How many times do you check gear down?

[laytonl]

Downwind, base, final, and I always touch the Gear switch when the runway numbers disappear under the nose. Also, leave my hand on the gear switch any time the gear is in transit to remind me to make sure the gear completed its action. Lee

[par]

I haven't flown IFR in the mooney yet so the only landings I have done are straight-in's and from the downwind but my modified landing checklist starts with the gear at the abeam. I then go though GUMPS and I give one final check on short final by looking at the handle. So, I guess that makes it 3 times for me.

[midlifeflyer]

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.

That's also the reason I teach SOPs. Doing the same thing at the same point tends to create a habit that, while it may not be impossible to break, makes it less likely, even with distractions, as I found out when I had an emergency.

[ryoder]

I agree that it's best to always check gear down over the fence. This will catch all issues. Other checks are more procedural, such as at the FAF or on downwind. I even restate gear down and locked, speed at 70 mph while flaring.

[Alan Fox]

Every time I hear somebody say you cant get it slow enough , it would fly so different , I would see this or that , the horn , the light etc etc ....I have to laugh , Do you think everybody who gears up is stupid , complacent , an idiot ?????   It happens to very experienced pilots EVERYDAY.......EVERYDAY !!!!!!   If that's the way you truly feel about this subject , you will never learn from the mistakes of others........From personal experience , it was something that broke me from my routine and created enough distraction that I forgot to do the checklist.......(super heavy gust in the flare initiating a go around and fell from checklist) ......

[Shadrach]

I glance at the green light 4 times.

 

1) When I put the gear down (usually abeam the numbers unless I cam into the pattern hot)

2) Turning final

3) Short final

4) Over the numbers

[Shadrach]

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.

 

Perhaps something needs adjustment.  My light does not turn green unless the handle is locked in place.

[bradp]

Once confirming when I engage the lever, another verification on short final "gear down , cleared to land". Over the fence is the critical time. Too many verifications and I'm bending down to look at the floor light and not keeping my head up.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ftlausa]

VFR - At least 2 gumps checks, plus a centerline gear check on final. IFR - gumps at FAF and then a centerline check on final.

[DrBill]

usually twice.. When I drop it on downwind as the speed drops to below 100 mph and then short final to be sure I didn't forget.

Bill

[M20F]

Perhaps something needs adjustment. My light does not turn green unless the handle is locked in place.

The switch is in the top of the mechanism the lock is on the side. The gear handle has to just put a bit of pressure on the switch to make it green. You can get the handle stowed but not locked and have a green light. It isn't a very good design, nor really needed as a strong downward tug is the only check that guarantees its locked.

[Alan Fox]

The manual gear is easy to know by feel , Place your thumbtip inbetween the upper mount and the shaft where the ramp is , When it is in and locked , it has a very distinct feel , if not locked in , too much of your thumbtip will fit in the recess , and you will know by feel it is not locked....

[Guest]

Twice, once when I initially lower the gear and once on short final.

Clarence

[carl]

sorry i didnt read all the above. So if you said this...

 

I check alot but still think I m landing gear up..

 

BUT

with technology today Why cant I mount a camera somewhere so I see the gear down. not unlike a backup camera on an EQUINOX.

 

 

carl 

[Shadrach]

The switch is in the top of the mechanism the lock is on the side. The gear handle has to just put a bit of pressure on the switch to make it green. You can get the handle stowed but not locked and have a green light. It isn't a very good design, nor really needed as a strong downward tug is the only check that guarantees its locked.

IIRC, it's a simple limit switch. Mine is recessed pretty far up in the socket. I remember dropping the gear when I first started flying this bird and wondering why I still had a red light. when I recycled the gear, I realized I did not fully engage the socket. I can't imagine dropping the gear now without feeling and verifying it's locked; it's muscle memory. That is to say that if I remember to actuate the gear, it will be locked. You might look into "adjusting" the tab on the switch so that the bar needs to recess further into the socket to activate the switch.

[Marauder]

I've decided the risk of a gear up is so real that I just leave the gear down. Nothing wrong with that technique?

If I'm in the pattern, each leg has a call out including a short final call out on the radio, "gear down, gear locked".

If I'm on an instrument approach, FAF and DA (proceed if I have a visual, cleared to land, gear down).

As Alan pointed out above, forgetting the gear happens. Even to the best...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[carusoam]

Alan is super methodical with his checklists. Verbalizing each and every step without any missteps...

Verbal mediation is one of those tools that improves the reliability of the outcome. Say it first, then do it.

Something about how the brain works...

I used to do mine silently, to myself...

******************

Three GUMPS and a good look at a green light on final...

Two Our Fathers... ( not enough time for the whole Rosary)

It gives me a chuckle to find something amiss in the second GUMPS... (Not so much later on...)

