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Safety Pages This section contains safety hints and tips from Old Bold Bashers who have lived to tell the tale. If you have a tale to tell which may benefit others please send them to the editor. Story 3 This is not an AA5 but the AA5s twin engine big brother the Cougar, showing what happens if you drop below the glide slope on an ILS landing. American Aviation were the producers of the AA5 and Cougar.
Story 2 The AA5 is generally an easy aeroplane to fly but is renown for its delicate nose-wheel assembly. In this video Dave Skertchly shows what happens if you land nose wheel first.
Above G-BASH having its nose-wheel repaired Click here to download video 8Mb Story 1 The AA5 is has an outstanding performance, and much of it is due to the superbly clean bonded structure. Compared to say a PA28 the flaps are ineffective and with such low drag G-BASH can float on and on and on. In 1998 a Basher was caught out in a descending cloud base while landing G-BASH on a short grass strip. In this case everything stacked up against the unfortunate Basher. The aeroplane was well loaded but within limits, the airfield was long enough, but the grass was wet and the pressure was on. G-BASH went through the hedge at the end of the runway.
Above: G-BASH went through the hedge landing on wet grass
Above: The damage was repaired by Douggie, but still cost the insurers £8K including shipping back from Holland
Above: The really scary thing is that the airfield operator was going to winch G-BASH onto the truck using a Hiab. This would have truly wrecked the aeroplane. Thanks to the locals, G-BASH was wheeled into a hangar and stored until Rangers Transport could collect it. If you really want to fly into short fields can I suggest a few sessions with Ian Todd. It is not until you have flown G-BASH the way Ian will show you how, that you will know just what this super little aeroplane can do when well handled. To quote Grumpy Basher Dave Skertchly "I am a real ace, 9 out of 10 of my landings are really good, I just don't know which one of the ten will be the bad one until it is over!" |
