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In the event of a forced landing, wood or water?

java said:
...(had to add that for our Texas friends who don't understand cold).
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90% of the time, you're exactly right. But Galveston Bay and the others nearby get chilly in the dead of winter. Mid 40's to 50 if it stays cold a while. Ditching out in the middle with no fishermen to pick you up might mean swimming a while. And like I used to tell people about possible mishaps in my old Cub, swimming in 45-50 deg water for 1-2 hours could just barely kill you. I've thought about this (water landing in the winter) and enjoy the discussion.
 
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WhiskeyMike said:
With some minimal learning/practice, an easy-to-use device such as the Spare-Air 170 can provide enough breathing air to permit a panic-free egress from an inverted aircraft after a ditching scenario as long as the canopy/doors can be opened. Fairly inexpensive and reusable too…

http://www.spareair.com/product/models.html?tab=2#TabbedPanels1

Having and quickly donning some goggles so that you can see what you’re doing will enhance an effective underwater egress even more. Again, very reasonably priced…

http://dipndive.com/aqua-sphere-kayenne-small-fit-with-low-profile-lens-scuba-mask-goggles.html
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I'm terrified of drowning...

Keep in mind, if you plan to use stuff like this -- go get a couple of scuba lessons and actually use these in the water. It does not feel natural breathing from a tank if you've never done it....and thus you still might panic. (I almost did in the first few minutes of my first dive....and then you're okay.)

Same goes for wearing a chute IMO (ie. go at least skydiving once)...mainly to be willing to actually bail out if you need to. You've done it before, so its not an impossible option in the moment.
 
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DCat22 said:
Keep in mind, if you plan to use stuff like this -- go get a couple of scuba lessons and actually use these in the water. It does not feel natural breathing from a tank if you've never done it....and thus you still might panic. (I almost did in the first few minutes of my first dive....and then you're okay.)
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Completely agree…hence the “learn/practice” comment. The point is that the learning curve is not steep; in fact it’s almost entirely psychological. As you said, after just a few minutes practice underwater you get the hang of it.

donaziza said:
But the eye only swim goggles is another story.
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You are correct in that goggles will work best if you already have them on when you enter the water. Depending on the ditching scenario, this may not always be possible. Personally, I would wear them around my neck during over-water flights so that I could utilize them quickly. Other options can be used to enhance visibility (you mentioned masks), so every pilot should give some thought to the best approach for themselves and their passengers.
 
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in my dreams.........

if i had my choice it would be 82 degree water 2 foot deep off a nice beach with room service. pan cake it in upright, pop the canopy, get out and call afflack. :)
3mc6.jpg
 
Lock wheelbrakes?

I heard a guy in the local aeroclub said that he once was told to lock the brakes before a water-landing.

The idea is ofcourse to have the tires skid along on the watersurface during the first few seconds after touchdown.

Anyone else have heard about this?

I wonder if it might work? If so, sounds like one point to water versus trees....?
 
8A into the trees

A friend suffered a complete engine failure over forest in Australia and put it into the trees. He walked away with a small cut to the head and we were able to tow the aircraft out along forest tracks. At least one fuel tank was left in the canopy and large trunks/limbs broke off along the crash track.
Here is a link to some photos.
http://img84.imageshack.us/g/beforemoving1.jpg/.
 
ao.frog said:
I heard a guy in the local aeroclub said that he once was told to lock the brakes before a water-landing.

The idea is of course to have the tires skid along on the water surface during the first few seconds after touchdown.

Anyone else have heard about this?

I wonder if it might work? If so, sounds like one point to water versus trees....?
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I've heard it doesn't matter much. The "Big Rocks and Long Props" videos sometimes show the tires rotating a bit as they hydroplane their way to land.

Dave
 
Trees for me....

Thanks for the link to the -8A forced landing in trees.
I'm surprised that the plane didn't suffer more damage than it did, considering the size of the trees it went down into.

Must be a great job of the pilot too!

Those pics, in addition to this statement in a previous post made the decition for me: you'll continue breething in the trees after the crasch, but you'll drown in water....
If I have a choice in a crash-landing, I'll choose the trees....

Thanks for a great tread guys!
 
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canopy

Hack said:
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I have a -4 tipper and I have wondered about how I am going to get the canopy out of the way. I think I am going to try and get it off early at 83kts (my engine out speed). Maybe even yaw for a second to try and get it to catch the wind and blow off. I'd be curious about that idea from anyone reading.
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The canopy can protect your head just a bit in case of a flip. Not to mention the distraction of trying to both get it off and fly with it off just before one of your most important landings ever. Based on what I know now, I'll try to keep the canopy on, and hack my way out if I flip. Land seems better to me than water in just about any case I can think of, but I do fly around some big lakes surrounded by urban areas so I have thought about this a lot.
 
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