REFLECTOR:Gear Up Landing - N6Q

[Alexander Balic]

Chuck,
If all non-builder pilots were as responsible as you are, I don't think we
would have this problem, and my post obviously didn't apply to everyone who
hasn't built the aircraft that they fly.  I know that there are a lot of
pilots out there that  take the time to go over every inch and every
procedure of their new aircraft. but unfortunately, there are others (the
ones in the NTSB reports) that grab the keys and go. Just getting some
flight training in the factory aircraft, or even the one that is purchased
does not necessarily give you the information on how to handle every
emergency- I feel that the Velocity is just about as easy to fly as a low
performance spam can (except on final with the lack of barn doors to slow it
down) but learning to fly it isn't the problem, most pilots should be able
to get the hang of it with the hours of dual instruction that you mentioned,
but I think that most accidents have resulted from systems mismanagement;
fuel, electrical, ect. and these things take a lot of time to get up to
speed on if you didn't put them in the plane yourself, and since no two are
built alike, it is difficult even for the factory to help with this problem.
Even if the builder takes the time to go over everything that he or she can
think of with the buyer, there will still be some things that they will
miss. One velocity that I was helping to work on had 2 air pressure switches
installed for the landing gear system, so we could not figure out why the
gear did not work as per the manual, fortunately, the installer was just a
phone call away, and he walked us through this particular system.  Would
this have come up during a purchase debriefing? maybe,  could I have
contacted him by cell phone at midnight while I was circling my alternate
with no gear? maybe, (actually in this case this was not a safety related
situation, because the gear would still have gone down and locked with the
dump valve) but it is important to almost disassemble the aircraft and
reassemble it to know exactly what you have, because not everything will be
obvious.


-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]On
Behalf Of Chuck Jensen
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 8:36 AM
To: 'reflector@tvbf.org'
Subject: RE: REFLECTOR:Gear Up Landing - N6Q


Confessions of a Sinner:

Because of unusual circumstances, most beyond my control, I fall into the
middle of the "more money than time" pack that was referenced in Balic's
$0.02.  It's not really that I have a lot of money, its just that I have
almost no time.  Add to the situation fewer than a handful of flying hours
in anything in the last 4 years (including 0 time in complex or high
performance), and you may ask yourself, what is that fool doing buying a XL
RG 300.

Well, my feelings are not hurt if you thought that because those were my
EXACT feelings after the first couple hours of dual.  My instructor reminded
me I was supposed to set back and enjoy myself. Yeh, right!

When the insurance company originally conveyed the requirements of 15 hours
dual and 10 solo cross country, my first thought was "those scoundrels."
After those first couple hours dual, I thought "that's about right!"

Like all transitions, one struggles along until those "golden" moments when
things feel and look right, and you can repeat it.  One of the last things
the Instructor and I did was spend 1-2 hours doing nothing but talking about
emergency procedures.  Then, we went out and flew them.  Including gear
failure (yes, the dump valve works!) and engine outs from final, base and
downwind; all accomplished safely and easily.

Although, as we were over the numbers for the downwind engine out procedure,
the tower told us to go around.  It seems he was a little concerned about a
gearless plane coming over the numbers (even though he had been told in
advance of the exercise).  By the time he called, we were actually in the
process of lowering the gear and everything was in good shape but the
go-around was good practice and its nice to know that tower-guy is paying
attention.

This week I brought the plane home to TN.  I landed at TYS (9,000') before
moving it over to its base at DKX (3,500') the next day.  3,500' is a great
plenty as long as you're right on the airspeed and altitude over the
numbers...something that wasn't always the case during the initial dual.
With a little head wind, I landed with lots of room to spare.

Am I now a great pilot, even a good pilot?  Not hardly.  Am I a safe pilot
that represents a minimum of danger to others as well as my self?  I'm
getting there.  But what I am for sure, is a conservative pilot.  Weather,
runway, cross wind and mechanical conditions all must be above-good before
venturing forth.

I call this whole problem the "Thurmond Munson Syndrome."  For those with a
couple of gray hairs you will remember Munson, an All-Star catcher with the
Yankees, bought a Lear jet and was flying it with something like 100 TT of
flying.  One flight ended about 100 yards short when he got low and slow and
didn't have the turbines spooled up.  In the end, just because you have the
money to buy it (or build it) doesn't mean you have the ability to fly it.
Fortunately, even the ham-handed can get there (I'm proof), but it takes
good instruction, time and practice.  There's good instructors out
there--take the time and take advantage of them!

Chuck
N27GV

P.S. Special thanks to Steve Bisso CFI (I saw him squirming over there a
couple times--I couldn't tell if he had hemorrhoids or if I was giving 'em
to him) for the time and patience.






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