REFLECTOR: PROP DAMAGE? ARE YOU KIDDING?

[Tom Martino]

To the person who asked about prop damage when landing off field ... (sorry
don't have the original post) ... All I can say is this:

My plane sustained $6,000 to $8,000 in composite damage ... And that's
letting professionals repair everything.  Add to that $15,000 for a prop ...
For a total of $21,000 to $23,000.

If you landed with the gear down ... The damages would've been way more
severe -- even if you were lucky enough to save the prop -- which is
doubtful.  Not to mention the very real possibility of being killed.

There is no way Velocity Landing gear can handle rugged terrain -- even so
much as going against plow lines.  In some rare circumstances you may hear
about people who lowered the gear and made it ... But the damage can be
severe.

There is nothing to snag the bottom of the V ... And if construct properly
... It is a land barge that will come to rest without breaking up.

After this experience ... I would truly consider building in some kind of
skid plate in the event of this kind of landing.  Serious!

The FAA inspector at the incident sight said that this landing probably
would've killed 9 out of 10 people.  It is not always the impact that does
it ... But the shock of sudden stops and/or flipping or being jammed into
the instrument panel or thrown from the plane.  Thank goodness ... I also
reinforced the seat brackets, pans and hardware.  The seats remained
perfectly upright, flexed when needed and never failed.  Also ... If I
hadn't removed the overhead console over the front seats ... There could've
have been some head trauma.(I swooped it down on a 45-degree angle behind
the front seats for eyeball vents and a light -- photo attached)

Tom

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