Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 16:14:05 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from pop3.olsusa.com ([63.150.212.2] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.0b5) with ESMTP id 1640073 for lml@lancaironline.net; Wed, 17 Jul 2002 14:49:37 -0400 Received: from hawaii.rr.com ([24.25.227.35]) by pop3.olsusa.com (Post.Office MTA v3.5.3 release 223 ID# 0-71866U8000L800S0V35) with ESMTP id com for ; Wed, 17 Jul 2002 14:43:03 -0400 Received: from iipmobile ([24.161.136.173]) by hawaii.rr.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.5.1877.517.51); Wed, 17 Jul 2002 08:49:32 -1000 Reply-To: From: "IIP" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mail List" Subject: water landings X-Original-Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 08:49:31 -1000 Organization: Inter Island Petroleum Inc. X-Original-Message-ID: <001501c22dc2$b0264a80$6501a8c0@hawaii.rr.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.2627 Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 X-Original-Return-Path: IIP@hawaii.rr.com Obviously, we pay a bit more attention to this subject in Hawaii than others might. Personally, I would rather make a forced landing on water than in tough terrain. A big advantage is there is no fire danger. The secret to success in the water is to be able to read the surface and to be prepared. The latter means life raft, life jackets and survival/rescue kit. The ditchings that go fatal usually result from failure to provide egress or failure to be able to deal with the situation once in the water. I think I read that something like 90% of ditchings are survivable. Unfortunately, many simply die in the water for various reasons, usually related to not being prepared as above. With respect to gear down, I have never heard this recommended. Perhaps there are some airplanes and some flat water conditions where this could work, but I would never bet on it. It is correct that dipping a wing is a major danger, and in ocean swells, this could be a real challenge. But dipping one wheel would be at least as hazardous. Fixed gear ditching procedures call for the presumption that you are going to end up inverted (a good assumption to make even with gear up). Therefore, your mental egress exercise needs to practice the appropriate moves (with and without a passenger). If you can do it upside down, you can do it right side up. Given a choice, I would always opt for wheels up. Nonetheless, your main worries are egress from the rapid sinking of the typical SEL airplane (less than 60 seconds for an A-36 Bonanza), nose vertically down, and rescue. We are hoping the integrity of the cabin in our LIV-P would be better than that, but have no plans for a test! Brian Barbata