Last night I did a couple of dumb things with my RV-8. One of which was mostly not my fault and one of which was definitely my fault. The result was a really good (cheap) lesson that could have been a whole lot worse.
I live in an area with about 20 airports and have landed at them all over the last few years, with the exception of one: Langley Air Force Base. So last night on a calm, clear evening about 45 minutes before sunset I took off with a friend from my home airport. I called Langley's tower and asked for permission to do a couple of touch n gos at Langley and was quickly approved (apparently, business was really slow just a couple days before Christmas).
The controller asked me to call the 5 mile final. It was perhaps the easiest final approach you could ask for (no wind, 10 miles of viz, 150' wide 10,000' long runway and no one else in the pattern). What could go wrong?
I made a terrific squeaker of a wheel landing...
Two hundred feet later I saw the cable stretched across the runway at a height of 3" or so. I didn't have enough speed left to fly over it. Other than a hard bump as I went over it, not much happened. I stopped and talked to the controller and she pointed out that it was the BAC-12 emergency arresting gear located 1100' from the approach end of the runway.
So how dumb is that? (Not that the cable was there since it is needed for jet emergencies) How dumb is it that I didn't know it was there? Lesson one: if you are going to a new airport, check the AFD or ask the tower about obstructions etc. BTW, it is OK for bigger planes to land before the BAC-12 and just run over the cable but us little guys have much less tolerance for 1" steel cables strung across the runway.
Now for the really dumb part. I never got out of the plane to check it over. I did a couple taxi turns and then asked for permission for two more touch n gos. I flew two more very nice patterns with great landings (beyond the wire) and headed home.
When I landed at my home field 20 miles away, I found I had no right brake. The landing was uneventful and I gingerly taxiied back to my hanger. When I got out I found the right wheel pant was gone and my brake line busted.
Amazingly enough, the wheel pant was back at Langley and relatively undamaged. The total cost of this little adventure will likely be about $50. It could have been A LOT worse of course. Lesson 2: Always take the extra time to look at your plane if you do something like this (hard landing etc.).
I am embarrassed by my poor decision making. I am thrilled that I got this lesson drilled into my head without hurting anyone or seriously damaging my tin.
Merry Christmas.
bruce
I live in an area with about 20 airports and have landed at them all over the last few years, with the exception of one: Langley Air Force Base. So last night on a calm, clear evening about 45 minutes before sunset I took off with a friend from my home airport. I called Langley's tower and asked for permission to do a couple of touch n gos at Langley and was quickly approved (apparently, business was really slow just a couple days before Christmas).
The controller asked me to call the 5 mile final. It was perhaps the easiest final approach you could ask for (no wind, 10 miles of viz, 150' wide 10,000' long runway and no one else in the pattern). What could go wrong?
I made a terrific squeaker of a wheel landing...
Two hundred feet later I saw the cable stretched across the runway at a height of 3" or so. I didn't have enough speed left to fly over it. Other than a hard bump as I went over it, not much happened. I stopped and talked to the controller and she pointed out that it was the BAC-12 emergency arresting gear located 1100' from the approach end of the runway.
So how dumb is that? (Not that the cable was there since it is needed for jet emergencies) How dumb is it that I didn't know it was there? Lesson one: if you are going to a new airport, check the AFD or ask the tower about obstructions etc. BTW, it is OK for bigger planes to land before the BAC-12 and just run over the cable but us little guys have much less tolerance for 1" steel cables strung across the runway.
Now for the really dumb part. I never got out of the plane to check it over. I did a couple taxi turns and then asked for permission for two more touch n gos. I flew two more very nice patterns with great landings (beyond the wire) and headed home.
When I landed at my home field 20 miles away, I found I had no right brake. The landing was uneventful and I gingerly taxiied back to my hanger. When I got out I found the right wheel pant was gone and my brake line busted.
Amazingly enough, the wheel pant was back at Langley and relatively undamaged. The total cost of this little adventure will likely be about $50. It could have been A LOT worse of course. Lesson 2: Always take the extra time to look at your plane if you do something like this (hard landing etc.).
I am embarrassed by my poor decision making. I am thrilled that I got this lesson drilled into my head without hurting anyone or seriously damaging my tin.
Merry Christmas.
bruce