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Old 30th May 2007, 11:54
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Fuji Abound
 
Join Date: May 2001
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Ah, a Robin.

Coincidentally, I was just talking to my mechanic on the 'phone, literally half and hour ago.

I have never flown a Robin and we were discussing the characteristics of different aircraft. He was telling me that Robins are thought of as having benign handling - however he was convinced that was far from true. He reckoned they will and do drop a wing unpredictably and significantly. I dont know which type(s) he was specifically referring to.

Getting the "best" out of an aircraft close to the ground is in my opinion very type specific, some generalisation can (and have been made), but if you want a real good feel for what you can do with the aircraft close to the ground if you are unlucky enough to get yourself into a very tight spot (and I think that is what you are suggesting when the normal FL has gone badly wrong and you have run out of alternatives - or only had one to start with) listen to what those who have experience on tyoe have to say.

BP has a good point, but spinning in, in consequence of an unexpected wing drop at low level from which you have little hope of recovery, may jsut be worse than missing the field altogether but at least landing in a "controlled" manner.

I always recall the brain surgeon who ran out of fuel in his twin. He kept control of the aircraft and landed literally in some ones very very small back garden (having gone through the roof). He had very minor injuries. Lucky - well yes, but his luck was in part due to maintaining control.
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