In a message dated 6/20/2007 2:58:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
europa-list@matronics.com writes:
Glider pilots who have practiced winch failures at such a low height
will know that 180 degree turns are killers. Anything under 500 feet and
the only safe option is to land sraight ahead - sometimes a 90 degree
turn may be possible if the field is large enough.
Hello Carl,
Here on this side of the pond we glider pilots are required to demonstrate
two simulated rope breaks at each biannual flight review. In my training days
and subsequent biannual reviews since, I've had to demonstrate dozens of
these maneuvers. Having experienced a release failure on take off I can tell
you
that the simulated rope break is almost like the real thing. There is never
any warning, other than you know it will happen twice at some point in the
review. The instructor, who sits in the back seat out of view, just yanks the
release and you are off to the races. The only real warning you get is if you
happen to see the release handle coming back just before the rope goes away.
The simulated rope break is generally done at or slightly above 200' agl
after take off. The recovery procedure is quite simple, but it takes a clear
thinking mind, confidence in the performance of the aircraft, and some practice
to execute the maneuver correctly. You also have to act and act immediately.
What we are taught is to perform a "dog bone" or "tear drop" turn.
Essentially, it's a shallow turn of about 30 degrees in one direction using the
speed
left over from the tow. Then, a steeper, more nose down turn of 210 degrees
in the other direction to get lined up with the runway. You always want to
make the 210 degree turn as much into the wind as possible. The direction of
the
turn(s) depends on the wind direction. This maneuver is easy to do, even in
low performance trainers and I've always had to apply large amounts of
spoiler and or a heavy slip to get back down and stopped without overshooting
the
runway. Below 200' we are taught to blow full spoilers and land straight ahead.
What gets people into trouble in this situation, and on the downwind to base
and base to final turns, is the tendency to "rudder" the airplane around.
This tendency, coupled with a high nose angle, makes the turn uncoordinated,
slowing the inside wing to the point of stalling and is what leads to
stall/spin crashes on approach. This is a major cause of both glider accidents
and
power plane accidents on landing. I think this is very likely what happened to
Cliff and Betty Shaw, and was probably exaggerated because they were loaded
with baggage and possibly had an aft C of G.
With all this said, and having practiced the dog bone maneuver in N245E, I
don't think I could do this maneuver in my Europa from less than about 400' in
the best of conditions and safely return to the runway. Since I fly
regularly out of 2200' surrounded by trees, I don't have a lot of options. I
get
the
flaps up within about 10 seconds of breaking ground and keep the nose down to
accelerate in ground effect to slightly above the best rate of climb until
I'm over the trees, then slow to best rate of climb to pattern altitude, then
I usually go to cruise climb. With this method, if the engine quits at 400'
or higher I'll have 75 -80 kts to work with. Depending on the wind, with the
extra speed I would likely return to the runway. If the engine quits at
200'-400', with the extra speed I can easily get over the trees and into the
next
field. Might not be a pretty landing, but certainly better than taking an
"arboreal adventure".
I think the key here is practice, practice, practice! Every pilot,
regardless of how much air time you have accumulated, should take some glider
lessons
if you haven't already. Get used to flying an airplane without an engine.
Learn how to conserve energy and translate energy and altitude to airspeed.
Better yet, go ahead and get your glider rating. It's a whole lot of fun and
it'll make you a much better, more coordinated and confident pilot. You'll be
much more prepared when (not if) the engine goes quiet. It'll be a little less
of "oh shit, the engine quit" and a little more of "oh well, I'm in a glider
again" situation.
Regards,
John Lawton
Dunlap, TN (TN89)
N245E - Flying
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