Eangine-out Landings

Ralph,

I just read your page and it is Excellent!!

Thank you.

This is good reading for the student, rusty pilot(myself), and active pilots.
 
It seems to me that the fatality rate in this sport is way up. I havent been in gyros that long and I know that there is risk in every sport. I just hope my number isnt up next...
Your comments about engine outs is true its not if, but when. I had one last month in my other plane and set it down in a nice field next to a busy hwy--I had a passenger too, so that made things a little different. Im sure he will remember that flight for the rest of his days.

Bill B
RAF 2000
North Carolina
 
According to the NTSB, fatal gyroplane accidents are way down compared to 1968 and1969. This is not the case with all types of aircraft.

For me it is always harder when the people involved are friends.

Thank you, Vance
 
Ralph, your piece on the 'Bee site covers the topic nicely.

Some of my students whine about how it's hard to practice idle-power landings. Too bad, we're doin' them anyway!
 
Doug,
I know what you are talking about--whine about hard stuff. Gary use to piss me off to no end until I realized if he isnt pissing me off, he isnt pushing me. I hope the pressure and info that he pushed my way will save my life one day. I would go back to him for instruction anyday. So piss them off and push them to do the hard stuff. You may save them one day.
 
Ralph,
Just yesterday my soub took a dump on finial,I was at 250agl and had closed the throttle for the standard "engine out" that I tend to do allways. Other than a longer glide all was the same.
This was the first time in twenty years that the soob shut down with me,that is with no appearant reason. It started right up after touch down.If it was to get my attention ,it worked!
Just to get my attention
 
Ralph, this is an excellent article for both the old & new. As for not wanting to 'interfere' with other instructors; Each & every one of them should know this stuff - VERBATUM!!! I commend you on your time & effort putting this together for the readers & I commend each one on this thread who has taken the time to digest it. Well Done!! Mark
 
Ralph,

I land at idle every time I fly, with just a few exceptions. But I learned two things today from your article that will help me become an even better pilot, especially in case of my next engine out. I've already experienced the not if, but when, of an engine out.

That engine out was a non-event for me, due to my instructor's diligence in my training. Other than a long walk to a farmhouse, and getting help to pull my machine out of the field, nothing was damaged.

Thanks again for writing an article from which we all can learn something, and improve our chances of returning safely from our next flight.
 
As always from you... that's outstanding work Ralph!

Thanks for taking the time and effort.

John L.
 
A well thought out and well articulated article Ralph.

Aussie Paul.:)
 
Ralph,
Another excellent offering for the gyro community.
I guess I've been lucky (the good kind), both of my instructors promoted the simulated "engine out" type of landing from the beginning. Haven't had to use it for the "real thing", yet. My current practice in the pattern, is to simulate the engine out at various places and heights, then targeting a specific spot. I want to get that skill developed before venturing from the airport area... just in case. ;)
Thanks again for the excellent article.
 
May be todd should place that artical on this forum as a sticky to be there all the time never to be removed. That may just save someones life. Todd and Ralph how about it. Thanks to you both.
 
Des,

Anyone is free to use or link to anything on the Rotorbyte/Gyrobee site as long as they credit the stuff. If the landing piece was to be posted more permanently here on the forum, I would prefer to dress it up a bit so that it was not quite so Gyrobee-specific. Other than that, it would not be a problem from my end.

Ralph
 
Ralph, would you send your piece to the PRA for the mag? Many gyronauts still don't pay attention to the 'Net.

It's extremely unlikely that Alan didn't know how to land engine-out. He learned from Ron Menzie, I believe, who is among the very the best in the business. Ron will not sign someone off if the person can't do the tasks.

Misjudged altitude from the rather featureless flat land around the crash site is one possibility; pilot incapacitation is another; control malfunction or a partial jam-up of the rotor are still others. Even a turn back to the runway, while not a good idea, should not result in a high-speed, steep impact of this sort. This gyro either didn't or couldn't flare. Most of us would break the stick off hauling back on it upon seeing the ground come up that fast. (FW planes that crash in stall-spin accidents often have bent-back sticks.)

If there were a deadly flaw in the 'Bee design, it would have shown up long before now. There are dozens of 'Bees out there, a number of them with hundreds of hours by now. A machine with less than 50 hours on it is extremely unlikely to fail when none of the higher-time machines have.
 
Thanks Ralph for the article I will read it over and over and once I start flying will practice,practice till its second nature.
 
Doug,

It has been a number of years since I wrote anything for the magazine, but you are right about its applicability. I will work on it over the long weekend and get a manuscript off via email.

I am quite certain that Alan had the skills he needed. That's why I started the page by saying we don't really know what led up to the incident. With respect to the incapacitation issue, one of the reasons I favor a shoulder harness rig is that I cannot slump forward in the seat and shove the stick to its forward limits. Somehow I think about such things at age 65 when they never would have come up in my younger days!

I want to thank everybody else for their positive comments. I think it was Chuck Yeager who said "Always leave yourself a way out". It's a bit of a paradox that the message is most useful for the guys with the most reliable aircraft. Ultralight jocks and saiplane drivers think about such things all the time!

Ralph
 
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