Part of the problem is that we have too many bells horns and whistles and pilots tend to ignore them.
A voice command " Gear, Gear, Gear " would get far more attention than stupid bells horns and whistles.
The answer has to be in running proper approach and landing checklists as it will always be when you are distracted that the gear is missed.
I can remember being inches from a prop strike.
It was in a twin in very bad weather with no instrument approach.I had another pilot in the right seat. visibility was very bad and on the approach bits of scud cloud kept appearing below the aircraft.
I selected gear down and flaps and had full concentration on looking for the runway.
It appeared and I kept my eyes glued outside to make sure I did not loose it again.
then we went IMC into scud cloud.
" Its no use I am going around" I said to the right seat pilot.
Just as I said that the runway reappeared, i tipped the nose over, reduced power and settled on the profile to land still peering outside.
Something felt slightly odd in the way the aircraft was handling and coming down to the flair point I started looking around to why it felt odd just in time to see NO greens.
I went full power and pitched the nose up waiting for prop contact with the runway as I was then in the flair
The aircraft climbed away and I breathed a sigh of relief.
What had happened was my friend on the word I am going around had reached over and retracted the gear for me but forgot about it.
So beware it very easy to do when you are distracted! A voice command Gear Gear Gear would solve the problem.
Pace
Last edited by Pace; 13th Oct 2013 at 09:43.