How many times do you check gear down?

[Yetti]

I had the video camera going in the cockpit for last evenings flight. I noticed that I pointed at the gear switch 3 times prior to landing.  I started the camera on the downwind.

 

I was flying commercial this week and found myself on final wondering if the gear was down.

 

[Oscar Avalle]

I check it twice, once when I do my GUMPS before the FAF, and the on final.

[Hector]

3 times, at least

[markejackson02]

Having landed one without the gear, about 17 times.

 

Honestly, check list before turning base, configuration check on base, and GUMPS on final.  On an ILS, landing checklist before FAF and GUMPS on short final.

[thomas1142]

No less than 4 times. Downwind, Base, Final, and short final (threshold). I like the "point" part, and try to do that myself. 

[N201MKTurbo]

I haven't checked today, I'll go out to the airport later and see if they are still down.

[ArtVandelay]

No less than 4 times. Downwind, Base, Final, and short final (threshold). I like the "point" part, and try to do that myself.

But what if it's a straight in approach?

[StinkBug]

Several times. With manual gear it's easy to know it's down, but I still touch the handle a couple times in the pattern and again just before the threshold. 

[jbs007]

Besides checklist and short final, it just becomes part of my scan so honestly I probably look at the gear down light about 20+ times without realizing it.  Just because you get a "down and locked" indication doesn't mean its going to stay that way. 

 

I've had to wave off and cycle gear before.  Once because a failure in just the indicator but another time the nose wheel actually did become un-"down and locked" on final.  Neither were in the Mooney.

 

I have Johnson bar and I yank down on the handle collar 2-3 times when I first put gear down, when I enter the down wind, and on final.  If you're mentally "ahead of the aircraft", have good SA, or whatever you want to call it, its not like you have much else to do in the cockpit.

[PTK]

I check it twice. Every time I get to the hangar before I pull the plane out and when I return from a flight before I push it back in. The tow bar works better with the gear down!

[Seth]

I check multiple times:  

 

In the pattern:

 

-GUMPS downwind (as I put the gear down and make sure it is down by the indicator on the floor - In my old Mooney, make sure the Johnson bar is engaged by tugging)

-GUMPS on BASE - (ensure the gear is down buy doing as second GUMPS Check - again in my old Mooney double check the Johnson bar is in place)

-Green light over the fence - double check that light is lit the way it is supposed to be on short final to ensure the gear is down.

 

Straight in approach - GUMPS twice and green light over the fence.  GUMPS when slowing to gear speed.  GUMPS 1-2 miles out.  Green light over the fence.

 

Instrument - Gear comes down before I start my intercept with the glide slop - check GUMPS AGAIN while on the approach - when I break out of the clouds - green light over the fence.

 

I probably check more than that.  When I do "forget" one of the checks, which has occurred, I'm glad I check multiple times.

 

If anything feels wrong, I go around. Hasn't happened often, but I can count more than 5 times where something wasn't feeling right, and I went around for no known reason.  Gear was down all 5 times too.  

 

-Seth

[Bartman]

5 times every landing

G Check the GEAR

U Undercarriage check

M MAKE sure the gear is down

P PUT your hand on the gear switch

S Make SURE the gear is down

[jbs007]

Bartman wins!

[rbridges]

I honestly don't have a set number, but it's a lot.  Always abeam numbers on downwind and short final, but a crapload of times elsewhere.  

[Amelia]

Last CFII I rode with firmly chided me for the downwind, base, final gear check. He was of the opinion that I should put the gear down on downwind (or FAF) as usual, keep my hand and eyes on the switch until the indicator turns green, and let that be the end of it. He thought checking again was redundant and distracting. I found keeping my hand on the switch for the gear to go down to be distracting, the kachunk said 'gear down' for me, and the green light confirmed it.I really need the GUMPS check on short final, otherwise it's like leaving home without brushing my teeth. Feels very wrong. So, I continue to do it my way.

[Ned Gravel]

I check multiple times:

In the pattern:

-GUMPS downwind (as I put the gear down and make sure it is down by the indicator on the floor - In my old Mooney, make sure the Johnson bar is engaged by tugging)

-GUMPS on BASE - (ensure the gear is down buy doing as second GUMPS Check - again in my old Mooney double check the Johnson bar is in place)

-Green light over the fence - double check that light is lit the way it is supposed to be on short final to ensure the gear is down.

Straight in approach - GUMPS twice and green light over the fence. GUMPS when slowing to gear speed. GUMPS 1-2 miles out. Green light over the fence.

Instrument - Gear comes down before I start my intercept with the glide slop - check GUMPS AGAIN while on the approach - when I break out of the clouds - green light over the fence.

I probably check more than that. When I do "forget" one of the checks, which has occurred, I'm glad I check multiple times.

If anything feels wrong, I go around. Hasn't happened often, but I can count more than 5 times where something wasn't feeling right, and I went around for no known reason. Gear was down all 5 times too.

-Seth

I am like Seth. My wife talked me into a three-time check for GUMPS. I do each one at the same stages of prep for landing as well.

Ned Gravel

Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Alan Fox]

About thirty times each flight after my prop go around incident , Now at least three times , two of them on final...

[Cruiser]

There are lots of methods for assuring the gear is down. But it seems to be the only one that truly needs checking is the last one over the fence.

 

A common theme in gear up landings is being distracted from your "normal" procedure. So it really doesn't matter what your "normal" procedure is if you are distracted and forget.

 

That is why the only gear check needs to be the last thing you do before you land. It is a little hard to be distracted and forget at that point.

[co2bruce]

With gear up your trim will be different, your speed in the pattern will be different, not to mention the gear warning lights. You should be able to feel something is amiss. You should be more in tune with your machine. That being said I check twice, GUMP before entering pattern and on short final.

[Hank]

I put the gear down abeam the numbers, and wait for the thunk; I don't keep my hand on the switch all three seconds. I generally recheck on base and final, often touching the switch to confirm Down. On short final, I check the floor indicator, which can't lie as it's painted on the mechanism--if it's green, the wheels MUST be down.

[ArtVandelay]

Ok, how many of you have checked your gear up warning?

[M20F]

I have manual gear and jerk the handle down a lot to make sure it is locked. Actual count varies and the worse the weather the more I jerk it (it's relaxing lol). I always give a final tug on short final though. I don't worry so much about forgetting it as I do it popping out.

[M20F]

Ok, how many of you have checked your gear up warning?

It is useless in a manual gear as you can hit the switch to turn green but still not have the handle locked. So I pay it very little attention.

[Hank]

Ok, how many of you have checked your gear up warning?

After having mine not go up the last little bit a couple of WV winters ago, I replaced the pucks and now enjoy faster speed and buzzer-free flight. I do always wait for that Thump! as the wheels come up.

[midlifeflyer]

I check it twice,  "check" to me meaning verification that it is already down. If the "check" means more than that, then I guess the answer is 4.

 

First is before my SOP gear-down point when I'm thinking about putting it down when I get there (although it's usually my shaking hand waiting to go to the handle when I'm close).

 

Second is at my SOP gear-down point when, well, I put it down.

 

The last two are paranoia points. The third depends on the pattern I am flying. The 4th is on final.

 

There are probably a few more but they are not conscious (sort of like my hand shaking when I get near the gear-down point).