Ok Guys:

If you ever want to do a good wheels up landing in your Lancair, start by installing a tail hook......

This guy is a better pilot than I will ever be!

John Hafen

Subject: Fwd: F 111 Wheel-up-landing

I guess the Brits CAN DO.  This seems to me to be a past time event, but......

Here's what happened. One of the main wheels fell off at lift-off. The tower notified the crew,
who had not noticed any difference in the handling of the bird. Not a situation that is covered in the books.
We flew around for 4hrs, burning off fuel and deciding on a plan. Alternatives being jump out over the sea, or make an
attempt to get it down in one piece. They worked out a plan that if the pilot was
losing control during the landing the nav would punch them out. They had IPs
trying different solutions in the simulator. Finally it was decided we'd fly the
approach at about 1.5 metres off the ground for a few hundred metres with the
gear up and the tail hook dragging along the gound.
They engaged the approach end cable, put her down perfectly level with an
understandable bump but no injuries, and came to a fairly quick halt. We, fairly
calmly, egressed the cockpit.
NOTE: The pilot was a Flying Officer(=Lt) just off transition training and he
performed to perfection. The nav was a 29 year old Flight Lieutenant (t)
who also performed to perfection.
Prelim investigation shows most likely cause was a wrongly fitted locking pin
on the big nut that holds the wheel on. FAAAK! They found another 3 jets
with the same problem!!
Both lads were as calm as on a Sunday stroll, and credited the success to the
superb training that the RAAF gives all of its crews.
IF they do not get a gong of some sort their CO needs sacking.