Belly Landing

[Emilio]

Take a look at this 737 belly landing video clips.
http://radioscanning.wox.org/Scanner/Sounds/video/737gear.mpeg

On a first sequence it appears the pilot is trying to get the gear unjammed
by bouncing the aircraft on the good landing gear. The second sequence
shows the actual landing. But I am little puzzled by the fact that when he
touches down the aircraft attitude is quite flat like in the normal
touchdown. Isn't it better to touch down at minimum flying speed with nose
up and about to stall?

Emilio.

[Tex Houston]

"Emilio" > wrote in message
...
> Take a look at this 737 belly landing video clips.
> http://radioscanning.wox.org/Scanner/Sounds/video/737gear.mpeg
>
> On a first sequence it appears the pilot is trying to get the gear
unjammed
> by bouncing the aircraft on the good landing gear. The second sequence
> shows the actual landing. But I am little puzzled by the fact that when
he
> touches down the aircraft attitude is quite flat like in the normal
> touchdown. Isn't it better to touch down at minimum flying speed with
nose
> up and about to stall?
>
> Emilio.
>
>

Having only dialup I did not look at the clip but was it a military 737?

[Rick]

Emilio wrote:

> Isn't it better to touch down at minimum flying speed with nose
> up and about to stall?

It is always better to fly the aircraft under full control at the speed
determined by load and conditions. Trying to fly at stickshaker speed in
order to reduce damage to the aircraft is far more dangerous.

Rick

[[email protected]]

"Tex Houston" > wrote:

>>
>
>Having only dialup I did not look at the clip but was it a military 737?
>
>
>
I don't think so Tex, bit hard to tell but looks commercial to
me.
--

-Gord.

[Darrell]

I wouldn't think it would be a good idea to slow to minimum landing speed.
The tail would drag first and slam-flop the airplane onto the runway and
might break it in half. Although a flat touchdown would require a higher
landing speed it would probably produce less overall damage as long as that
extra speed didn't cause it to leave the runway surface.

--

B-58 Hustler History: http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/
-

"Emilio" > wrote in message
...
> Take a look at this 737 belly landing video clips.
> http://radioscanning.wox.org/Scanner/Sounds/video/737gear.mpeg
>
> On a first sequence it appears the pilot is trying to get the gear
unjammed
> by bouncing the aircraft on the good landing gear. The second sequence
> shows the actual landing. But I am little puzzled by the fact that when
he
> touches down the aircraft attitude is quite flat like in the normal
> touchdown. Isn't it better to touch down at minimum flying speed with
nose
> up and about to stall?
>
> Emilio.
>
>

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: Belly Landing
>From: Rick
>Date: 11/25/03 8:44 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id:

>sn't it better to touch down at minimum flying speed with nose
>> up and about to stall?
>
>It is always better to fly the aircraft under full control at the speed
>determined by load and conditions. Trying to fly at stickshaker speed in
>order to reduce damage to the aircraft is far more dangerous.
>
>Rick
>

Or to look at it from another point of view, when in doubt get out.

Regards,


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Dudley Henriques]

"Emilio" > wrote in message
...
> Take a look at this 737 belly landing video clips.
> http://radioscanning.wox.org/Scanner/Sounds/video/737gear.mpeg
>
> On a first sequence it appears the pilot is trying to get the gear
unjammed
> by bouncing the aircraft on the good landing gear. The second sequence
> shows the actual landing. But I am little puzzled by the fact that when
he
> touches down the aircraft attitude is quite flat like in the normal
> touchdown. Isn't it better to touch down at minimum flying speed with
nose
> up and about to stall?
>
> Emilio.
>
>

No, especially in large aircraft like this one. It's far better to lay it
down with positive control at some median airspeed that produces this
control than trying to slow it down to an absolute minimum airspeed. The key
phrase in emergency landings is "positive control". In almost every case,
this area of positive control will occur at an airspeed that is producing an
angle of attack less than that encountered with the touchdown attitude
you're describing.
Each type of aircraft has a recommended procedure covering this situation.
Some are different than others, but the actual flight parameters are spelled
out for the type involved in either the POH, the dash 1, or the Natops, as
the situation dictates.
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/ CFI Retired
For personal email, please replace
the z's with e's.
dhenriquesATzarthlinkDOTnzt

[Rick]

ArtKramr wrote:

> Or to look at it from another point of view, when in doubt get out.

Not an option on a 737 until it is stopped.

Rick

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: Belly Landing
>From: Rick
>Date: 11/25/03 10:24 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: . net>
>
>ArtKramr wrote:
>
>> Or to look at it from another point of view, when in doubt get out.
>
>Not an option on a 737 until it is stopped.
>
>Rick
>

If you can't bail out, then you haven't really been trying. Try harder (:->))




Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Jim Baker]

"Emilio" > wrote in message
...
> Take a look at this 737 belly landing video clips.
> http://radioscanning.wox.org/Scanner/Sounds/video/737gear.mpeg
>
> On a first sequence it appears the pilot is trying to get the gear
unjammed
> by bouncing the aircraft on the good landing gear. The second sequence
> shows the actual landing. But I am little puzzled by the fact that when
he
> touches down the aircraft attitude is quite flat like in the normal
> touchdown. Isn't it better to touch down at minimum flying speed with
nose
> up and about to stall?
>
> Emilio.
>
In these situations Emilio, you always want to fly the aircraft nose down to
the ground. Never want it to drop because even a two or three foot drop
will most likely severely damage the aircraft. B-1B landed at Edwards in
the late 80's with the nose gear up and, with no practice for this manuever,
the pilot let it fall about two feet onto the nose. Lots of damage. He had
the idea to fly it down, but without any reference picture or practice, it
fell the last two feet.

Jim

[Ron]

>>
>In these situations Emilio, you always want to fly the aircraft nose down to
>the ground. Never want it to drop because even a two or three foot drop
>will most likely severely damage the aircraft. B-1B landed at Edwards in
>the late 80's with the nose gear up and, with no practice for this manuever,
>the pilot let it fall about two feet onto the nose. Lots of damage. He had
>the idea to fly it down, but without any reference picture or practice, it
>fell the last two feet.
>

I remember that one, it was show live on some cable news channels.


Ron
Pilot/Wildland Firefighter

[Jim Baker]

"Ron" > wrote in message
...
> >>
> >In these situations Emilio, you always want to fly the aircraft nose down
to
> >the ground. Never want it to drop because even a two or three foot drop
> >will most likely severely damage the aircraft. B-1B landed at Edwards in
> >the late 80's with the nose gear up and, with no practice for this
manuever,
> >the pilot let it fall about two feet onto the nose. Lots of damage. He
had
> >the idea to fly it down, but without any reference picture or practice,
it
> >fell the last two feet.
> >
>
> I remember that one, it was show live on some cable news channels.
>
>
> Ron
> Pilot/Wildland Firefighter

The aircraft commander was a squadron mate of mine. We were sitting #1 for
T.O. when he came back to the base with the nose gear retracted. He hit the
rwy hard on a couple of patterns trying to knock it loose but stuck it
remained. Off he went to EDW. We were taking off to go to a static display
at Luke AFB so paralled his flight path, a few dozen miles away of course,
as he flew out to the dry lake bed. He was on squadron common talking to
the tanker and getting relay info from Rockwell engineers and we got to
listen in to all that. Pretty exciting day all in all :-)

Jim

[[email protected]]

"Jim Baker" > wrote:

> Pretty exciting day all in all :-)
>
>Jim
>

Probably not quite as exciting as his though!... :)
--

-Gord.