Watching a U2 take off is interesting...I had wondered about the same thing
with the outriggers dropping off after takeoff. The answer is they have
wing tip skids - after the pilot has slowed down enough that he can no
longer balance the thing is will settle on one skid or the other.
Discovery Chanel had a good piece in their Wings program that I would
recommend if you can get it.
Kerry
----------
> From: Graham Singleton <100421.2123@compuserve.com>
> Subject: Re: landing it :
/
> Date: Sunday, October 06, 1996 8:04 PM
>
> >> On takeoff, the U2 ejects its takeoff outriggers to be retrieved by
the
> ground crew. Haven't seen one land yet - should be interesting.<<
>
> I once saw a glider do a wheel up on a runway. It ground a flat on the
bottom
> and for once stayed upright at the end of the landing run. Ho hum. There
were
> those who couldn't help laughing.
>
> Landing GK WHip is becoming more routine. That means I have more spare
brain
> power to watch what's going on. I have started to use Martin Stoner's
technique.
> 65 kts throttle closed for the last 100 feet, instead of 60kts with a
little
> power. He's right, there is less to think about. Today I noticed that I
touched
> down with some rearward movement of the stick remaining. This means if I
had hit
> a bump I would probably have bounced.
>
> I've never noticed it before, but I see now that under stress one's
periferal
> vision becomes almost blanked out. This was brought to my attention by
an
> article in the EAA Tech Councillor newsletter and coincidentally
confirmed by a
> Channel 4 Equinox programme about survival in disasters. Many survivors
describe
> the impression of looking down a telescope.
>
> Graham
>
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