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Old June 24th 18, 03:12 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan Marotta
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Posts: 4,601
Default When gliders fail in flight, but pilots manage to land

Had one dump valve open but not the other (both wings and tail tank
controlled by the same lever).Â* Landed my LAK-17a with one dry wing and
the other had 25 gallons.Â* I did not realize I had a problem until just
before coming to a stop when one wing slammed down uncontrollably.Â*
Speed was down to a slow walk at that time.Â* Great ship, that LAK-17a!

On 6/23/2018 4:21 PM, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
The list is long and varied........

Way back when, I used to try patterns (at altitude) with no elevator, just use flaps and slips (ASW-20A, manual elevator connect) "just in case" we forgot to connect the elevator.
I have done other, "WTF attempts" in various gliders, all at altitude.

Better to try all sorts of "stupid stuff" at altitude with a high chance of recovery rather than in the pattern.

How about this.....thinking you dumped all water from a ASW-20C, going into a farmers field, things seem wrong, revert to....."does it look right, does it sound right, does it feel right....if no....FRIKKIN fix it!".
I did that in PA once.
Thought water was dumped (we had worked on dump valve the night before), so, fell off the ridge and landed shortly thereafter.
If I went by the book, never would have made the field.
It didn't feel right, so I sped up.
Found a full load of water when I went to derig later.

Yes, good to do "what if's" at altitude (thinking benign spiral when IFR), but you're limited on possible "crap happens" ideas.


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Dan, 5J