What does 'wheels up landing' mean to you?
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Crash one
Modern gliders do not have locks on the air brake lever (except the one that locks them closed). On approach, the glider pilot uses the stick to control speed and the airbrake, much like the power lever in a power plane, to control the rate of descent so as to land at the desired location. Ideally the final turn should be planned so that 1/2 - 2/3 airbrake is used throughout the final approach. There is then scope to adjust for overshoot or under shoot by opening or closing the brakes. Setting full brake and leaving it there would not be a normal approach. There may be exceptions, but in gliders I have flown, the brakes will not stay where they are in an intermediate position if the lever is released, they may open or close. Even if the glider is trimmed for the desired approach speed, opening the brakes may well result in a trim change. Operating the undercarriage lever is also likely to cause a trim change even if only due to the pilot leaning forward a little when putting the undercarriage down. Letting go of the stick to operate the gear lever and brake lever simultaneously is not an option. Of course the gear should definitely be down before the final turn - we teach that it should be done as a pre-circuit joining check (along with dumping water ballast and checking for loose items). If the gear is not down and the pilot is switched on, it may be possible to safely lower it on final. Doing it a few feet above the ground as a reaction to a panicky radio call is likely to result in a heavy landing or worse.
Modern gliders do not have locks on the air brake lever (except the one that locks them closed). On approach, the glider pilot uses the stick to control speed and the airbrake, much like the power lever in a power plane, to control the rate of descent so as to land at the desired location. Ideally the final turn should be planned so that 1/2 - 2/3 airbrake is used throughout the final approach. There is then scope to adjust for overshoot or under shoot by opening or closing the brakes. Setting full brake and leaving it there would not be a normal approach. There may be exceptions, but in gliders I have flown, the brakes will not stay where they are in an intermediate position if the lever is released, they may open or close. Even if the glider is trimmed for the desired approach speed, opening the brakes may well result in a trim change. Operating the undercarriage lever is also likely to cause a trim change even if only due to the pilot leaning forward a little when putting the undercarriage down. Letting go of the stick to operate the gear lever and brake lever simultaneously is not an option. Of course the gear should definitely be down before the final turn - we teach that it should be done as a pre-circuit joining check (along with dumping water ballast and checking for loose items). If the gear is not down and the pilot is switched on, it may be possible to safely lower it on final. Doing it a few feet above the ground as a reaction to a panicky radio call is likely to result in a heavy landing or worse.
To all
This topic has got mixed up by those who fly power & those who fly gliders. Obviously you cannot "go around" in a glider unless you have a death wish & disregard for the beautiful sleek machines that I blessed to be able to fly. Moving the airbrakes in & out on a glider also moves the centre of pressure & hence the trim to a small or large extent depending on design, thereby de-stabilising the approach & changing the approach angle of a good single seater from 1 in 12 back to 1 in 45+ in an instant if your distracted.
If your a power pilot & would like a demo of a stable wheels up approach changing late on to attempt to getting the mythical wheel down & locked please contact me for a flight, I think you may surprise yourself (& those on the field if they're not aware of what's going on)
Lastly on some gliders (specifically those modified for "disabled" pilots) intermediate stops can be fitted in the airbrake system, easily done & STC approved, likewise some glider designs such as LS4's & 8's the airbrakes are difficult, if not impossible to open with the wheel up due to the proximity of the two levers.
Blue skies
R2
This topic has got mixed up by those who fly power & those who fly gliders. Obviously you cannot "go around" in a glider unless you have a death wish & disregard for the beautiful sleek machines that I blessed to be able to fly. Moving the airbrakes in & out on a glider also moves the centre of pressure & hence the trim to a small or large extent depending on design, thereby de-stabilising the approach & changing the approach angle of a good single seater from 1 in 12 back to 1 in 45+ in an instant if your distracted.
If your a power pilot & would like a demo of a stable wheels up approach changing late on to attempt to getting the mythical wheel down & locked please contact me for a flight, I think you may surprise yourself (& those on the field if they're not aware of what's going on)
Lastly on some gliders (specifically those modified for "disabled" pilots) intermediate stops can be fitted in the airbrake system, easily done & STC approved, likewise some glider designs such as LS4's & 8's the airbrakes are difficult, if not impossible to open with the wheel up due to the proximity of the two levers.
Blue skies
R2
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thereby de-stabilising the approach & changing the approach angle of a good single seater from 1 in 12 back to 1 in 45+ in an instant if your distracted.
So gliders may well have an airborne point after which the wheel cannot be safely lowered. This obviously requires pilot management. It seems the best to me that the pilot manage this by assuring the wheel is down much earlier in the approach to land, accepting that there after, lowering the wheel is impractical.
The pilot also has to manage distractions to assure that they can safely maintain control. Thus, it sounds like turning the radio right down on final would be a good idea, so as to prevent such distractions. I will often do this while flying a helicopter in close to ground operations, or test flying something fairly intense up high. I tell people aboard not to talk, and tell anyone listening on the radio, I'm off the air for a few seconds.
