LANDINGS
| The "ready room" was buzzing with discussions on landings. One of our pilots, who had just returned from a tour of Army bases, mentioned that landings are causing an excessive number of crack-ups. Carelessness seems to be the chief cause. One student in reporting his crack-up stated: | |
| "I made one approach but, due to traffic, retracted my gear and made a second approach which was very short. When the tires did not squeal I knew the gear was up and the props hit the runway. The warning horn did not blow and I did not check the landing gear position indicator." After the crack-up, tests on the position indicator and horn showed them both to be operating properly. |  |
| And then there
was the pilot who forgot to uncover the pitot tube before take-off and as a result brought
his '38 in on the hot side of 200 M.P.H. Needless to say, his plane is now in Class 26.
Crack-ups like these are avoidable. The seasoned pilot knows that landings are not difficult, if recommended procedures are followed, but there is no margin for carelessness. Here at the plant we have established a general landing procedure for the '38. It is not a "cure-all," but gives new fellows some idea of how to get in without too much trouble. |
| Jim White* says...
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* Experimental Test Pilot Commercial Airline Pilot Crop Duster Plying School Instructor and Operator Barnstormer |
| For explanation the following diagram is used (Airport elevation is considered at sea level and wind condition normal) : (editors note: the windsock is drawn in the wrong direction) |
| The
downwind run is made at 1800 feet above the ground with the propellers set for 2600 R.P.M.
and 20 inches. (Altimeter reading to be 1800 feet plus airport elevation.) The gear is
extended at 175 M.P.H. at approximately one mile opposite the head of the runway (position
A). The run is continued in a straight line to (position B), which is approximately one
mile past the field. The extension of your gear will drag you down to about 1200 feet and
150 M.P.H., while 20 inches is maintained. At this point the flaps are extended 50 % and
the base leg is begun. This leg can be tightened or stretched, depending on conditions.
One mile directly in front of the runway (position C) at 500 feet and an indicated air
speed of 140 M.P.H., power is reduced to 18 inches and the flaps extended full down. Flaps
should be extended full down only when you are squared away and the landing is "in
the bag." Then flare out and come in "over the fence" at 100 to 105 M.P.H.
At this speed, under ordinary conditions, you will need only a little more than 2000 feet
of runway. For slowing down, brakes are applied on and off, rather than with a constant
pressure.
For long life both for you and your plane, we have found that the '38 should be brought in not in excess of 110 M.P.H. Contact never has to be made at over 100 M.P.H. |
| For single engine landings the same procedure may be followed. However, to those fellows not experienced in single engine approaches, we recommend that turns be made toward the live engine, even if this requires permission from the tower to approach against traffic. Keep in mind also that the gear and flaps take slightly longer to extend on one engine. |
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| Don't be tricycle
gear conscious. . . the '38 lands in the same attitude as planes with conventional gear,
on the two main wheels. . . the nose wheel will settle of its own accord.
Landings are not difficult. As one of the fellows put it: "Just be flying level somewhere near the ground . . . flying, not falling, and then the less the pilot does the better." |
