Wheels up at YPJT
 

September 05, 2007 11:30am
A TRAINEE pilot has walked away uninjured after successfully completing a "belly-landing'' at Jandakot Airport today when the plane's landing gear failed.

Chris Choo, 22, issued a distress signal to air traffic control about 9.30am when the landing gear of his single-propeller plane would not come down.

The small Mooney plane with just the trainee pilot on board had been circling Jandakot Airport for about two hours to burn off fuel after it was discovered one of the landing wheels would not fully release into position.

Royal Aero Club of WA chief executive officer Alan Hoffman spoke to Mr Choo by radio after he made the distress call.

Mr Hoffman told Mr Choo he would send a chief engineer and a flying instructor in another small plane to fly alongside the aircraft for a closer inspection of the faulty landing gear.

"These planes have a wheel on the front and two on the side and one of the ones on the side only came half way down,’’ he said.

"The engineer and instructor determined it wasn’t possible to get that gear down.

"You can land in that situation but obviously it’s quite dangerous.’’

The airport activated its emergency response plan and suspended all other activity during the emergency.

Mr Hoffman instructed Mr Choo to pull all the landing gear up and land on the plane’s belly which he deemed as the safest way.

After two trial runs the pilot cut the engine just before landing and skidded for 15 seconds before he brought the plane to a halt about 11.15am.

Mr Hoffman said in this situation landing on a tarmac runway was safer than landing on grass.

"The risks associated with friction causing flames or anything like that is extremely low.’’

Mr Choo was checked by medical staff and went through a counselling session to make sure he was not in shock.

"He was absolutely delighted he said the 15 seconds was a lifetime to him on the runway but he was calm.’’

"He had the skills to do it no doubt, he just needed to have the confidence.’’

The number of incidents involving Mooney aircraft were very low according to Mr Hoffman.

"These are trialled and trained aircraft which we use because they have very few incidences.’’

He said Mr Choo would be back in the sky tomorrow.

De Ja Vu? .. didn't that happen last year... and the year before..

oh please...What's the world coming to?

Don't know about you, but I would not shut off the engine prior to a wheels-up landing.

You've got one problem -- why make it two? You could well need to go around during an attempt at a wheels-up landing.

He did 2 missed approaches prior to touching down. It was an excellent landing from what I could see.

What a fecking genius this journo is :ok::ok::ok:

That's just the "landing wheels" perhaps there are a set of take off wheels as well that they could have used.

The 2+ hours that JT had a runway closed and restricted ops certainly seemed like a lifetime to some trying to go about their daily business...

The number of incidents involving Mooney aircraft were very low according to Mr Hoffman.

"These are trialled and trained aircraft which we use because they have very few incidences.’’

In which case why don't they train the aircraft to do a wheels up instead of expecting the pilot to do it?!

Any insurance folks like to give the definition of "very few incidences"?

Anyhow well done the pilot and the emergency services, ATC etc.

ummm - which side?

The left Wiz, always the left.:ok:

This poor chap wouldn't have experienced this unfortunate event if he had been flying one of those planes with 2 'landing' wheels at the front and one on the side.:E

But he was a TRAINEE Pilot, therefore why didn't the aircraft have training wheels:confused::confused:

Arrrhhh .. it's all good experience. Not many pilots can say they've done one of these as a part of their training :}

Theres a video of the landing on Ninemsn. Nfi how to link it however..

Ole mate did a great job, well done !!.

TQyou on the good Port tonight mate?

The video clip is here. A landing well done.....

"Down, 2 Green???"
 

Gosh, landings are scary enough when your a student huh... Good on him. Takes guts!! :{

Since that chap has done a superb job landing without wheels and he was on all Aus National News. Do you guys reckon he can hook up a job easily ?
Or will he stands out among his competitors when applying to the same job ? :)

Well, I don't think he had much of a choice, mate. We all have to land at some point in time. ;)

:) Bit off more than he could choo !! or did he sneeze and forgot to lower the gear?....Ahh Choo!!