If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
I had gotten an almost brand new (12 hrs) Genesis 2.
My experience with retractable landing gear was somewhat limited. At the end of my sixth flight I crossed the field to check on traffic and turned into the pattern. I announced my downwind and started my landing checklist. Just as was about to drop my gear an ultralight pulled into the middle of the hard surfaced runway and stopped and just sat there. As I was contemplating what to do (I land on the hard surface because of gopher holes on the narrow grass strip and rough ground) a power plane announced that it had entered it's downwind for the same runway. I was now 2/3 thru my downwind. Just as I was turning to base, our Grob two place motor glider's pilot called that he was coming in for an emergency landing. He had smoke in the cockpit. So now I was looking for him also. It turned out that he was behind me as I turned to final and I decided to land long on our 3500 ft runway. On final the runway looked clear, the ultralight had taken off in front of me and I started to relax. As I came in over the end of the runway at about 100 ft I saw everyone waving at me and thought of how nice it was of them to do that. I was getting lower and started to flare and it hit me. S***, my gear! I slammed the spoilers shut and in one quick motion shifted my left hand to the stick and my right hand rammed the gear down. Fortunately, I was able to get it locked. I hit the ground a split second later. My friends that were watching said that I was 4-6 ft off of the ground when the gear came down. After this adventure, I spoke with 2 of our instructors seeking advice on what I could do to prevent this from happening again. One of them suggested something that he said military pilots sometimes use. When I announce my downwind, at the end of the announcement while still on the radio I also say 'Gear is down and locked'. I have not had another incident since, but I still intend to install a gear warning system. Not only would it have gone off when I first checked my spoilers upon entering downwind but again on final. GORDY |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
At 20:24 18 November 2005, Gordon Schubert wrote:
After this adventure, I spoke with 2 of our instructors seeking advice on what I could do to prevent this from happening again. How about just doing your pre-landing checks properly. You only need to check 4 things: water-ballast, U/C, loose-articles(straps) and flaps. It takes seconds. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
Mark Dickson wrote: At 20:24 18 November 2005, Gordon Schubert wrote: After this adventure, I spoke with 2 of our instructors seeking advice on what I could do to prevent this from happening again. How about just doing your pre-landing checks properly. You only need to check 4 things: water-ballast, U/C, loose-articles(straps) and flaps. It takes seconds. What about radio, speed, trim, spoiler, traffic and landing area? No doubt checklists reduce the chance for errors, but it is naive to believe they will always save your butt, cause when something goes wrong, which result in distraction, first thing you'll forget/skip is your check list... Ramy (who found his gear alarm works as designed last flight) |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
At 00:18 19 November 2005, Ramy wrote:
What about radio, speed, trim, spoiler, traffic and landing area? No doubt checklists reduce the chance for errors, but it is naive to believe they will always save your butt, cause when something goes wrong, which result in distraction, first thing you'll forget/skip is your check list... They don't need a checklist, they are part and parcel of flying your glider. Change speed - trim, lookout for other traffic - basic airmanship. If you need a checklist for them you're going to have problems. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
"Mark Dickson" wrote in message
... At 00:18 19 November 2005, Ramy wrote: What about radio, speed, trim, spoiler, traffic and landing area? No doubt checklists reduce the chance for errors, but it is naive to believe they will always save your butt, cause when something goes wrong, which result in distraction, first thing you'll forget/skip is your check list... They don't need a checklist, they are part and parcel of flying your glider. Change speed - trim, lookout for other traffic - basic airmanship. If you need a checklist for them you're going to have problems. I agree traffic and landing area may not need checklist, but definitely checking radio frequency and volume, trim for pattern speed and checking the spoilers must be part of every landing checklist. Ramy |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
At 07:18 20 November 2005, Ramy Yanetz wrote:
