness. During this operation, about 30 waves will be performed for a total flight time of 2 to 3 hours.