fixed gear vs. retracts

[Del Rykert]

I found once I practiced slow flying my pattern bird at low altitude my landings become much more graceful. Have a reliable running engine and not on the last fumes if you practice this but it makes you learn your planes just above stall speed behavior and how to use rudder to steer and not rely on ailerons. Using light aileron can cause you to drop a wing as it forces a wing to stall while other one stays flying. Full scale pilots learn this with their short field runway work and when exploring the bottom of the envelope.
 
     Del K. Rykert
     AMA - 8928 
     NSRCA - 473
     Kb2joi - General 


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: john 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 11:29 AM
  Subject: RE: Re: fixed gear vs. retracts


  You need to practice those full stall landings... hehehe  I never saw an
  ATP do that with a jumbo jet... those are all controlled crashes with
  lots of braking once they hit the ground.  Somewhat reinforced gear on
  them big birds!

  I would modify the advice George gave - go to the airport and spend the
  $ for a short lesson from a qualified CFI, talk to him (her) ahead of
  time and let him explain and demonstrate the mechanics of a good
  landing.

  I was pursuing a private license years ago and actually got through the
  solo sequence twice, 13 years apart... wife decided a house was a more
  necessary way to spend money than a pilot's license the first time, and
  I went back to school and had no time to continue the second time. But I
  would never have quit the second time if my instructor had not dorked up
  her knee as one of the Luvabulls and then got fired for participating in
  a dangerous outside activity. I would have found a way to make time to
  sit next to her for an hour a week! Love them small planes they used as
  trainers!

  Let's see, I think it has been about 8 years since that second try,
  almost time to think about another shot.  Maybe.  But that experience
  did help me a little, I do try to stall the plane an inch off the
  ground, hold it off till it stops flying, etc.  Gear tends to survive,
  but the plane takes a beating running out of runway and into the weeds! 

  John

  -----Original Message-----
  From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]
  On Behalf Of Keith Hoard
  Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 10:58 AM
  To: discussion at nsrca.org
  Subject: Re: Re: fixed gear vs. retracts

  Wow, I have an Airline Transport Pilot licence and I still dork my
  planes in
  and rip the gear out sometimes. . . .


  Keith L. Hoard
  Cordova, TN
  khoard at midsouth.rr.com

  A man in Arkansas spent 19 years in a coma before he finally regained
  consciousness.... The only other person from Arkansas that didn't know
  what
  was happening for 19 years was, of course, Hillary Clinton.
   - Jay Leno


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: "GeorgeF." <av8tor at flash.net>
  To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
  Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 10:24 AM
  Subject: Re: Re: fixed gear vs. retracts


  > At 11:01 AM 7/17/2003 -0400, you wrote:
  > >With all of the variables that can affect the outcome of a landing
  > >(deadsticks, other airplanes, strange topography, unusual wind gusts,
  > >etc.) *I* have never heard of anyone who DID *NOT* "break" landing
  gear
  > >(or parts) sometime in their career.
  > >The record you quote, George, is ENVIABLE!!!  20 years without ever
  > >breaking landing gear stuff....I think we need a "Landing How To"
  article
  > >from you for the K-Factor!!!  (As I'm fortunate to make it through a
  days'
  > >flying without some sort of off side/ends/surface landings which
  > >potentially hurt things - Then there's those horse hoofprints off the
  end
  > >of the runway...)
  >
  > Well I've also had my Private Pilots license for as many years and
  that is
  > one great way to learn the physics behind who to make good landings.
  That
  > includes deadsticks, other airplanes, strange topography, unusual wind
  > gusts.  Once suggestion is that if you know someone with a Pilots
  license
  > give him a few bucks (ok $60/hour if the plane is rented) and go with
  him
  > and do an hours worth of Touch AndGoes.  You'll be amazed at what
  you'll
  > learn!  After all in a real plane bad landings, bent gear, and in most
  > cases bounces are not acceptable......
  >
  > The most common mistakes I see is people landing too fast!  An
  aircraft
  > which is not stalled when landing isn't landing but CRASHING!  All
  good
  > landings start with good approaches.  Start by making long
  > approaches.  This will give you a chance to SLOW down the airplane and
  > evaluate the wind conditions.  If at all possible learn what's called
  the
  > Wing Low method to compensate for crosswinds as opposed to Crabbing.
  Most
  > modelers will crab right down to the ground, that will result in an
  instant
  > BAD landing as you're landing gear are going a different direction
  then
  > what the airplane is flying resulting in a massive side load.  That's
  a
  > large reason you see people "bouncing" (both model and fullscale)
  during
  > crosswinds.
  >
  > With the wing low methods the landing gear are going the same
  direction as
  > the plane.  To land using this method you use aileron to hold the
  upwind
  > wing low.  To correct for the tendency of the plane to turn that same
  > direction you would use just enough opposite rudder to keep the plane
  > aligned with the runway center line.  If done correctly you'll have
  the
  > upwind main landing gear hit the ground first, followed by the
  downwind
  > main gear, and finally the nose gear if you're flying a trike.
  >
  > George
  > http://www.MilAirComms.com
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  > =====================================
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  > # discussion-request at nsrca.org
  > # and put leave discussion on the first line of the body.
  > #
  >


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