Thorp Air Command - T18.net

This is a perfect example of what gives GA and especially us sport plane pilots a bad name. Take a look! Talk about painting yourself into a corner!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvan9XqZU98[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzReBcv3KDk[/youtube]

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I have a few hours under my belt, but try this ? How about the full power taxi into the hangar ! OH MY ! [8] As Maxwell Smart use to say "Missed the hangar door by this much !"

RB

I guessing it's just a matter of time before we read more about this in a NTSB narrative...

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Scott Hinton
Elizabeth City, NC
N78WG

You know when I saw the second one the first time I thought he was going to launch off the adjacent road, after seeing it through to the end, that would have been the safer choice. Geez ... this guy is bad news!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

That's what I thought until the Semi came along ! Good move on his part.

FWIW, when I am faced with a short/soft field takeoff in the T-18, I select 10 degrees of flaps. Seems to get me off and accelerating in ground effect sooner. My limited time in the RV-8 shows that this would be appropriate in this plane as well. This guy seems to think that the flaps are just a place to post the "NO STEP" placard.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

Launched several RCAF CP-107 Argus aircraft directly from hangers. CFB Summerside with the Canadian East Coast winter weather the pre-flight was performed in the hanger and upon hanger doors opening the four 3,700 h.p. Wright R-3350 coughed to life and warmed up to the taxi way.

http://www.canadianwings.com/Stations/s ... erside-108

If you think that is scary we also launched CH113A Labrador (Sea Knights) helicopters from hangers. The Throttle levers (Collectives) where held down as the helicopter moved toward the doors, prior to departure of the hanger the rotors where engaged. This was performed as the cross winds in PEI often exceeded the 30-35 knot limitation for start up outside. The Aft Rotor blades could (Eat) strike the main driveshaft tunnel which spoils everyone

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Victor J Thompson
C-GIRQ
"In Memory Of Dad"

I've done a lot of things in other aircraft that I would not attempt in the Thorp (or RV in this case). Landing in the middle of the night on makeshift runways (roads lighted by burning trash cans), powering up in hangars/shutting down in them etc (both cases BE-200).

This guy is dealing with an airplane that has but one system to work with, a set of Cleveland brakes. The margin for error he's dealing with is slim to none.

Here's an example of what happens with a little dew in the grass (guess he didn't have an extra 10% to add for wet runway conditions) ...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C2nih7XDns[/youtube]

Looks like it may even be the same guy/different airplane.

My point is that when you have reverse, power anti-lock brakes etc (larger aircraft) you have options that we don't in this type of aircraft.

In my opinion this guy is not operating his airplane in a safe manor, look at the launch next to his house on the second video, any issue what so ever and he was going to end up in his living room.

Plus I give the military a heck of a lot of lee-way, you guys are just better trained then the rest of us, as do I crop dusters, again they have experience on their side and the benefit that they operate in close quarters daily. Of course most crop dusters nowadays have a PT6 with a reverse too so again they have more than a mediocre set of brakes to stop them.

Either way, to each his own but you can bet you won't catch me operating this way in my Thorp.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

And we have the NTSB narrative.

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Scott Hinton
Elizabeth City, NC
N78WG