I say the forgoing, again, for primacy. Teach it right the first time. If you know that circumstances are going to change in the next phase of flight, prepare as you know that you'll need to, so you're not behind the plane. This is a pilot discipline. Pilot discipline should be taken with the same seriousness in a glider as a GA, as a jet as a helicopter. Use your skill to anticipate, and get it right. I would not accept the notion that "it's only a glider, so stern discipline is not needed", it sounds like it is. Believing that some glider pilots go one to fly power, and perhaps onward to fly bigger power, these basic pilot disciplines should be trained in from the beginning.
So we assure configuration each time as required, and we take action to prevent distraction - while flying any aircraft.
Just to clarify - we (in the BGA) teach WULF (pre-landing checks) while in the early part of the circuit (or even earlier) long before the student goes solo in any glider (or should do) - the U is for Undercarriage (down & locked) - the fact that in the heat of a field landing or a less than perfect circuit, the pilot forgets to lower the wheel is academic, no one has ever been hurt landing a glider wheel up, too many have while trying to when its too late. Powered aircraft are a different matter & should not be confused or parallels drawn.
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pilot forgets to lower the wheel is academic, no one has ever been hurt landing a glider wheel up, too many have while trying to when its too late
It must be possible to make a smooth transition from one flight condition to another (including turns and slips) without danger of exceeding the limit load factor, under any probable operating condition
But, as I said, my glider flying is very limited, so I speak from the requirements for safe power plane certification, and operation.
Presuming that diligent glider pilots succeed with WULF, or their equivalent, and the wheel is always where it should be, no problem. But I still would not accept a lazy excuse for forgetting it when it is supposed to be operated. "Has happened, or will happen [to a pilot]" is a lazy excuse.....
In France we have glider pre landing checks also....
With a silly memnonic too. Plus a short pause before entering the circuit, when height permits, in which we can configure the glider for landing, and check the configuration. This is in the area just outside the power circuit, where we can get down gently to circuit height. Why? To allow time for ballast to drain, among other things such as lowering the wheel where appropriate, checking straps, fitting in with other glider traffic, etc. If time does not permit because height available is only just adequate, then we use the check list as a do list when downwind. (In which case the water probably got dumped long ago, when struggling to stay up in weak lift). The downwind call includes the gear status. Some people still manage to land gear up, and as others have said, the damage is trivial or nil.
Airbrakes.....On most gliders will suck out if not locked. Most, not all. Most gliders have a trim change with brakes, and current teaching here (France) is to train glider pilots thus:
There is an ideal approach plan at around half brake effectiveness.
Show that to the student. Lower than that, close the brakes without locking them for a few seconds. Much lower, close them for a few more seconds. Leave the trim alone while doing this, unless it is a trigger on the stick. Most pilots have two hands. None of them have three. Adjust attitude to maintain the chosen approach speed. Then go back to half brake. Adjust attitude to maintain the chosen approach speed. Is the glideslope now good? If so maintain half brake. If not then open or close brakes fully as required.
Above the plan, open brakes fully for a few seconds..Etc..
Round out, hold off.....keep the wings level, height constant (by pitching gently up) the speed will decay.Wait.....Preferably keep eyes open at this point, but you are going to land anyway.
It is considered good form to land with at least half brake, even better form to land with the maximum brake possible short of actuating the wheel brake. This refinement is taught once the student is making consistent approaches at or very close to the ideal glide slope, and shortens the float. So, round out and hold off while increasing the amount of brake, keep the wings level and height constant as the speed decays.
There are techniques to salvage the approach if ridiculously high, but not much one can do if really low. Fortunately a modern glider will go quite a long way without brake, but that doesn't help if there are obstacles to clear, or heavy sink on approach. So, don't throw the height away too soon, or do a very long flat approach. One could consider this a good practice in a single with glide angle of about 10:1 rather than dragging in with flaps and power.
Oh yes, flapped gliders. Not usual on trainers, but the principle is the same. Set the flaps as required then leave them alone. It's just like landing a lower performance glider. Retracting flaps on final approach tends to result in undesirable sink, so don't lower the flaps until you are sure of the field.
With a silly memnonic too. Plus a short pause before entering the circuit, when height permits, in which we can configure the glider for landing, and check the configuration. This is in the area just outside the power circuit, where we can get down gently to circuit height. Why? To allow time for ballast to drain, among other things such as lowering the wheel where appropriate, checking straps, fitting in with other glider traffic, etc. If time does not permit because height available is only just adequate, then we use the check list as a do list when downwind. (In which case the water probably got dumped long ago, when struggling to stay up in weak lift). The downwind call includes the gear status. Some people still manage to land gear up, and as others have said, the damage is trivial or nil.
Airbrakes.....On most gliders will suck out if not locked. Most, not all. Most gliders have a trim change with brakes, and current teaching here (France) is to train glider pilots thus:
There is an ideal approach plan at around half brake effectiveness.
