On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 15:29:22 GMT, "Dudley Henriques"
wrote:

The problem with belly landings in high performance airplanes isn't that
they can't be done, but rather the amount of room needed to do it
successfully factored into an equation that allows enough room to do it with
the touchdown speeds necessary and the odds of not hitting something during
the attempt. Generally, it's considered a fool's move. That being said, it's
entirely possible to do it, and it's indeed been done when good terrain
choice was obvious to the pilot, or circumstances were such that altitude or
seat/canopy malfunction precluded a safe ejection.
Dudley Henriques

When I first started in the business, I was amazed at the number of
cautions regarding belly landing. For most high performance jets the
flight manual suggests bailout/ejection as preferable in all
situations.

Then one day it dawned on me...."Eureka", I cried!

Consider what happens to your standard land vehicle, i.e. passenger
automobile, when it leaves the paved surface at sixty miles per hour.
The results are usually pretty disasterous.

Now factor in that the auto is steel frame and reinforced doors, motor
in front, etc. Aircraft are light skinned, monocoque, motor continuing
forward through the cockpit, etc.

Add in that the landing speed, under optimal conditions will be in the
140 mph or faster range (remember to convert knots to MPH.)

Now, go back and take that car into the boonies at that speed.

Survivable? I think I'll try out this new-fangled explosive seat
thingie....