Is it just me that thinks this was stupid

In a previous article, "Dudley Henriques" said:
There's a great story about the crew of a Pan Am Stratocruiser I think it
was, who were low on fuel and a long way out over the ocean. They let down
to within a wingspan's distance over the water, leaned it back a ton, played
with the RPM, and made it home.
Can't remember the source of the story, but I do remember reading it a long
time ago.

Sounds like an Ernie Gann story.


--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
---------------- hit any user to continue ----------------

On May 14, 11:15 am, (Paul Tomblin) wrote:
In a previous article, "Dudley Henriques" said:

There's a great story about the crew of a Pan Am Stratocruiser I think it
was, who were low on fuel and a long way out over the ocean. They let down
to within a wingspan's distance over the water, leaned it back a ton, played
with the RPM, and made it home.
Can't remember the source of the story, but I do remember reading it a long
time ago.

Sounds like an Ernie Gann story.

--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
---------------- hit any user to continue ----------------

Yes, I think that was in "Fate is the Hunter"

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "Dudley Henriques" said:
There's a great story about the crew of a Pan Am Stratocruiser I think it
was, who were low on fuel and a long way out over the ocean. They let down
to within a wingspan's distance over the water, leaned it back a ton,
played
with the RPM, and made it home.
Can't remember the source of the story, but I do remember reading it a
long
time ago.

Sounds like an Ernie Gann story.

You know, I think you might be right. It might very well have been from Fate
is the Hunter; but I think I remember seeing it in some magazine as well
years ago.
DH

"Blanche" wrote in message
...
On 5/14/2007 2:03:24 AM, "Bravo Two Zero" wrote:

A small plane crashed into Lake Pleasant, just outside of Phoenix, at
approx 8pm Friday, while the pilot was reportedly talking on his
cellphone
and flying 10 feet above the water.

Can you have "ground effect" over water?


This sounds like "Darwin Award" material!

On May 14, 11:08 am, Blanche wrote:
Can you have "ground effect" over water?

Yep, it's the basis for high-speed transports & warships that fly just
above the water...

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question...cs/q0130.shtml

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=523

Kev

On May 14, 1:44 pm, "Dudley Henriques" wrote:
"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message

...

In a previous article, "Dudley Henriques" said:
There's a great story about the crew of a Pan Am Stratocruiser I think it
was, who were low on fuel and a long way out over the ocean. They let down
to within a wingspan's distance over the water, leaned it back a ton,
played
with the RPM, and made it home.
Can't remember the source of the story, but I do remember reading it a
long
time ago.

Sounds like an Ernie Gann story.

You know, I think you might be right. It might very well have been from Fate
is the Hunter; but I think I remember seeing it in some magazine as well
years ago.
DH

I just reread Fate is the Hunter and don't remember it in there. I'm
sure I've read the story though... Hmmm...

Maybe one of his other books.

John S.

On Mon, 14 May 2007 09:19:27 -0700, "gatt"
wrote:


"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...

....
what part do you think was stupid?


Flying 10 feet above water while distracted with non-flying activites?

-c


And doing it 45 minutes after sunset. He probably could not see the
surface nor judge his altitude above it.

In article ,
"Dudley Henriques" wrote:

Can you have "ground effect" over water?

There's a great story about the crew of a Pan Am Stratocruiser I think it
was, who were low on fuel and a long way out over the ocean. They let down
to within a wingspan's distance over the water, leaned it back a ton, played
with the RPM, and made it home.
Can't remember the source of the story, but I do remember reading it a long
time ago.
Dudley Henriques

Didn't the B-25 guys bombing Japan fly low too?

--
Bob Noel
(goodness, please trim replies!!!)

The Doolittle Raiders as far as I know flew the inbound leg from the Hornet
to their targets and outbound to China low but not nearly low enough to be
in ground effect, which is something I've always wondered about for the
outbound run into China since fuel was so critical for them. Also, I know
that Doolittle himself had done some considerable research into ground
effect.
I've never heard (officially anyway) that flying in ground effect was part
of the mission plan.
Dudley Henriques

"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Dudley Henriques" wrote:

Can you have "ground effect" over water?

There's a great story about the crew of a Pan Am Stratocruiser I think it
was, who were low on fuel and a long way out over the ocean. They let
down
to within a wingspan's distance over the water, leaned it back a ton,
played
with the RPM, and made it home.
Can't remember the source of the story, but I do remember reading it a
long
time ago.
Dudley Henriques

Didn't the B-25 guys bombing Japan fly low too?

--
Bob Noel
(goodness, please trim replies!!!)

On May 14, 7:43 pm, Bob Noel
wrote:
Didn't the B-25 guys bombing Japan fly low too?

I think they were actually afraid of hitting fishing boats if they
went that low.

The most famous ground effect demo has to be that of the Hughes'
Spruce Goose "takeoff" in harbor.

Least famous, but more important, were the use of ground effect by
some of the US Navy NC flying boats to make the first transatlantic
crossing in 1919 by airplane.

Cheers, Kev