marine air wrote:
In the U.S. with the american style of teaching the proper method is to keep the aircraft in the clean configuration until making the landing point is assured. This gives your best L/D. at the point of being too high, then drop the gear. DOn't use hydraulic pressure on flaps or other items or there may not be enough pressure to lower the gear. Gear down "Are you still going to make your landing spot?" Check airspeed and wait until again you think you are going to overshoot, then lower flaps and point the nose down. Last, open the canopy for more drag and quick egress after touchdown.
I have had 3 deadstick landings in single engine aircraft and one propellor failure and each time, by following the above principles, and the grace of God, I made it back to the runway.
Last tip, When the engine quits, point the aircraft straight towards the runway. You will probably come up short on airspeed and altitude so don't do the textbook downwind, base etc. Straight to the landing zone and if you have the luxury of too much airspeed or altitude, then you can slip, drop flaps, etc.
Kudos to this pilot for getting the aircraft down and easily repairable. Also, one reason why you might have to throw in the flaps early is if you have a stiff crosswind or headwind turning into a tailwind, you may not be able to make the radius of turn and airspeed required to have a successful outcome. Throwing in flaps is your last option to tighten that radius of turn and avoid a stall/ spin. Many folks have been killed from a couple hundred feet AGL stomping on a rudder trying to make the base to final and then it spinning on them.
I think that is a well-written summary right there. Complications in a large, complex taildragger include wanting to land gear up if there's a chance the landing will be off-airport (so as not to flip). Looks like this Sea Fury pilot did the best he could with the situation he had and, most importantly, he walked away.
Ken