GEAR UP LANDINGS

[ruddersup?]

You must not be pre-programed to lower the gear when landing. Take an amphib or hydraulic wheel ski aircraft. There must be a thought process for EVERY landing and the checklist must activate this thought process. EVERY landing, EVERY landing god damn it and I say again EVERY landing must have total concentration so not to fall into just a habit of selecting gear down. Flying the same aircraft for thousands of hours can lead you to this complacency and then a comment like "it will never happen to me". It probably won't happen to Doc in that aircraft but have him climb from fixed gear to amphib to floatplane to retractable single and twins on a regular basis like I do then you better have something besides a paper checklist. We've got brains, use them.
One item which is most important that I've been using for over 40 years before every landing is the "undercarriage" in GUMPS. Every aircraft has an undercarriage, floatplanes have water rudders to be up, fixed gear have brakes to check, amphibs and adjustable ski planes have huge gear position concerns that require a serious thought process.
Carve a notch in your brain that will not let you land until you've run through a thought process.
By the way I have not landed with the gear in the wrong position "yet" but came close to landing with skis down (wheels up) on an asphalt runway. Maybe this doesn't count because it was in 1965 and I had not commited to my "checklist" yet. Scared the crap out of me (red face and all, 4 persons on board).
My 2 cents worth.

[flyinthebug]

ruddersup.. Very good and honest post! GUMPS is the one I learned and so far, no gear ups.
I`d still like to see Doc recant and admit that it COULD happen to him (or anyone).
Fly safe all.

[Benwa]

By the way I have not landed with the gear in the wrong position "yet" but came close to landing with skis down (wheels up) on an asphalt runway. Maybe this doesn't count because it was in 1965 and I had not commited to my "checklist" yet. Scared the crap out of me (red face and all, 4 persons on board).
My 2 cents worth.

I think people that forget the gear do it only once for that exact reason. You get complacent, forget about the checklist, or actually run the checklist in your head and you are so sure the gear is down that you don't bother to look.

Scare the crap out of you... and then never do it again.

You then, for the rest of your flying career, visually confirm the position of the gear 5 to 6 times before each landing.

[ruddersup?]

I'l like to say one more thing on gear up/down mistakes. When I check people out on amphibs I try to put them in a situation where they are landing with the gear in the wrong position. It can be a challenge to set it up but when I do it scares the hell out of them without bending the bird and will probably prevent them from making the same mistake again.

[Doc]

ruddersup.. Very good and honest post! GUMPS is the one I learned and so far, no gear ups.
I`d still like to see Doc recant and admit that it COULD happen to him (or anyone).
Fly safe all.

Final checks: Got the flaps, got the gear, runway's clear, time for beer!
Ain't gonna happen!
Can't understand why that irritates so many folks?????
Who the Hell is "GUMPS"??

[Doc]

I'l like to say one more thing on gear up/down mistakes. When I check people out on amphibs I try to put them in a situation where they are landing with the gear in the wrong position. It can be a challenge to set it up but when I do it scares the hell out of them without bending the bird and will probably prevent them from making the same mistake again.

I don't agree with your technique. Here's why. I know an instructor who used to pull the landing gear circuit, just to see if his student could trouble shoot the problem. They usually got it right.....till one day, they really had a problem....he forgot he'd pulled the breaker....and they landed gear up! Always simulate....never screw with something for real.
Cheers. Unless, of course you're in a SIM....then go get 'em!

[ruddersup?]

I agree with you Doc because I never render anything inop unless this alone is the practise exercise for the trainee. I might have an overshoot after all prelanding checks are done and/or change the water landing to land. I give them lots of time to think the situation out and it doesn't always work the first try but I usually win one sooner or later and get the results I'm after. Sometimes a distraction can break their concentration and they lose where their checklist ended and they have to restart the thought process. It's very confusing to them and of course the added pressure of being with the instructor adds to the situation. I find most mistakes happen when there is a little pressure and this is when I encourage the student to take a step back and rethink what's happening BEFORE THEY LAND. I want them to be humble to the situation at hand (no time to be arrogant in the cockpit) and only move forward when they KNOW what is correct because they have thought it through and have a confirmed visual on the gear, up or down.
Hopefully I have prevented a gear up on land or gear down on water situation with my comments.
Interesting enough, some poor students are ex airline types who are programmed to put the gear DOWN when landing at all times. Can't teach an ol dog..... LOL