I agree with Bill.

Here are a few more details I would consider.

Choose a smooth hard flat wide runway with no cross wind to the extent possible.

Do not kill the engine in the air. These planes slow down rapidly without power.

Fly it on the mains, raise the flaps to make sure it stays on the ground and to maximize elevator effectiveness, then shut down the engine.

Maintain a level attitude as long as possible. After the nose drops apply heavy braking to minimize stopping distance. Braking will transfer more weight onto the nose but energy dissipated in the brakes is energy not dissipated grinding into the nose.

Avoid soft fields. Metal props can dig in and pole vault the plane at high speed.

Wood props will break off.

Cowls are strong with respect to the air but fragile in a high energy dynamic encounter with the earth. A small undulation in the earth can catch on the fuel servo / carburetor and tumble the plane.

Undulations in the earth can also cause high G impacts resulting in airframe and spinal damage. Stick with a smooth hard flat surface.

From: billhogarty <billhogarty@hughes.net>
Subject: [LML] Gear Up Landing
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Date: Saturday, July 11, 2009, 1:42 PM

Without a nose gear, if I had a hard surface runway, I would choose to land on the mains with the engine shut down, holding the nose off as long as possible.  I did this once in an earlier life with a nose gear that jammed during the retract cycle.  But then I didn't have a prop to worry about. Thoughts, Comments??

Regards, Bill Hogarty

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