In the Olden Days, when aircraft didn't have brakes and you just landed
in any convenient field, groundlooping was how they stopped. In an
emergency, it may be a better choice than hitting something hard and/or
expensive.

This is still standard procedure on the ice runway at Alton Bay, New
Hampshire, supposedly the only American airport that is a seaplane
base in the summer and a land airport in the winter.

I'm told that it is also standard procedure to **** on your tires to
freeze them to the ice, chocks not being very useful in that
circumstance. I haven;t tried this myself; first I was too timid, then
the bay didn't freeze, and most recently I couldn't get out of Hampton
for nearly three months because of snow, ice, wind, and mud.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at http://www.danford.net/index.htm
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