Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

[Galloping Guy]

I haven't posted since we lost Jimmy and the Ghost, but thought I would post this, it's fun to look back on. Stevo's landing after Friday's Gold heat, 9/18/2009, then Tiger's reaction to this clip. Enjoy!

GG

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J98SlwQlck[/YT]

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7qpg62X3yo[/YT]

[stuntflyr]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

Yeah,
A little extra energy, a little too quick to get the tail down, and then he stayed right with it and lowered the nose to make another wheelie, he's got it wired. End of story.
Chris...

[bearfan]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

I liked how at the very end Steveo gives a quick tap on the shoulder and chuckles a quick "thanks"...I'm sure that may not have been exactly what he wanted to say!

[supercub]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

Happens when you get the tail down to quick......he made a great recovery, in that he caught it with just enough power to arrest the sink ( can't hear it in the video).....to much power and it would start to yaw and roll. Great recovery.
Brian

[gp70442]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

Everyone has an off day once in a while. I'm betting you'll never see him get caught like that again.

GP

[Desertdawg]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

He's a well grounded young man. Parents did an outstanding job bringing him up.

[MRussell]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

Bad ole Witch...

[split-s]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

He's a well grounded young man ...

No pun intended.

$

[wingman]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

In looking at this video, it looks to me like a practice dead stick landing -- judging from the very steep curving approach. This would in this case mean landing a bit long and a bit fast, and remember that the runway is all downhill from the touchdown point. This would, I think, certainly make it hard to resist the urge to try to get the tail down and the airplane firmly planted.

I thought he recovered the aiplane beautifully under the "six feet in the air at stall speed" circumstances. I also thought Tiger's comment about buying the crew not a just a case of beer but a case of rum was priceless...

Neal

[Ken from PG]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

Agreed Neal....except I won't guess on the dead stick practice. Did you all catch the talk between Tiger and Stevo about getting the flaps back up?

[John]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

The airplane looks extremely light and clean.

[Race5]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

Agreed Neal....except I won't guess on the dead stick practice. Did you all catch the talk between Tiger and Stevo about getting the flaps back up?

That's what caused it to happen. He brought the flaps up a little early.

[Idaho_cowpony]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

I liked how at the very end Steveo gives a quick tap on the shoulder and chuckles a quick "thanks"...I'm sure that may not have been exactly what he wanted to say!

I was the "not so" gentleman who shot this video, and then showed it to Tiger. I spoke with Stevo the next morning in the hotel lobby, to express that I had hoped there was no hard feelings about sharing the clip with Tiger, which there wasn't.

Stevo did do an outstanding, and unhurried correction, being in a difficult situation. And I remember his next landing after that was flawless.

One question though, I have seen some of the mustang guys raise the flaps shortly after touchdown, and others who hold 'em out until she's whoa-ed up. Any comments? Is it a matter of preference?

Joseph

[MRussell]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

That's what caused it to happen. He brought the flaps up a little early.

Given my understanding of flaps, I'm not sure I understand how that would be the cause.

[flyride]

Re: Back to Stevo's landing, 2009 w/reactions

Bringing up flaps would not cause a balloon. A wheel landing gets you on the ground at a lot faster airspeed than the three-point attitude, and well above the stall. You need to decelerate in order to increase the angle of attack (bring the tail down) without coming back off the ground. A gust of wind or excessive back stick to pin the tail during the transition, plus just a little extra speed, can cause a balloon.

Bringing up flaps during the rollout will actually help plant the airplane. Some pilots retract flaps on the runway, others think it's a bad idea because of workload and that you can accidentally get the gear handle instead. Personally I leave them down unless it's really gusty hairball day.

IMHO, a fast touchdown (nothing wrong with that) and then a premature attempt to get the tailwheel down caused this balloon. Nice recovery though.