C.J.

Some (most) military birds have what is called a 'SQUAT' switch. It is
a switch on a main gear oelo that is activated after bird is airborne
and strut extends. Is suppossed to prevent one from pulling gear on
ground (

There was a override lever/switch next to the gear handle in cockpit
that overrode the "Squat' switch and let the Pilot retract the gear in
an emergency (like running off the end of R/W into rough ground, etc.)

Now comes the good part.

There were always some 'hot rocks' that wuuld put the gear handle in
the retract postion as they started their T/O run. As they rotated and
became light on the gear (and oelo extended to activate the 'squat'
switch) the gear would retract out from under the bird giving what we
called an "Air Show" appearance on take off.

Takes all kinds I guess.

Could the Mooney driver have been trying to show off???

Big John


On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 16:34:26 -0800, "C J Campbell"
wrote:


"EDR" wrote in message
...

| DESCRIPTION AIRCRAFT ON TAKEOFF ROLL, LANDING GEAR WAS INADVERTENTLY
| WAS RAISED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN, ANDERSON, SC

That probably happens far more often than it gets reported.