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Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:51 pm
by rudymantel
Once I had a summer job as lineboy and a local pilot I knew always boasted what short landings he could make. As I was fueling a plane I heard a Whomp! I turned to look and there was his Ercoupe with it's belly on the ground and the main gear struts poking up through the wings. Now THERE was a short landing ! We were all impressed.
Rudy
Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:59 pm
by rudymantel
Another story comes to mind- In Laos, in the 1960's, tools were dropped so the Meo tribesmen could cut an airstrip on a hilltop. When the airstrip was completed the inaugural landing took place. The Helio Courier approached and landed so hard the gear was splayed out and both wings had negative dihedral. Another very short landing. The pilot got out and was celebrated as a hero! The folks had never before seen an airplane land - to them it was wondeful !
Rudy
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 2:41 am
by Kyle Wolfe
Bruce, wish I could say "been there - done that" but all I can say is "been there - saw that!" I was one of the many folks clapping at that landing.
Thanks to Dave for getting the video. Gosh, it makes me want to sit around the fire and see lightning bugs again. But for now I'll just need to burn some expensive gas watching the full moon set over some brilliant fall colors in the North country.
Again, nice job Bruce. It was impressive!
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 4:51 am
by N170CT
Bruce,
Verry good arrival. Only WISH I coulda been there
and seen that. Curiousity....Where do you practice??? Reason, I am near DC and just wondering where your airplane is based.
Regards, Chuck
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 5:33 am
by Indopilot
Before moving to our current location, we used to be on a WW11 training base. Frequently, fellows who had trained there stopped in to see what was left and relive memories. One shared how they were always trying for the shortest landing in their Bamboo bombers. He claimed the winner was the fellow who wiped out the gear in the ditch and disappeared into a cloud of dust. When it cleared, 6 inches of the nose was hanging over the pavement.
Hard to beat that and use the plane again.
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:59 am
by Bruce Fenstermacher
Chuck
I do most of my practicing around Quakertown, PA (UKT) where my plane is based.
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 12:01 pm
by AR Dave
Had a fellow pilot ask me if I had been camped on a sandbar below Petit Jean. I hadn't but the point is, he said there was a 170 on a sandbar and had been using it routinely. We figure he's up to something sneeky. I'm thinking we have a new play strip to go with the fly-in. Bruce, I was going to measure your landing, but the plane battery was dead, then it got 9 am and 100 degs..
Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 4:13 am
by alaskan99669
AR Dave wrote:Bruce, I was going to measure your landing, but the plane battery was dead, then it got 9 am and 100 degs..
So what's your excuse now Dave? If it's similar to Anchorage International, then it's really close to 300' (as measured by
red line below, which is 400' - 100' for the "L"):