I agree traffic and landing area may not need checklist, but definitely checking radio frequency and volume, trim for pattern speed and checking the spoilers must be part of every landing checklist. Ramy Personally, they are not part of my pre-landing checks. If I've been flying in icing conditions (wave) I'll try the airbrakes on the way down, apart from that it is not necessary to check them prior to landing. I don't adopt the approach speed until just prior to base leg and I always trim after changing speed whenever I'm flying, so why have it as part of a checklist? The radio check may be valid in the States but isn't necessary in the UK. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
Mark Dickson wrote:
At 07:18 20 November 2005, Ramy Yanetz wrote: I agree traffic and landing area may not need checklist, but definitely checking radio frequency and volume, trim for pattern speed and checking the spoilers must be part of every landing checklist. Ramy Personally, they are not part of my pre-landing checks. If I've been flying in icing conditions (wave) I'll try the airbrakes on the way down, apart from that it is not necessary to check them prior to landing. I don't adopt the approach speed until just prior to base leg and I always trim after changing speed whenever I'm flying, so why have it as part of a checklist? To ensure they do operate (freezing shut is not the only way for them to fail) and to activate the gear warning device. The radio check may be valid in the States but isn't necessary in the UK. Is that because the field frequency is the same as the one you use during the flight, or because the glider fields you use don't use a radio in the pattern? I'm assuming you'd use the radio at a regular airport with mixed traffic. -- Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly Eric Greenwell Washington State USA |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
At 21:36 20 November 2005, Eric Greenwell wrote:
To ensure they do operate (freezing shut is not the only way for them to fail) and to activate the gear warning device. The radio check may be valid in the States but isn't necessary in the UK. Is that because the field frequency is the same as the one you use during the flight, or because the glider fields you use don't use a radio in the pattern? I'm assuming you'd use the radio at a regular airport with mixed traffic. -- Change 'netto' to 'net' to email me directly Eric Greenwell Washington State USA If you checked your airbrakes at the DI and prior to take-off, and you have not been flying in icing conditions, they will open when you want them to. I've never heard of airbrakes failing in flight and if they did so what? You'll find out when you unlock them on base leg. As for opening them to activate the gear warner, well that sounds a bit Irish to me. How about carrying out the gear part of the checks? The radio is not a necessary part of pre-landing checks, I and any other glider pilot in the UK would be very unpopular if they landed at an airport; and if you were tempted to, the radio call should be made well before the point at which the pre-landing checks are carried out. (Most glider pilots in the UK do not have RT licences and so couldn't legally make the calls anyway). The point I'm trying to make Eric is that for checks to be effective and not missed, they should only include those things that are really necessary to check. The pre-landing checks I, and a lot of clubs use, are WULF: waterballast, U/C, loose articles(including straps) and flaps. In my opinion that is all you need to methodically check to make a safe approach and landing, anything else (apart maybe for radio in the States, as you obviously do land at airports) is superfluous. I also think these checks should be done prior to joining the circuit, so that there are no distractions from carrying them out and so that full concentration can be given to flying the glider around the pattern and looking out for other a/c on the ground and in the air. Mark |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
"Mark Dickson" wrote in message ... If you checked your airbrakes at the DI and prior to take-off, and you have not been flying in icing conditions, they will open when you want them to. I've never heard of airbrakes failing in flight and if they did so what? I have had only one spoiler deploy. I was glad I checked them early because it gave me the opportunity to extend the downwind a bit to compensate. But, you are right. This is very rare. A more justifiable reason to check the spoiler/airbrake is to insure your hand is on the right control. Once you hand is on the airbrake control, keep it there through the rest of the landing. Yes, I know, you should LOOK at a control before placing a hand on it but we all know of accidents/incidents where the wrong control was selected. Bill Daniels |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Gear Warning
|
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Gear Warning | Gadget Guy | Soaring | 118 | November 30th 05 10:43 PM |
Jet engines vs. leaf blowers | 01-- Zero One | Soaring | 6 | September 8th 05 01:59 AM |
Gear Warning Switches on a Mosquito | scooter | Soaring | 6 | March 9th 05 01:15 PM |
Aluminum vs Fiberglass landing gear - Pro's and cons. | Bart D. Hull | Home Built | 0 | November 22nd 03 06:24 AM |
gear warning plus | K.P. Termaat | Soaring | 0 | September 8th 03 08:33 AM |