Advisory calls are useful in some circumstances - but I advise against a
gear up warning call once the pilot is established on final approach.

Having been the instructor in a situation where a student made a wheels
up approach - and someone overrode my decision - let me share.

We had a low time solo student working on accuracy. His task was to take
a winch launch, make a circuit and land within a set distance of a
reference point adjacent to the runway.

Traffic was a little heavy , and some genius wandered across the runway
as he was on final approach. Distraction happened. I was 50m from the
launch point abeam the reference point observing.

Some students preparing a twin noticed his wheel was up and asked if
they should call. I said no - at worst we were looking at a bit of grass
stain on the belly. They relayed to the launch point.

As he flared the launch marshal suddenly decided that the instructor
should be overruled because a club plane is about to make a wheels up
landing and this can't be right. He made an excited call to the pilot.
Pilot got a fright, left his left hand on the fully deployed airbrakes,
let go of the stick with his right hand to get the gear lever.

I guess I don't need to say the rest, but for information:
A guaranteed minor incident with the major damage being to an ego was
translated into substantial damage with risk of injury:

Big balloon - to about 2m height because the free stick was not trimmed.
Gear lever in the "Down" position but insecurely locked.
Left hand forgotten - so full brakes stay out on a G102.
Hand back on the stick to get the nose attitude right - unfortunately
the glider is no longer actually flying, it is describing a parabola due
to physics not aerodynamics.
First heavy impact on the nose knocked the gear lever off the lock.
Second impact on the wheel destroyed both parts of the cast gear
secondary motion unit.
Third impact and slide took the gear, and doors off and trailed bits
down the runway.

One lucky pilot, he only complained of a sore back. A little more energy
and he would be in a wheelchair.

A few lucky people, if he had put a wingtip in there were lots of people
within range of the missile.

So - from experience. Belly slide is a lot less dangerous. Even if is on
tar, and will result in one of those really expensive white stripes.

If you can make the call early, when the pilot has lots of time, maybe.
If the pilot is competent and you are confident he is attentive, not
dehydrated or distracted, maybe.

The point is - that the fact of the wheel being up, indicates that the
pilot is having difficulty with processing / workload / sequencing. Why
add to the load? Especially when it can go so spectacularly wrong.

Personally, the embarrassment is preferable to the risks.

squeal.

A tangential discussion is whether you should even make an advisory
call. I've talked to pilots who have said that they wouldn't even
advise someone that their gear was still retracted on final approach.
The thinking seems to be that the disruption caused by attending to
the gear late in the approach made things more dangerous than the gear-
up landing that would surely otherwise result. Personally, I think I
would generally choose to make that radio call, but would try to do it
in as neutral and informative fashion as possible.

Thanks, Bob K.


--
Bruce Greeff
T59D #1771