B-25 Wild Landing

[Jack Cook]

I got this by email the other day.
What's the story here???

[n5151ts]

...3 feet less and that would have been a fireball!

[DoraNineFan]

This was in another discussion here not very long ago, but I have no memory what the topic was. From what I recall, this B-25 was on final behind a B-17 and they were caught in wake turbulence. The pilot executed a lucky recovery.

[Mark Nankivil]

This was at the St. Louis County Fair & Air Show in 2001 with the CAF St. Charles Wing B-25 "Show Me". I was standing about 150 yards further left of this location and remember taking a quick look around to figure out where to go if he caught the wingtip. The B-17 landed about 1 minute ahead of him with a slight right crosswind so I don't buy the wake turbulence excuse - he came in a bit slow and there was a bit of a wind shift and he dropped a wing. There was about 3 feet between terra firma and the wingtip at the bottom of the recovery.

Merry Christmas! Mark

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... uri#126675

[CAPFlyer]

The B-17 landed about 1 minute ahead of him with a slight right crosswind so I don't buy the wake turbulence excuse - he came in a bit slow and there was a bit of a wind shift and he dropped a wing.

Mark, it was probably a bit of both. The B-17, while not producing prodigious amounts of wake turbulence off the wings, does create a TON of propwash. This can linger for 2-3 minutes unless in a good crosswind near enough the approach path to cause problems.

The airplane that surprised me more than any on wake is the F-16. I knew there would be some following about 90 seconds behind a pair that landed at Fargo (I was in a Warrior), but I was bucking pretty good and ended up flying most of the length of the runway around 20 feet up to stay out of the worst until I got past it all. Luckily I was doing a touch-and-go, so tower didn't mind.

[EDowning]

Last edited by EDowning on Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:02 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Obergrafeter]

We use the video in CAF safety courses to teach the effects of wake turbulance and landing planning.

[valdez25]

Deleted

Last edited by valdez25 on Mon Dec 24, 2007 3:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[CH2Tdriver]

[quote="Mark Nankivil"] The B-17 landed about 1 minute ahead of him with a slight right crosswind so I don't buy the wake turbulence excuse - quote}

A SLIGHT right crosswind is the perfect recipe for this kind of encounter. No wind and it stays off each side of the runway, too much wind and it dissipates quickly so no issue. Vortices can easily hang around for 2-3 minutes.

When I call ready for departure behind any sort of jet whether GIV, RJ or 737 the tower gives you the standard "Hold short 3 minute delay for wake turbulence" (I'm in light GA BTW), I can wave this if I know I can be airborne by the location the jet was in the air. But since their climb out is so much better than mine I usually just hang out til cleared.

Pete


Pete

[Michel C-GNCJ]

Hmmm, propwash...

Took-off once behind and almost at the same time as a Stearman. My little 140 did a dance just like that B-25 ! Thought me real quick...

This is us, later during the same flight, heading to Carp Airshow:


Much quieter flying by then...