Show that to the student. Lower than that, close the brakes without locking them for a few seconds. Much lower, close them for a few more seconds. Leave the trim alone while doing this, unless it is a trigger on the stick. Most pilots have two hands. None of them have three. Adjust attitude to maintain the chosen approach speed. Then go back to half brake. Adjust attitude to maintain the chosen approach speed. Is the glideslope now good? If so maintain half brake. If not then open or close brakes fully as required.
Above the plan, open brakes fully for a few seconds..Etc..
Round out, hold off.....keep the wings level, height constant (by pitching gently up) the speed will decay.Wait.....Preferably keep eyes open at this point, but you are going to land anyway.
It is considered good form to land with at least half brake, even better form to land with the maximum brake possible short of actuating the wheel brake. This refinement is taught once the student is making consistent approaches at or very close to the ideal glide slope, and shortens the float. So, round out and hold off while increasing the amount of brake, keep the wings level and height constant as the speed decays.
There are techniques to salvage the approach if ridiculously high, but not much one can do if really low. Fortunately a modern glider will go quite a long way without brake, but that doesn't help if there are obstacles to clear, or heavy sink on approach. So, don't throw the height away too soon, or do a very long flat approach. One could consider this a good practice in a single with glide angle of about 10:1 rather than dragging in with flaps and power.
Oh yes, flapped gliders. Not usual on trainers, but the principle is the same. Set the flaps as required then leave them alone. It's just like landing a lower performance glider. Retracting flaps on final approach tends to result in undesirable sink, so don't lower the flaps until you are sure of the field.
"Has happened, or will happen [to a pilot]" is a lazy excuse"
Not wishing to extend this any further but not so, just a saying (we have lots of those in the UK).
Any WUL's are investigated by the club or BGA in the UK & appropriate action taken. The aircraft's insurance company will also take a view if they are contacted. Thankfully most gliders land on grass (or mud at this time of year
) so little or no damage is done except to the pilot's pride 
No flaps on trainers (agreed not usually) think Janus, Blanik, ASH25 (if your rich!) + a few others
Blue skies
R2
Not wishing to extend this any further but not so, just a saying (we have lots of those in the UK).
Any WUL's are investigated by the club or BGA in the UK & appropriate action taken. The aircraft's insurance company will also take a view if they are contacted. Thankfully most gliders land on grass (or mud at this time of year
) so little or no damage is done except to the pilot's pride No flaps on trainers (agreed not usually) think Janus, Blanik, ASH25 (if your rich!) + a few others
Blue skies
R2
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Whoaa! Thread drift! Mega thread drift!
) on this page does refer to retractable landing gear/wheel in the context of it's being lowered or not.I think I did see some other stuff in amongst too though....
Honestly, my hope is that the many people who have read here, but not posted, take away a renewed sense of pilot responsibility in respect of being ahead of an RG aircraft. If that has happened, the circular banter of us old folk has had the desired benefit!
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Here's another short story. Its a good idea, before you fly any aircraft, power or powerless, to sit in it before you fly. Does it fit your body? locate the instruments, the switches, the flight director, the levers, the controls. Adjust the seat for best lookout. Make sure your parachute is comfortable, you may be up for seven or eight hours on a long cross country. Got juice or water, a banana for in flight refreshment. Pee bags accessible. Etc etc etc. And of course you have planned the flight, checked the route, NOTAMS, weather, phone numbers to call if you land out, remembered to bring the phone.....
And remembered to switch on the datalogger, the batteries are fully charged....only a few details to look after before joining the launch queue.
Dear old chap, only a few years younger than me, a vastly experienced instructor, asked if he could have a flight in my pegasus glider. Sure, I said.
And left him to get on with it, the usual first steps of becoming acquainted with the craft. Alas, the U/C lever was in an unfamiliar place...and when I turned again to look, the glider was squatting inelegantly down on the grass, wheel up! Undercarriage doors splayed, but not damaged. One of those delightful moments you don't let a friend forget!
And remembered to switch on the datalogger, the batteries are fully charged....only a few details to look after before joining the launch queue.
Dear old chap, only a few years younger than me, a vastly experienced instructor, asked if he could have a flight in my pegasus glider. Sure, I said.
And left him to get on with it, the usual first steps of becoming acquainted with the craft. Alas, the U/C lever was in an unfamiliar place...and when I turned again to look, the glider was squatting inelegantly down on the grass, wheel up! Undercarriage doors splayed, but not damaged. One of those delightful moments you don't let a friend forget!
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And don't forget, Mary, that with a tail dragger the view out the front when the aeroplane is parked is generally the view you are looking for at the point of a fully held-off touchdown just as all 3 wheels squeak down. 
Of course, it'll look different if you do a 'wheeler', and if it's a trike and you get the 'as parked' view at touchdown.... go learn to land!
Of course, it'll look different if you do a 'wheeler', and if it's a trike and you get the 'as parked' view at touchdown.... go learn to land!