I'm really uneasy when the green light is missing on final...

A great Mooney pilot once reminded me... The Green light is brighter when you don't have nav lights on....

Thanks MS, A and B (you guys are the best!),

-a-

[Alan Fox]

Two things , your I.A. is required to check your gear horn and rigging (visual on the rigging) at every annual , I know mine does because I do my own annuals with him supervising , if this is not the case get a new I,A,  ....  Secondly as far as a camera for the gear , it is very common for folks to mount mirrors at the wingtip leading edge to be able to see if the gear is down.....On a lot of twins you can see the reflection of the gear in the spinners.....  I was told that the Crash with Senator Heinz was a true tragedy as the gear was supposed to be visible in the spinners...... ( Heinz died in a midair with a Helo checking to see if the gear was down , the aircraft crashed into a schoolyard and killed children on the ground as well as the people in the aircraft) not sure if the reflection thing is true because I don't fly twins...

[midlifeflyer]

sorry i didnt read all the above. So if you said this...

 

I check alot but still think I m landing gear up..

 

BUT

with technology today Why cant I mount a camera somewhere so I see the gear down. not unlike a backup camera on an EQUINOX.

 

 

carl 

Why do you think one will notice a camera feed when one doesn't notice (1) no change in flight characteristics and  (2) going too fast for your power settings and (3) gear lever is up and (4) warning light is on and (5)  no gear down indicator on the floor indicator and (6) loud blaring horn (love the YouTube videos of someone landing gear up with the horn louder than anything else in the video)?

 

As n74795 said, gear-up incidents typically occur due to distractions. Chances are, having missed all the other indications the gear is up, this one will get missed also. 

[Houman]

Honestly in my case, it is almost impossible to slow down the aircraft to a normal landing speed without the gear down. I would have to have the speed breaks out and be at idle for a while.

I check the gear light on the announciator, the green light on the floor and alignement of the 2 bars on the light, which I was told is mecanical and works even if the light is broken.

I check the gear at least 3 times and if I have a passenger, I ask them to check the green light on the floor and the lines for me as well, so we have 2 person checking it.

On short final, I do a last GUMPS check, using muscle memory for gear, fuel, prop, flaps and adjust MP for altitude.

[Shadrach]

Honestly in my case, it is almost impossible to slow down the aircraft to a normal landing speed without the gear down. I would have to have the speed breaks out and be at idle for a while.

I check the gear light on the announciator, the green light on the floor and alignement of the 2 bars on the light, which I was told is mecanical and works even if the light is broken.

I check the gear at least 3 times and if I have a passenger, I ask them to check the green light on the floor and the lines for me as well, so we have 2 person checking it.

On short final, I do a last GUMPS check, using muscle memory for gear, fuel, prop, flaps and adjust MP for altitude.

I used to think that way too. Doing stalls/slow flight with the gear up has cured me of that misguided notion.

[midlifeflyer]

Honestly in my case, it is almost impossible to slow down the aircraft to a normal landing speed without the gear down. I would have to have the speed breaks out and be at idle for a while.\

 

You fly a turboprop? I ask because I've seen turboprops used in Part 135 operations (with all the extra pilot training, experience and flight hours than entails) that have landed unintentionally gear up.

 

I think it was Rod Machado who once said that the only difference between tuning in the wrong frequency on the radio and a gear-up is the consequences. Psychologically, he said, they are identical. And I suppose the worst thing one can do is think it's "almost impossible."

[Guest]

"I check the gear light on the announciator, the green light on the floor and alignement of the 2 bars on the light, which I was told is mecanical and works even if the light is broken."

Having just completed your owner assisted annual you should have a clear understanding of the gear system.

Clarence

[Houman]

"I check the gear light on the announciator, the green light on the floor and alignement of the 2 bars on the light, which I was told is mecanical and works even if the light is broken."

Having just completed your owner assisted annual you should have a clear understanding of the gear system.

Clarence

I think I do Clarence, we did many gear up and down while the plane was on the jacks, the only thing I wish I had done was being under the plane while the gear is going up so to see exactly how all the connecting rods move for both the wheels and the doors.

As or the light, my understanding is that the green light on the floor and light on annouciator panel is the same circuit, as for the lines, I did'nt look exactly from under the plane how the lines match up, since I did'nt go under the plane while we were bringing the gear up and down... do you guys do that, I should have put a camera under the plane and capture the movements...

[Mooneymite]

The answer to not landing gear-up is:  technology.

 

Think about the last time that a big jet airliner landed gear up (other than a gear malfunction).  It just about never happens even though they make thousands of landings under all sorts of adverse conditions.  You know why they don't land gear up?

 

The gear warning system.

 

Humans make mistakes, technology to the rescue.