Unusual Creaks From Your Aircraft - Help!
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Join Date: Nov 2002
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Unusual Creaks From Your Aircraft - Help!
Not strictly military, but we all like a good yarn, especially if it's true. As mentioned in the Hullavington thread, Neil Williams landed a Zlin aerobatic aircratft the right way up after the spar failed on him in flight (I mean, like folded upwards).
It's in his book 'Airborne' - is anyone able to recite what happened?
PS: Anyone else had 'unusual creaks'?
It's in his book 'Airborne' - is anyone able to recite what happened?
PS: Anyone else had 'unusual creaks'?
He realized he was about to lose a wing due to a broken spar....rolled it inverted...made an approach to the runway...and rolled it upright just as he touched down...the wing failed but he was on the ground as it happened....or so as I remember.
Join Date: Jun 2001
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The most amazing thing about the incident was that he had considered it beforehand and was prepared. If the left wing started to collapse the natural instinct would be to roll right, but this would increase the lift on the wing making it beak off. Instead, he rolled towards the collapsing wing, which held it in place until he was inverted and the load then resisted the breaking spar. Rolled the same way to become upright as the wheels touched down. Total respect - the man was a genius.
Didn't he die some years later, ferrying a HE-111 from Spain I believe?
Didn't he die some years later, ferrying a HE-111 from Spain I believe?
