Landing my Eurofox in a cattle field... deliberately

Рет қаралды 2,132

Жыл бұрын

It's that time of year again when my local farmer allows me to land in one of his fields. I've done it before in the gyro, helped by the steep approach path that makes it easier to clear the obstacles on approach. This time I thought I'd have a go in the Eurofox...
#stuwithaview

Пікірлер: 17

@theflyingfool 14 күн бұрын

Good job on the landing!

@Froestenpust Жыл бұрын

Nice! Lot of thermal activity...

@TheOrangeGodOfTheSkies Жыл бұрын

Well done, nice approach, and a good call on the go around.

@chrisgosling5408 Жыл бұрын

Great job getting that one down, those outboard shots are a great addition especially as the cockpit view out isn't in league with the gyro, do you think that would have been much easier in the gyro as they are less succeptable to buffeting. Always good to show the importance during take off always asssume you will land until above 1000 feet. Similar with landing always assume low flyover or at best touch and go with the decision to land made when the wheels touch, groundspeed and space available. Shows also the importance of watching local air current close to buildings or trees on the approach and being prepared for "Excitement". Nice one all round Stu!

@StuWithAView Жыл бұрын

Thanks Chris. Much easier in the gyro; flew it in last week and will be on YT soon.

@chipflaming Жыл бұрын

And the wing loading of the Eurofox is what, about 8.07 pounds per square foot (39.47 kilograms/square meter)? That sort of skittish behavior (American spelling) in gusty conditions is one of the reasons I ditched the idea of building an Van's RV-12 (10.4 lb/sq ft) and went with an RV-14A (16.25 lb/sq ft) instead, for the conditions here in Prescott, AZ (KPRC). That, and the ability to upgrade from 100 HP to 215 HP, because the station pressure here is only about 843 hPa. My compliments to Stu on his judgement and skills.

@StuWithAView Жыл бұрын

You raise an interesting point Chip that I’ve been considering for a while concerning wing loading. It’s illuminating that quite a few folk are commenting on the bumpy ride the Eurofox gave on this flight; this is actually entirely typical for my Eurofox flights. I came to it from a Cessna 182, which at the weights I flew had a wing loading of around 70kg/m2. Your calculation of around 40kg/m2 for the Eurofox is about right; it’s significantly lower than the 182. The upside is great STOL performance - I wouldn’t have taken the 182 into this field. The downside is a bumpy ride in all but the most benign conditions. My gyro gives a much smoother ride in turbulent conditions, at least in part because of the much higher rotor disc loading. And I do prefer that smooth ride as I’m not a fan of bumpy flight.

@CF-yb4wq Жыл бұрын

@@StuWithAView The Cessna 182 is one of my favorite airplanes, as long as someone else is paying for the petrol. As a member of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), I used to be able to get one for $48/hour + fuel for proficiency flying, 20 years ago. CAP training flights and search and rescue flights were paid for by the CAP with USAF funding. The current CAP rate is $115/hour (+ up to an additional $11.50 if the squadron to which the airplane is assigned wishes to charge it) + fuel. A local FBO here in Prescott is charging $229/hour, wet. The fuel price here is $6.77/U.S. gallon. If I've correctly identified the field you used (same as for the gyrocopter flight, I think), it's only about 1100'/335m long. You _might_ be able to get a 182 into and out of that field, if the hedge next to Telegraph Rd. isn't too high, and the grass is short and dry, and you do it solo with your tanks half full. But I don't think I'd try it either. We used to land at Kentmorr Airport (3W3) in Maryland for lunch with a three-man aircrew in the 182, but that runway is a little over 2400' long. It was a little challenging to get airborne again if the grass was tall. The Eurofox will certainly help keep your reflexes sharp.

@StuWithAView Жыл бұрын

In the UK AVGAS is around £2 per litre, or just under $10 per US gallon. So that’s £100 per hour just in fuel. But the bigger cost with the 182 is its certified status. We were regularly seeing 5-figure annuals. In contrast, the Rotax in my gyro and Eurofox burns around 16 litres per hour of premium E5 super unleaded, which works out at around £25 per hour. Against that, it seats only two and flies at 100 knots rather than 130. I think you have the correct field. The diagonal is just under 350m ground run, but there are obstacles on both approaches, particularly westerly with a major road, high street lamps and a phone mast. I think you’d be really pushing it in a 182, with its 50% higher landing speed, plus the very bumpy field surface making a tailwheel far preferable. I like the Eurofox, and its tailwheel, need for rudder and lack of autopilot has made me a better pilot; but I do miss the easy cross-country ability of the 182. I don’t miss the bills though!!

@davidnapemaskwa7251 Жыл бұрын

Probably asked and answered in other videos but how do you get the video coverage that appears to be taken off your right wing well in front of the leading edge showing the entire aircraft from that vantage point. Very impressive! Big fan of your Gyro Videos, fixed wing not so much.

@StuWithAView Жыл бұрын

Insta 360 X3 on a Flight Flix aluminium pole attached to two wing Flight Flix strut mounts. Very clever piece of kit.

@davidnapemaskwa7251 Жыл бұрын

@@StuWithAView Clever indeed. Your use of it goes beyond "Clever". The amount of work you do in making and posting these videos is nothing but "Top Drawer", thank you.

@StuWithAView Жыл бұрын

Thank you David