Ground loop at Cardiff on Sunday?

[nouseforaname]

Hi, heard breifly over the radio that a tail dragger ground looped on the runway at Cardiff. Hope all involved walked away.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Ye gods, I'm glad nobody posted all about it on the internet each time I ground looped a taildragger!

G

Never landed at Cardiff.

[nouseforaname]

well i was more preoccupied about everyone being ok. Obviously you think other things such as reputations are more important.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Perhaps your perception of a ground loop is slightly different to mine, I've had several - as have most taildragger pilots, and have yet to see an aeroplane damaged by one.

All it is is a loss of directional control on the ground, usually the tailwheel / skid unlocks, and you spin around on the mains to point in a somewhat unwanted direction. Disconcerting, and very embarrassing - but so long as you keep the wings level and the tailwheel was able to unlock (which most taildraggers will do quite happily - they're designed to) there should be no damage to the aircraft - you swear loudly, taxi back onto the required heading, and get ribbed about it in the bar afterwards.

G

[2Donkeys]

It is reported here (http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=12444) in rather more detail.

...and without the customary punch-up that seems to be the norm amongst some here.

2D

[Genghis the Engineer]

A little more than just a groundloop then.

G

[4Jimbo]

The Jodel was accelerating along 30, with a slight crosswind. They ran out of rudder control before they could lift the tail, and went off, onto the grass. One side of the undercarriage collapsed, followed shortly by the other side. Also, as it collapsed, the tip of one of the prop blades came off.

All 3 occupants walked away, with nothing more than dented pride.

The RW was closed for 20-30 mins, whilst a bmiBaby 737 sat at the end of the RW waiting to take off.

The fire crews then dragged the aircraft clear, and left it near the CAA club house.

A friendly chap then gave the 3 survivors from the 'near miss horror' a lift back up North.

[Zlin526]

AIRCRAFT IN 'GO-AROUND' INCIDENT

Today, at Lower Bogworthy Airfield, an 'airplane' was forced to go-around after somebody pulled onto the runway in front of him. The pilot, a 30 year old divorced man from Scunthorpe, was seen wrestling with the controls, and narrowly avoided a local school packed with 100 children.

The plane, a vintage 'stunt plane' was over 30 years old, and was seen prior to the incident performing 'loop the loops' and 'stalling the engine'.

Screams of terror were heard from eye-witnesses and a local man, Mr Keving Snodgrass, said "I saw the plane come down low, then rear up and go up again. I've never seen anything like it. I ran for my life and hid behind a car waiting for the impact, but the hero pilot dramatically steered the plane away from me. I'm having stress and trauma counselling next week"

The hero pilot shrugged off praise, saying that it happens all the time.

Local police are investigating the incident, and it is the subject of new Government legislation preventing more than two aircraft from operating within 5 miles of each other.

Note: Press representatives may cut and paste this for any aviation related 'incident'

:ok:

[Final 3 Greens]

Zlin

On another thread, I might find your post hilarious.

On this one, it seems crass.

Running out of rudder authority, departing the runway and damaging the aircraft is a reportable accident, not a press talk up.

I'm just thankful that the occupants were ok.

[Rod1]

How “slight” was the crosswind. If the aircraft has the standard Jodel arrangement, you get differential breaking as you approach full rudder, so it was the breaks as well as the rudder authority, which were exceeded.

Rod1

[scottish_ppl]

you get differential breaking as you approach full rudder
Am I the only one who thinks this form of brake control is more likely to result in ground looping?

You're trundling along, it's getting a little bit hairy and you're giving it bootfuls of rudder, all of a sudden completely unintentiionally you've used full brake as well... You're suddenly pointing considerabley sideways. :{

Much prefer to be trying to jab a seperate brake pedal, myself.

[LowNSlow]

As Genghis implied, "there but for the Grace of God go I". I think that the tendency to lose undercarriage legs when subjected to lateral forces is an unfortunate trait of the Jodel range. Normally results in everybody walking away but leaving behind an aeroplane with no legs and a buggered main spar.

[Jodelman]

LNS

The legs on the Jodel are designed to bend with lateral forces to PREVENT damage to the main spar.

[4Jimbo]

Rod1,

The crosswind was about 10 - 12 knots at 30° to the runway. The pilot involved said he didn't want to use the brakes - he didn't think it'd be a good idea. A previous incident, involving the brakes, had caused the aircraft to flip over.

[robin]

Does anyone know which Jodel went off at Cardiff?

[--o-o-0-o-o--]

Yes, but a bit reluctant at this stage.....both are very good pilots and fly regularly. Glad all 3 p.o.b are ok.

[Zlin526]

Final 3 greens,

Glad to see that the humour is, as usual, wasted here...Why can't you serious chaps lighten up a bit? It sounded like a bit of a non-event to me....

For those who need it explained, I was actually illustrating with irony how a minor incident can be blown out of all proportion by those who maybe don't know the full facts:E

Maybe I'll stick to writing serious thrillers.:ugh:

[LowNSlow]

Jodelman I sit corrected :ok:

I assume there is some kind of standard procedure to check the spar (box spar?) after an incident / accident like this?

[Rod1]

SPPL

I have never had a problem with the Jodel system provided it is set up right. I find it works very progressively and is much simpler to use than other systems. I have flown one aircraft, which “snatched”, and this was most unpleasant as it prevented full rudder movement. This is however not how it is supposed to be and the aircraft was grounded soon after to get it fixed.

Anyone know the precise type of Jodel involved, or alternatively the reg?

BR,
Rod

[Paul_Sengupta]

If you really want to know, contact Rob or Tony, it is/was their plane.

http://ukga.com/forum/viewthread.cfm?forumThreadId=2312

See from #111 onwards. Photograph on ukga.com as well.