Hi Ron
I think that you are right on! I was flying a Beechcraft Bonanza
through an approach made difficult by broken cloud cover when the field
became landable. I made a straight in approach sans downwind or base.
On final the plane simply would not go down! It was obvious that the
gear was not down! In the Europa with the gear tied to the flaps, it
should be even more obvious...
Tom
-----Original Message-----
From: forum-owner@europaclub.org.uk
Subject: Re: Gear UP warning
Hi Carl,
Do you plan to sign-up for some PFA Coaching or are you happy to fly the
Europa without?
The reason I ask is that, although I was brought up on tail-draggers, I
was
far from current and therefore I did sign up.
The Guy who coached me was an excellent instructor and shortly before
sending me off solo, he stopped me from lowering the gear/flaps after
turning onto base leg but told me to continue flying a "normal" approach
as
if to land. It wasn't possible!
---From the usual 1000ft point it was impossible to get the speed down to
50/55
kts over the hedge as one would on a normal landing.
What I am trying to say is that even if your flying is only average(ie.
twice as good as mine!) and you have no difficulty in positioning the
a/c
for the approach and landing, then you will certainly know in plenty of
time
that you haven't deployed the gear/flaps. When I tried I could have
dropped
it onto the numbers - but at the wrong end of a 600 metre runway!
I think it unnecessary to fit a warning system. The Europa is quite
benign
in the landing phase and there is little to think about - until the
wheel is
actually on the ground, that is, and then......!
Just a thought.
Regards and good luck with the test flight!
Ron Jones.
(N0.359 G-RJWX)
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