Was this a safe 'go around from the ground'?

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Hobart Escin

Was this a safe 'go around from the ground'?

Post by Hobart Escin »

This obviously worked out well for the T-6 pilot (or perhaps the instructor in the back seat) in this video. Is this an acceptable procedure in the T-6 though to thwart an impending ground loop on landing rollout?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnN0vbqmFtw[/youtube]

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Oracle427
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Re: Was this a safe 'go around from the ground'?

Post by Oracle427 »

Looks perfectly fine and well executed to me.

The rudder has still effective and the aircraft was tracking straight, just not straight along the centerline. Rather than try to get it back on track and risk a ground loop going around re-energizes the rudder, allows you to get better directional control to aim down the runway and try again.

Factors into that decision are runway remaining, obstacles, amount of directional control.

If there was too little runway or tall obstacles in the way it might be better to take the ground loop instead of crashing into something at high speed.

If the aircraft was slow enough that the rudder was ineffective, but too fast that the tailwheel was also ineffective, you need to make a decision fast. The pilot may not have enough control to arrest the torque when the throttle is added. Differential braking may help correct here if done early. You might just end up going off the runway at high speed!

I had one 3 point landing on asphalt in a Super Cub where the rudder was no longer effective due to low speed. A little gust hit me and the tailwheel started to shudder violently causing the clutch gave way turning it into a free castoring tailwheel. I suddenly found myself pointing at a snowbank on the right with no way to go around. A quick tap of the left brake whipped the aircraft very quickly back to the left in an overcorrection and another tap of the right brake fixed it.

I had to "pull over" to let my heart rate come down after that.
Flight Simmer since 1983. PP ASEL IR Tailwheel
N28021 1979 Super Viking 17-30A

Hobart Escin

Re: Was this a safe 'go around from the ground'?

Post by Hobart Escin »

Oracle427 wrote:If the aircraft was slow enough that the rudder was ineffective, but too fast that the tailwheel was also ineffective, you need to make a decision fast. The pilot may not have enough control to arrest the torque when the throttle is added. Differential braking may help correct here if done early. You might just end up going off the runway at high speed!
Yes, exactly what I was thinking. Boy, one could sure get into a situation in a hurry if this was judged wrong.

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DHenriques_
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Re: Was this a safe 'go around from the ground'?

Post by DHenriques_ »

Hobart Escin wrote:
Oracle427 wrote:If the aircraft was slow enough that the rudder was ineffective, but too fast that the tailwheel was also ineffective, you need to make a decision fast. The pilot may not have enough control to arrest the torque when the throttle is added. Differential braking may help correct here if done early. You might just end up going off the runway at high speed!
Yes, exactly what I was thinking. Boy, one could sure get into a situation in a hurry if this was judged wrong.
Typical and nothing unusual really. Touchdown was fine on the mains. Looked like he caught a bit of wind and instead of countering with aileron he applied rudder. The aircraft reacted to the yaw induced correction just as the tail was coming down which is the exact worst time for this to happen. He corrected that with power and initiated the go-around.
Not a bad save actually.
In the T6, the most dangerous time during landing is when the tail transitions from trailing naturally behind the main gear and settles down to the hard surface. That is where you are the most vulnerable to the nose wandering off the center line. This is compounded if there is any crosswind.
The biggest mistake a pilot makes in the T6 is neglecting winward aileron during the roll out if crosswind is present.
Pilots get so enamored with using the rudder properly they forget the plane has ailerons. Most ground loops in the T6 are the result of improper aileron use when landing as opposed to the popular belief that rudder misuse is the culprit.
Ham footed rudder use will of course get you into trouble in the 6 but even in a slight crosswind improper aileron use will nail you every time !
Dudley Henriques

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Lewis - A2A
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Re: Was this a safe 'go around from the ground'?

Post by Lewis - A2A »

I'm not the person to comment on the procedure as its well above my level but thanks for posting, it looked great anyway 8)

cheers,
Lewis
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