That's crazy. Well here is to test pilots keeping us safe!

I suppose that one wing losing its water is a very real scenario. I was at Canadian Nationals this summer when a brand new ASG-29 returned to the airport with a bit of a problem. The tank seal (a 3x4 panel on the very inboard part of the wing thru which the ballast dump valve control rod runs) failed "partially" while in flight.

When the pilot landed, he realized that his cockpit was half full of water .. The wing water tank had been draining into the cockpit. Other water was likely draining out the gap between the wing and the fuselage as well (depends on the tape job I suppose). How much water was out of that wing gap we will never be know but it was likely not insignificant. Yikes.

I hope that never scenario never happens to me (or anyone else) but I feel better knowing the manufactures are testing that scenario for us. It is amazing that just a tiny seal is all that keeps the water in the wing on the 29.

Anyone know what possible wing water system failures have happened (or are possible) on other gliders such as the JS1, Ventus, Duckhawk, etc?


On Sunday, July 20, 2014 10:31:41 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Yes, it's been done before. There's a great story about the Schweizer 1-35

flight test with one tank full and the other empty. Bernie Carras (who

was the corporate test pilot for a long time) had a hard time getting

the spin to break. It finally recovered fairly low, and he landed the

plane. He gave the plane a few extra kicks once he got out, just for

good measure!



Matt