Jos, I have a fair amount of relevant experience in the matter (!),
particularly in gliding, and I suspect that pilots who are convinced they
have put the gear down will not be persuaded otherwise by a warning horn. I
have known a glider fly a 100km task with the gear down and then carefully
pull it up and land ignoring the gear up warning noise! (Assuming it must be
some malfunction because the pilot knew he had just done the gear)
Now I would rather rely on a simple check list rigidly applied on
down wind and finals: PUFF = Prop/Undercarriage/Fuel/ Flap. Undercarriage
and flap both demand visual confirmation.
Regards, David Joyce, G-XSDJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "josok" <josok-e@ukolo.fi>
Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2008 8:44 PM
Subject: Re: Europa-List: there are pilots who have and ....
>
> Thanks to everybody for the condolences and good advice. I would like to
> help preventing others to fall in the same or similar trap.Looking back,
> it is interesting to see where and why it went wrong.
>
> On the Norwegian CAA site, is it http://www.ipppc.no ? sits a paper called
> VFR flying in Norway. It contains a list of factors, that tend to break
> the weakest link in flying security, us pilots. From the list, being
> tired, weather (too hot for me), unfamiliar airport, and also the first
> flight show to attend were the stress factors.
>
> The first mistake was to not turn the approach chart in track up position.
> I always use maps and the gps in track up. Flying South, i ended up on the
> wrong final. Went around and ended up on the right side, but too high and
> too fast. No problem, gear up, and go around for the second time.
> Concentrated on the runway, and started to lower the flaps/wheel, heard
> them noise, because the speed was about 100 knots. Left them half, turned
> final, did my on final check list, second pump on, constant speed
> controller on climb, gear down and locked. I remember to be a little
> confused that the lock was not in the usual position, but i was sure the
> handle was... UP. I noticed i was still fast, slowed down, stall warner
> blaring at 55, what i threw away as a mistake, was annoyed that the nose
> was too high, added a bit of power to soften the bounce :-) That there was
> no bounce, and a lot of smoke and noise brought me out of the fixation i
> had had.
>
> My conclusion, and maybe only valid for me, is to be more critical BEFORE
> the flight. I promised myself not ever to accept more then 2 of the "do
> not fly" list. Since i clearly remember to have seen the gear lever up on
> the "ready for final check", i do not think that any clever gear up alarm
> would have convinced me that there was something wrong. Wrong speed, wrong
> picture, wrong stall horn and: The final error was "up is good"
>
> The second promise to myself is from Kjell, that if i feel it is not going
> as expected. to break out, leave the circuit, take five. Come back later!
>
> I have to add that i just landed, it was very bumpy, the wind was gusting,
> an amphibious Cessna blew a tyre and blocked the runway i was on downwind
> for, the tower send me to another runway, asked if i could accept 15 knots
> gusting 25 crosswind, and i had a perfect landing. This one went like, oh
> not again, you are not getting me :-)
>
> Regards
>
> Jos
>
>
> Visit - www.EuropaOwners.org
>
>
>
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