Gear Warning

At 10:30 18 November 2005, Don Johnstone wrote:

A short story: When I was a lad I was interested in
all things flying and I was in a control tower at an
airfield in the UK. The circuit (pattern) was full
with about 8-10 aircraft performing 'circuits and bumps'
(It was in the days when the RAF were allowed to fly
their aeroplanes). An aircraft turned finals still
well out and a slightly excited voice said on the radio
[callsign] 'lower your undercarriage' The two aircraft
on very late finals promptly retracted their undercarriage
and landed wheels up, lots of sparks and minor panic
in the control tower.
I am sure the man on the radio meant well but the proper
procedure was to fire off a red very light forcing
a go round.
Just an illustration of how a well intentioned warning
can go wrong. I was 14 at the time, the response of
the fire teams was impressive. No pilot was injured
in the telling of this story.

Don Johnstone wrote:
..... No pilot was injured
in the telling of this story.

And this is, by far, the typical outcome of any gear up landing - power
or glider.

Tony V.
http://home.comcast.net/~verhulst/SOARING

In article , Don Johnstone REMOVE_TO_REP
writes
At 10:30 18 November 2005, Don Johnstone wrote:

A short story: When I was a lad I was interested in
all things flying and I was in a control tower at an
airfield in the UK. The circuit (pattern) was full
with about 8-10 aircraft performing 'circuits and bumps'
(It was in the days when the RAF were allowed to fly
their aeroplanes). An aircraft turned finals still
well out and a slightly excited voice said on the radio
[callsign] 'lower your undercarriage' The two aircraft
on very late finals promptly retracted their undercarriage
and landed wheels up, lots of sparks and minor panic
in the control tower.
I am sure the man on the radio meant well but the proper
procedure was to fire off a red very light forcing
a go round.
Just an illustration of how a well intentioned warning
can go wrong. I was 14 at the time, the response of
the fire teams was impressive. No pilot was injured
in the telling of this story.


When I was stationed visited the tower at RAF Tangmere in 1957, the
chaps used to make their finals call "Finals, three greens" There was
always a spare pilot in the tower to ensure the wheels really were down,
and they weren't just calling three greens out of habit.


--
Mike Lindsay