X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 06 Oct 2010 07:37:37 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from fmailhost03.isp.att.net ([204.127.217.103] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.3.9) with ESMTP id 4493692 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 05 Oct 2010 09:22:09 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=204.127.217.103; envelope-from=bbradburry@bellsouth.net Received: from desktop (adsl-85-140-177.mco.bellsouth.net[98.85.140.177]) by isp.att.net (frfwmhc03) with SMTP id <20101005132119H03002t8sse>; Tue, 5 Oct 2010 13:21:31 +0000 X-Originating-IP: [98.85.140.177] From: "Bill Bradburry" X-Original-To: "'Lancair Mailing List'" References: In-Reply-To: Subject: RE: [LML] Re: Tree Landings X-Original-Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2010 09:20:58 -0400 X-Original-Message-ID: <7060E90FBEC542C4B069C1D6E92F101E@Desktop> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0026_01CB646E.B3B2A2C0" X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook 11 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6001.18049 Thread-Index: ActkJu+BpDCYum5ARpe/1TLSEsvH3AAZwvCw This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0026_01CB646E.B3B2A2C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sometimes you don't get to look. A friend of mine was practicing ILS approaches at night in his RV-6 when he forgot the carb heat. About 300 feet agl, the engine sputtered and died. He had time for a Mayday call and tried to restart. No joy! As he descended below the tree line, he lost the field lights, everything turned black on the other side of the windscreen. He concentrated on flying the airplane, staying on instruments. His wing caught a tall Palm tree and spun him around 180 degrees and the wing tips caught in the tops of a couple of rows of orange trees. The orange trees set the plane down gently on its wheels facing in the opposite direction. Probably a smoother landing than usual! No one was hurt. The plane was destroyed. He salvaged the engine and radios out of the plane and 9 months after first part delivery, was flying a new RV-7! Try descending into a black hole on instruments and see what puckers! He seems strangely focused on carb heat now. :>) Bill B _____ From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Douglas Brunner Sent: Monday, October 04, 2010 8:48 PM To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: [LML] Re: Tree Landings Michael, What about the speed differences between a Lancair and a glider? Does that change the calculation? We are all taught to look for an open field to land on. Considering the altitude at which the decision is made and in the time we have to make the decision, we probably can't tell too much about stumps and rocks when we pick a field. Should our decision making process change? From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Michael Newman Sent: Monday, October 04, 2010 8:07 AM To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: [LML] Tree Landings It may be counter intuitive but treetops are actually 'soft'. They bend and absorb energy over a fairly long period compared to other ground obstructions. I would favor landing in dense trees over a field full of stumps and rocks. It is well known in the glider community that tree-top landings result in pilots that walk away and surprisingly light aircraft damage as long as the plane maintains flying speed all the way in. I have personally picked up after two of these and know of four others. In only one case was there any injury to the pilot and that was minor. Dense trees are preferred because falling to the ground after the 'landing' is where the people can get injured. _____ Michael Newman Dragonnorth Group 401 Sandy Valley Road Westwood, MA 02090 Cell: 617 821-4608 Home: 617 566-7975 Fax: 617 566-7975 www.dragonnorth.com mnewman@dragonnorth.com ------=_NextPart_000_0026_01CB646E.B3B2A2C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Sometimes you don’t get to look.  A friend of mine was practicing ILS approaches at night in = his RV-6 when he forgot the carb heat.  About 300 feet agl, the engine = sputtered and died.  He had time for a Mayday call and tried to = restart.  No joy!  As he descended below the tree line, he lost the field lights, = everything turned black on the other side of the windscreen.  He concentrated on = flying the airplane, staying on instruments.  His wing caught a tall Palm tree = and spun him around 180 degrees and the wing tips caught in the tops of a = couple of rows of orange trees.  The orange trees set the plane down gently = on its wheels facing in the opposite direction.  Probably a smoother = landing than usual!  No one was hurt.  The plane was = destroyed.

He salvaged the engine and radios = out of the plane and 9 months after first part delivery, was flying a new = RV-7!

 

Try descending into a black hole on instruments and see what puckers!  He seems strangely focused on = carb heat now…  :>)

 

Bill B

 

From: = Lancair Mailing List = [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Douglas Brunner
Sent: Monday, October 04, = 2010 8:48 PM
To: = lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Re: Tree = Landings

 

Michael,

 <= /p>

What about the speed = differences between a Lancair and a glider?  Does that change the = calculation?

 <= /p>

We are all taught to look for = an open field to land on.  Considering the altitude at which the decision = is made and in the time we have to make the decision, we probably can’t = tell too much about stumps and rocks when we pick a = field.

 <= /p>

Should our decision making = process change?

 <= /p>

From: = Lancair Mailing List = [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Michael Newman
Sent: Monday, October 04, = 2010 8:07 AM
To: = lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Tree = Landings

 

It may be counter intuitive but treetops are actually ‘soft’. = They bend and absorb energy over a fairly long period compared to other = ground obstructions. I would favor landing in dense trees over a field full of stumps and = rocks.

 

It is well known in the glider community that tree-top landings result in = pilots that walk away and surprisingly light aircraft damage as long as the plane maintains flying speed = all the way in. I have personally picked up after two of these and = know of four others. In only one case was there any injury to the pilot and that = was minor. Dense trees are preferred because falling to the ground after the ‘landing’ is where the people can get = injured.

 

 

Michael Newman

Dragonnorth = Group

401 Sandy = Valley Road
Westwood, MA = 02090

Cell: 617 = 821-4608
Home: 617 566-7975
Fax: 617 566-7975

www.dragonnorth.com

mnewman@dragonnorth.com<= /o:p>

 

 

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