P-51 Mustang Engine Failure Video and Analysis
Discussion
An excellent onboard video of the P-51 engine failure at Duxford and subsequent analysis that should appeal to all pilots (and non-pilots). Mark clearly did an excellent job of an extremely tricky situation and is very candid about what went well and what didn't. Having had an engine failure in a single engine aircraft before, I can attest it's not a pleasant experience!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBpqvPujZgM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBpqvPujZgM
Saw this last week.....excellent video.
He certainly is not going to forget his first airshow flying a P-51 in a hurry.
Says a lot of his experience as an ATPL and his flying time with the Yak team, and also says a lot for the P-51 type conversion training he undertook with Lee Lauderback's Stallion 51 team in Florida.
He certainly is not going to forget his first airshow flying a P-51 in a hurry.
Says a lot of his experience as an ATPL and his flying time with the Yak team, and also says a lot for the P-51 type conversion training he undertook with Lee Lauderback's Stallion 51 team in Florida.
aeropilot said:
Says a lot of his experience as an ATPL and his flying time with the Yak team, and also says a lot for the P-51 type conversion training he undertook with Lee Lauderback's Stallion 51 team in Florida.
What does it say? I’ve not been able to listen with sound yet so haven’t heard the analysis, but with all that flat open land, why was he still making such steep turns so close to the ground?RikJonAtk said:
What does it say? I’ve not been able to listen with sound yet so haven’t heard the analysis, but with all that flat open land, why was he still making such steep turns so close to the ground?
Tryying to regain the runway as his engine wasn't quite dead. Then they told him to put his gear down and that finished him off.Fascinating video. As a glider pilot (with no power experience) i see the benefit of the glider circuit in a situation like this
From https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/s...
With the diagonal leg you keep the airfield much closer and so if conditions suddenly conspire against you you’re always close to the landing point. May not be as applicable to an aircraft without massive ‘speed brakes’ though.
From https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/s...
With the diagonal leg you keep the airfield much closer and so if conditions suddenly conspire against you you’re always close to the landing point. May not be as applicable to an aircraft without massive ‘speed brakes’ though.
Edited by essayer on Sunday 20th May 22:22
His engine quit - then unquit - then quit again - then unquit - and then quit for good. All the time he was anticipating that he would have to make a forced landing. But then the engine would pick up and he could extend his flight a bit. He was just about turning finals when it quit for good - at which point he genuinely had no option but to force land in the field. He had been reminded by the tower to put his gear down - as it looked like he would make the runway. When the engine finally gave up he had just about enough time to get the gear back up again so he could belly land in the field.
essayer said:
Fascinating video. As a glider pilot (with no power experience) i see the benefit of the glider circuit in a situation like this
From https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/s...
With the diagonal leg you keep the airfield much closer and so if conditions suddenly conspire against you you’re always close to the landing point. May not be as applicable to an aircraft without massive ‘speed brakes’ though.
The diagonal leg makes it easier to keep the threshold in sight too. If I recall correctly it was developed as an easy to teach approximation of the constant aspect approach.From https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/s...
With the diagonal leg you keep the airfield much closer and so if conditions suddenly conspire against you you’re always close to the landing point. May not be as applicable to an aircraft without massive ‘speed brakes’ though.
Edited by essayer on Sunday 20th May 22:22
Fascinating video.
It's been a long time since I last did PFLs and I was watching the real time footage thinking this isn't right, he doesn't seemed to have picked his spot, there's no way he's going to make the airfield....
Then obviously you hear him talking about the uncertainty caused by the stop/start/can I/can't I and it completely makes sense. Quite how he managed to decide/turn/see the field, judge the height and speed then manage to lift the gear and put the flaps down in 10 seconds and with 150ft! Very impressive piece of real flying demonstrating that there is a lot more to it than the theory/watching it on video.
Thanks for posting it.
It's been a long time since I last did PFLs and I was watching the real time footage thinking this isn't right, he doesn't seemed to have picked his spot, there's no way he's going to make the airfield....
Then obviously you hear him talking about the uncertainty caused by the stop/start/can I/can't I and it completely makes sense. Quite how he managed to decide/turn/see the field, judge the height and speed then manage to lift the gear and put the flaps down in 10 seconds and with 150ft! Very impressive piece of real flying demonstrating that there is a lot more to it than the theory/watching it on video.
Thanks for posting it.
essayer said:
Fascinating video. As a glider pilot (with no power experience) i see the benefit of the glider circuit in a situation like this
From https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/s...
With the diagonal leg you keep the airfield much closer and so if conditions suddenly conspire against you you’re always close to the landing point. May not be as applicable to an aircraft without massive ‘speed brakes’ though.
As you say not really applicable in this case, as he wasn't in a normal circuit pattern when the engine started causing problems, as it was the end of the 'balbo' at shows end so they were in the 'extended circuit' for run and break from the large formation spilt. There are other issues that he had to consider, including the overflying of Duxford village centre which would be the normal route for a curved 'fighter approach' from the downwind circuit, and then there's the M11, which he clearly stated on the interview (no doubt with Shoreham in very recent thoughts) about not making your emergency situation into someone elses emergency too.From https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/s...
With the diagonal leg you keep the airfield much closer and so if conditions suddenly conspire against you you’re always close to the landing point. May not be as applicable to an aircraft without massive ‘speed brakes’ though.
Deptford Draylons said:
Is that P-51 being rebuilt ?
Yes.It was dismantled in the months after Legends, put into a crate and shipped out to Steve Hintons workshop at Chino for repair/rebuild.
There was a rumour that it's nearly finished and might even be back in the UK in time for this years Legends, but not seen any confirmation of that as yet.
A good analysis from him and always good to learn from someone who has had to do something, rather than just practise it in a perfectly functional aeroplane.
The engine quit, restart, quit thing is an interesting scenario and a partial power-loss is as much if not more of a likelihood than a total loss of power. I've had numerous losses of engine power for various reasons, but I've never had the donk go completely silent in a single.
Most teaching always assumes a total loss of power and much like losing an engine in a twin, it may at times be better to simply shut the thing down and assume that you've completely lost power, as it means you have a constant to deal with and the decision making process becomes simpler.
All aircraft glide and if you are in a clear area with options, then just treating the thing like a crap glider might sometimes be the best thing.
It's always good to have a debate about it and think about what you might do in a similar circumstance, not to criticise the person in the example, but to learn from their experience.
The engine quit, restart, quit thing is an interesting scenario and a partial power-loss is as much if not more of a likelihood than a total loss of power. I've had numerous losses of engine power for various reasons, but I've never had the donk go completely silent in a single.
Most teaching always assumes a total loss of power and much like losing an engine in a twin, it may at times be better to simply shut the thing down and assume that you've completely lost power, as it means you have a constant to deal with and the decision making process becomes simpler.
All aircraft glide and if you are in a clear area with options, then just treating the thing like a crap glider might sometimes be the best thing.
It's always good to have a debate about it and think about what you might do in a similar circumstance, not to criticise the person in the example, but to learn from their experience.
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