> I have it on good authority from multiple posters on this list that
> ditchingshould be performed with the wheel up.
>

I understand that the British gliding team did some tests in Germany before
going to the worlds in Sweden on water landing using an old glider of some
sort. My memory of this is:

They did four tests. Two wheels up, two wheels down.

The summary was that the wheels up configuration generated a strong nose
down pitching moment which could cause the glider to submarine or flip.

The wheel down configuration did not show this nose over tendency possibly
due to the wheel breaking the surface of the water and preventing the
attached water flow over the fuselage causing the pitching moment to the
same extent.

Something like that anyway.

So they all landed wheels down.  Better ask someone who has done both before
trying.

DmcD
_______________________________________________
Aus-soaring mailing list
[email protected]
To check or change subscription details, visit:
http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring

Reply via email to