Impossible to ditch in a field (almost)

On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 10:31:07 -0800, mindenpilot wrote:

Seems to me, I'd much rather be on the east coast when I have an engine
failure, instead of out here where you're lucky to find that dry lake bed
(instead of a mountain).

Adam,

Sounds reasonable enough, HOWEVER, where you have 100's of miles of empty
space where a dry lake bed is available, and the east coast has lots of
airports, one has to be intimately familiar with the area you are flying in
congested areas.

Airports out my way in the deep south are not so easy to spot, and if one
has an engine failure, sometimes the airport may not be the best place to
land with considerations of wind, obstructions and so forth.

It also could get you in trouble to stretch out your best glide to a runway
when you have a suitable landing spot within a better range.

There was an incident out my way where someone was flying from Atlanta to
Monroe LA, and he was trying to make it to an airport but ran out of
altitude. He landed on a major state route with no injuries to himself,
passengers or drivers on the road. The road was between two airports (JAN
and MBO) and he made a correct decision to put it on the highway rather
then stretch out his glide over populated areas enroute to an airport.

Allen

"mindenpilot" wrote in message
...

Anyone ever notice this before?


I fly out of BED, out in the Boston suburbs. While your odds of limping in
to an airport are definitely better (especially in IMC) there is still
plenty of inhospitable terrain called Densely Populated Areas. There are
plenty of places where your choice of impromptu landing strips will be a
swamp, a par-3 9-hole golf course, an interstate full of traffic and power
lines, and a busy mall parking lot. I don't know the difference between
landing on wheat or soybeans, but I can tell you that on a weekend you're a
lot better off looking for an office park than a mall.

On busy days at BED it's not unusual to find yourself on a 5-mile final at
1200-1800' to stay under Boston's class B. If your engine quits out there
and there's any kind of headwind all you've got is a couple of minutes to
decide whose backyard furniture looks the softest because there's nothing
but people underneath you.

-cwk.

Isn't ditching, by definition, in the water?

"mindenpilot" wrote in message
...
I live out West, where there are hundreds of miles of empty space in every
direction. When flight planning, I often say, "I can ditch in that dry
lake
bed, or that field, or if I have to, on that road."

In a couple of weeks, I'm travelling to North Carolina to visit my brother
for the holidays. I'm planning on renting a plane at his local airport
and
taking him for a flight. To prepare, I got the Charlotte sectional.

When I opened it up, I couldn't believe it! The thing is literally dotted
with airports. They're everywhere!

Seems to me, I'd much rather be on the east coast when I have an engine
failure, instead of out here where you're lucky to find that dry lake bed
(instead of a mountain).

Anyone ever notice this before?

Adam
N7966L
Beech Super III

"Brad Zeigler" wrote in message
...

Isn't ditching, by definition, in the water?


Yup.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Brad Zeigler" wrote in message
...

Isn't ditching, by definition, in the water?


Yup.

Unless... You put it into one of those trenches that are dug around the
outsides of fields in the flat, used to be, swampy areas, that are dry
except when it rains hard. What are those called? Oh yeah, ditches! g
--
Jim in NC

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Brad Zeigler" wrote in message
...

Isn't ditching, by definition, in the water?


Yup.

Unless... You put it into one of those trenches that are dug around the
outsides of fields in the flat, used to be, swampy areas, that are dry
except when it rains hard. What are those called? Oh yeah, ditches! g


Nope.

Isn't ditching, by definition, in the water?


Yup.

Unless... You put it into one of those trenches that are dug around the
outsides of fields in the flat, used to be, swampy areas, that are dry
except when it rains hard. What are those called? Oh yeah, ditches!
g


Nope.

Come on, get a sense of humor!
--
Jim in NC

"mindenpilot" wrote in message
...

I live out West, where there are hundreds of miles of empty space in every
direction. When flight planning, I often say, "I can ditch in that dry
lake bed, or that field, or if I have to, on that road."


Why do you say that? Ditching requires water. You can ditch in a lake, but
not in a dry lake bed.

What airport will you be using?

Rod
KCLT

Welcome to the land of NASCAR. The fine condition of some of those
airports, if not their very existance is due in part to NASCAR and their
race teams. Concord Regional and Lexington being examples. Where are you
going?

I would submit that agriculture provides more landable areas in the east
than the open spaces of the west. A lot of that open space outside of the
dry lakes seems to be filled with cactus, creosote bushes and other hard
things.

Glider flying in the Minden NV area involves a lot of smooth looking terrain
(from 6 -10k up) that is completely unlandable. And the roads typically
wouldn't take 50ft glider wings (damn reflectors) though a Cessna might be
just fine.

In the east and midwest, agriculture makes most areas landable most of the
time. As long as they are growing pine trees.

Another difference may be in the typical altitudes flown, especially VFR.
The weather is closer to the ground in the East so altitudes may be lower
offering less glide distance.

Of course "survival landings" due to engine failure versus "landouts" in
gliders have different criteria for landability.

"mindenpilot" wrote in message
...
I live out West, where there are hundreds of miles of empty space in every
direction. When flight planning, I often say, "I can ditch in that dry
lake
bed, or that field, or if I have to, on that road."

In a couple of weeks, I'm travelling to North Carolina to visit my brother
for the holidays. I'm planning on renting a plane at his local airport
and
taking him for a flight. To prepare, I got the Charlotte sectional.

When I opened it up, I couldn't believe it! The thing is literally dotted
with airports. They're everywhere!

Seems to me, I'd much rather be on the east coast when I have an engine
failure, instead of out here where you're lucky to find that dry lake bed
(instead of a mountain).

Anyone ever notice this before?

Adam
N7966L
Beech Super III