RyanShort1 wrote:
Steve Nelson wrote:
is it preferable to put a Mustang (or any aircraft) down on pavement if the gear is up?
It is standard procedure and recommendation to land on the flat hard surface. Much safer in general.
Interesting question, and as usual, Ryan speaks sense.
It's worth mentioning the belly landing of CAC Mustang VH-BOB at Point Cook a few years ago was brought in on a grass runway.
Point Cook is an all over grass airfield, additionally with both hard runways and marked grass runways, so unlike many other places, the pilot had a real choice of a known grass runway as well as a tarmac runway. He elected to use the grass, and like this recent incident we're discussing, the pilot of VH-BOB had a copybook landing, though with more damage to the aircraft.
Video here showing a good deal of detail of the incident, how it was handled from the CFA (Country Fire Authority) point of view, and I share it as it may well inform other decision processes for operators in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze2nEipDLR0The tarmac the pilot passes just before touchdown is the perimeter track.
As people might wonder as to the state of the Mustang, I'll add a footnote. Bob Eastgate (the owner) points out that then, in 2008, they'd been operating the Mustang for 38 years, and while the damage was not major, Bob decided to have the aircraft completely rebuilt (never having been stripped down before) and it is approaching completion as I write.
If I recall correctly, the problem was a magnesium alloy uplock unit which failed, meaning one gear leg was unable to lower. There was an AD for those with CAC alloy uplocks.
I'll double check the details and amend if there's any errors with this info.
Regards,
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I was speaking more in generalities, is it preferable to put a Mustang (or any aircraft) down on pavement if the gear is up?
