Emergency landing without dual throttles and wheels?

[The LT]

Hello community,

 

I was on a campaign mission another day and got a bit too relaxed and got a SAM up my tailpipe. Lost both hydraulic systems, right wing and right tail stabilizer got torn off, lost right generator, almost all of the avionics except hars, but both engines kept going and I've managed to make it back to Batumi.

 

But as I was on final approach, when dropped my landing gear I lost all remaining hydro pressure and had to switch to manual reversion. That made the AC roll right at a very fast rate and I just cut off the left engine as a last resort, which made my level off a bit...

 

When I dropped my gear, I didn't notice the wheels were actually missing from the gear assemblies. :)

 

Anyways, I missed the runway and bellied through the taxiway, stopping at the far end of the runway near the helipads.

 

Now, questions:

 

1. Is it even possible to land the AC without differential throttles? I use the X52 Pro but I guess the only way to land it is to use the TM Warthog TQS for such an emergency.

 

2. How would I go about a "no-wheels" landing? Is it actually better to have the struts inside the gear gondolas and not deploy them then?

[Rongor]

1. Yes it is, nothing else than a crosswind landing. Only thing to manage is to cut off any thrust at touching down latest and then give the right amount of rudder (and then nosewheel steering below 75 kts) to bring your nose along the centerline.

2. Personally I would prefer the no wheels landing. Take a shallow approach with an absolutely runway centerlined total velocity indicator. After touching down dont touch the rudder anymore to avoid uncontrollable spinning or leaving the straight sliding movement.

[Evil.Bonsai]

1. Yes it is, nothing else than a crosswind landing. Only thing to manage is to cut off any thrust at touching down latest and then give the right amount of rudder (and then nosewheel steering below 75 kts) to bring your nose along the centerline.

2. Personally I would prefer the no wheels landing. Take a shallow approach with an absolutely runway centerlined total velocity indicator. After touching down dont touch the rudder anymore to avoid uncontrollable spinning or leaving the straight sliding movement.

 

I'd say stay away from the actual runway, especially in multi-player. Aim just off the side of the runway. This will leave the runway clear for other aircraft and you can still get repaired. Once repaired, taxi over to parking/taxiways, then follow normal ATC for takeoff

[adese]

From iWarthog app:

 

No wheels landing :

 

1. Push in the AUX LG EXT handle.

2. Jettison all stores and flares.

3. Burn off excess fuel.

4. Pull the EMER BRAKE.

5. Set speed brakes to 40%.

6. Lower flaps to 20-degrees.

7. Fly shallow approach at 2-degrees at normal airspeed.

8. Touchdown at a minimum sink rate on center of runway.

9. After touchdown, open speed brakes to full.

10. Reduce throttle to IDLE.

11. Move control stick to full aft.

12. Once you have come to a stop set the throttles to OFF.

[The LT]

From iWarthog app:

 

No wheels landing :

 

1. Push in the AUX LG EXT handle.

2. Jettison all stores and flares.

3. Burn off excess fuel.

4. Pull the EMER BRAKE.

5. Set speed brakes to 40%.

6. Lower flaps to 20-degrees.

7. Fly shallow approach at 2-degrees at normal airspeed.

8. Touchdown at a minimum sink rate on center of runway.

9. After touchdown, open speed brakes to full.

10. Reduce throttle to IDLE.

11. Move control stick to full aft.

12. Once you have come to a stop set the throttles to OFF.

 

Yeah, I've checked the iWarthog checklist (which is taken from the manual IIRC) after landing and that's exactly what I did, while missing out on some points. I think that speedbrakes would have worsened the situation and destabilized the AC.

 

I believe it's not really fully applicable when landing a severely damaged aircraft without a wing and half of the tail. Roll response was greatly reduced...

 

BTW, a quick question: Are speedbrakes hydraulically actuated or electrical?

 

I also don't find it tremendously realistic when all three wheels got away somehow. :) I can imagine the main wheels, but the nosewheel? It's hidden in the front fuselage bay! Just to make it clear, I understand the tires could get blown by the shrapnel, but they were gone like in all gone, no rims even!

[The LT]

1. Yes it is, nothing else than a crosswind landing. Only thing to manage is to cut off any thrust at touching down latest and then give the right amount of rudder (and then nosewheel steering below 75 kts) to bring your nose along the centerline.

2. Personally I would prefer the no wheels landing. Take a shallow approach with an absolutely runway centerlined total velocity indicator. After touching down dont touch the rudder anymore to avoid uncontrollable spinning or leaving the straight sliding movement.

 

When I touched down, the front strut really did jolt the aircraft before collapsing, for a moment I thought I was a goner. I'll definately keep that in mind next time, as I couldn't really raise the gear (or what's left of it) as I had no hydraulics.

 

I probably should have dropped the gear using an emergency lever and let someone visually confirm it, but it was a single player mission.

[Rongor]

I'd say stay away from the actual runway, especially in multi-player. Aim just off the side of the runway. This will leave the runway clear for other aircraft and you can still get repaired. Once repaired, taxi over to parking/taxiways, then follow normal ATC for takeoff

Although I see your point with MP, the goal must remain to come to a stop on concrete. If I land on the green, the ground crew might be able to repair. But in most cases you have no chance to roll off grass ground back onto the taxiway/runway as your wheels stuck in the soft soil (unfortunately it is intentionally designed that way), even not with full throttle applied. This would lead your session to end and force you to reload the mission or respawn in MP. So I would strongly recommend not to come to a complete halt anywhere but on the runway or taxiway.

Of course in RL you would also try a sliding landing always on the concrete to avoid the elastic force returns of soft underground that could shake your drifting pile of metal into unstoppable destruction.

Edited January 11, 2013 by Rongor

[Madone]

IRL the Mirage 2000 can achieve a belly landing on the runaway :lol:

 

 

Maybe you've already seen this in english, it's a mistake from the pilot which is, now cleaning the WC of the squadron all day long...:thumbup::Flush:

[The LT]

Thanks for the video, I haven't seen it, actually!

 

"Aaaahh, meeerde!" cracked me up, as he has already skidded a couple hundred feet down the runway... *heavy breathing* :)

 

Anyways, the A-10 doesn't retract the main wheels fully so it can actually land on the belly with less damage to the airframe, I guess...

[The LT]

shake your drifting pile of metal into unstoppable destruction.

 

That was an awesome line. :)

[Humvee28]

But in most cases you have no chance to roll off grass ground back onto the taxiway/runway as your wheels stuck in the soft soil (unfortunately it is intentionally designed that way), even not with full throttle applied.

 

This happened to me every time until yesterday, where i had played a Mission where you´re have to fly from Krasdonar to Krymsk with only 13% Fuel and no Weapons onboard. My Night Landing Approach resulted in an Overshoot and i stopped the Plane behind the Runway in the Gras. After the Repairing, to my Surprise, i was able to roll back on the Field. So it seems to be a Weight-related Story i guess.

[Madone]

This happened to me every time until yesterday, where i had played a Mission where you´re have to fly from Krasdonar to Krymsk with only 13% Fuel and no Weapons onboard. My Night Landing Approach resulted in an Overshoot and i stopped the Plane behind the Runway in the Gras. After the Repairing, to my Surprise, i was able to roll back on the Field. So it seems to be a Weight-related Story i guess.

 

 

Yeah same, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, whatever the loadout. In MP I would try to stop at the far end of the runaway since nobody needs a full runaway to brake. I already tried to land in the grass and once I slightly touched down, KABOOM! lol