Originally Posted by
Ex FSO GRIFFO
Question for those 'in the know'.......
In such a case, for both the aircraft and the outcome, is it better to land on the grass, less friction, = less damage(?), or the hard bitumen?
We always tell pilots, if you have to, use the longest and hardest runway you can get.
It will sound horrible (search youtube). But for small/medium aircraft, expect very little hull damage - new beacons, new props & engines, lick of paint and it's good to go! And anyway, it's an insurance job, so safety is much more important than extent of repairs.
For landings on grass, there is a good chance of something digging into a lump/bump/soft-patch and then there will be rapid deceleration and spinning/flipping - not such a good outcome.