Mitsubishi MU2
Join Date: Apr 2003
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Hey Guys,
Interesting thread you have going here. Sounds like a pretty controversial aeroplane that demanded alot from it's pilots. (Honestly, to me, it sounds like it would be a blast to fly in!
)
I was surfing the net earlier and came across this MU-2. I know it's from overseas (The Netherlands), but given the circumstances for which it is used, I thought it would be well worth posting.
Check it out here: Skyline Aviation
NOW that would be a real blast to fly! A little more engaging and exhilarating than your average bank run!
Cheers,
Souls.
Interesting thread you have going here. Sounds like a pretty controversial aeroplane that demanded alot from it's pilots. (Honestly, to me, it sounds like it would be a blast to fly in!
)I was surfing the net earlier and came across this MU-2. I know it's from overseas (The Netherlands), but given the circumstances for which it is used, I thought it would be well worth posting.
Check it out here: Skyline Aviation
NOW that would be a real blast to fly! A little more engaging and exhilarating than your average bank run!
Cheers,
Souls.
For those of you who get the Australian Aviation magazine, there is a very good article on page 41 titled Bizplanes - Mitsubishi MU-2.
A Solitaire demonstrator came to PNG maybe late 70's or early 80's. The boss and I hitched a lift, Goroka to Port Moresby on the aircraft.
By chance, anyone know which MU-2 it may have been?
By chance, anyone know which MU-2 it may have been?
Join Date: Jul 2001
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My understanding of the fatal at Bathurst is that the pilot had broken both ankles and couldn't get himself out, the crew door being on the pilots side. The young pilot was an experienced bank runner on 310's. The most distressing part of this is the company who owned it left the burnt out shell sitting on a trailer in full view of anyone driving up the road to the Wagga terminal. The Chief Pilot at the time didn't seem particularly concerned that one of the pilots under his supervision had died and is now safely ensconced in the LHS of a former Douglas product.
As an aside I think one reason the MU-2 disappeared from the freight business is that the Metro could carry twice the payload for not much extra fuel even with the extra crew. It was always an interesting observation that no MU-2 pranged on the East Coast due to icing. The pilots on the East Coast knew that if you picked up ice you started a descent to maintain the airspeed.
As an aside I think one reason the MU-2 disappeared from the freight business is that the Metro could carry twice the payload for not much extra fuel even with the extra crew. It was always an interesting observation that no MU-2 pranged on the East Coast due to icing. The pilots on the East Coast knew that if you picked up ice you started a descent to maintain the airspeed.
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: wild blue yonder
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Flew them for a few hours in the US, great airplanes.
Rice rockets are correct, they are fast as heck, once they are high they'll easily do over 300 kts, but they are noisy and burn gas.
The spoilers do make them different from other birds, but very airplane can seem to be demanding if you dont know what you're doing. Problem seemed to be that quite a few private owners stepped up into them without a lot of experience or training... the new doctor killers i guess...
Got to be attentive too managing fuel from both tanks, if you forget, you might have to balance the tanks out by dumping from one side or the other.
And relatively cheap too, know of good ones that were sold for about 3/4's of a million US or even less...
Excellent short/rough field characteristics... gear is stong... full span flaps and the reverse let you stop QUICK provided you know what you are doing!!! like you said soulman, its a real blast to fly!!!
Rice rockets are correct, they are fast as heck, once they are high they'll easily do over 300 kts, but they are noisy and burn gas.
The spoilers do make them different from other birds, but very airplane can seem to be demanding if you dont know what you're doing. Problem seemed to be that quite a few private owners stepped up into them without a lot of experience or training... the new doctor killers i guess...
Got to be attentive too managing fuel from both tanks, if you forget, you might have to balance the tanks out by dumping from one side or the other.
And relatively cheap too, know of good ones that were sold for about 3/4's of a million US or even less...
Excellent short/rough field characteristics... gear is stong... full span flaps and the reverse let you stop QUICK provided you know what you are doing!!! like you said soulman, its a real blast to fly!!!
Bottums Up
Oh Bik you shouldn't say that about the Pteradctyl!
Piloted by Capt John Balson and Alan Rosenberg, if I remember correctly, a blade was thrown passing about A100 over Broken Bay. The remaining bades woudn't feather properly and the vibration of the windmilling prop caused the power & pitch levers to "throb" for the return flight to Sydney, and the spinner to prescribe a circle of some 10cm in diameter. The engine I believe was only held in place by the cowlings.
Pax and crew swapped into another Pterodacty in Sydney and then completed the flight to Tamworth.
I don't believe any other blades were shed in Australia, though some were in The States, with at least one puncturing the hull. The problem was tracked to a manufacturing fault. I have a rejected blade from the inspection programm at home.
Coincidentally I had lunch with an old Pterodacty colleague today in Cairns. He who christened me in fact. We both reminisced over the demise of a great company to work for. The aeroplane was good to fly too!
Piloted by Capt John Balson and Alan Rosenberg, if I remember correctly, a blade was thrown passing about A100 over Broken Bay. The remaining bades woudn't feather properly and the vibration of the windmilling prop caused the power & pitch levers to "throb" for the return flight to Sydney, and the spinner to prescribe a circle of some 10cm in diameter. The engine I believe was only held in place by the cowlings.
Pax and crew swapped into another Pterodacty in Sydney and then completed the flight to Tamworth.
I don't believe any other blades were shed in Australia, though some were in The States, with at least one puncturing the hull. The problem was tracked to a manufacturing fault. I have a rejected blade from the inspection programm at home.
Coincidentally I had lunch with an old Pterodacty colleague today in Cairns. He who christened me in fact. We both reminisced over the demise of a great company to work for. The aeroplane was good to fly too!
Doing a banner launch out of TWB many,many moons ago had the fortune of seeing an MU2 up close for landing. It has the most AAAMAZING landing technique that has to be seen to be believed. That push just before contact, is that a standard ops procedure. Pilot flying informed me that it reduced the relative descent rate of the mains prior to contact. ( I use contact rather than flare because there wasn't any )
Regards
Mark
)Regards
Mark
Join Date: Aug 2003
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MU2
MU2 are definitively known to be unforgivable to the unexperienced...but still flown single pilot in the USA...as the Metroliners and Beech 1900s...
Funny to see that English call the FAA licence ,one that is found in cornflakes boxes,when such pilots,like me,have flown them regularly alone and without any George to help as hes an expensive tool....
Funny to see that with a new JAA ATPL(the warm one),I can not get an interview yet...I guess oxford wasnt that useful and the 737 type for conversion wasnt either..
Well id better keep on sending CVs around the world..even thought about Congo...any tips..doing the Netherlands now...
Around 40 CVS/day sent..is that enough?
Do english airlines only take brits?and so forth..is Europe the dream of a jobless airman?
Tailwinds,
Flyer 75
Funny to see that English call the FAA licence ,one that is found in cornflakes boxes,when such pilots,like me,have flown them regularly alone and without any George to help as hes an expensive tool....
Funny to see that with a new JAA ATPL(the warm one),I can not get an interview yet...I guess oxford wasnt that useful and the 737 type for conversion wasnt either..
Well id better keep on sending CVs around the world..even thought about Congo...any tips..doing the Netherlands now...
Around 40 CVS/day sent..is that enough?
Do english airlines only take brits?and so forth..is Europe the dream of a jobless airman?
Tailwinds,
Flyer 75
