Flying without control surfaces

[uwespeed 497]

In 2003 a DHL Airbus 300 was hit by a missile after departure at Baghdad airport. All 3 hydraulic systems, and thus the elevator, aileron and rudder failed. Nevertheless, the pilots managed to control and land the plane only by applying asymetric thrust.

A different disaster was Japan Airlines flight 123, also with failing hydraulics similar to the DHL flight. Unfortunately in the Japan Airlines flight, only 4 out of 524 people survived.

As I don't have a (virtual) A300 and don't claim being able to do such things with an A300, I tried this with the default Beech Baron of X-Plane - admittedly not in Baghdad, but in Santorini (a runway is a runway though, independant where it is located).
In the first attempt, I crashed about 150 m before the runway, in the second attempt I crashed 2-3 meters near the runway, in the third attempt I crashed on the runway and finally in the fourth attempt ... but see for yourself - watch the yoke and the pedals, they don't move, only the engine levers.

Who would like to try this oneself? ;-)

 

 

P.S. Due to video driver issues the water reflections look a bit weird and I had 2 slight stutters

[Mike777 163]

There's also United 232, a DC-10 that in 1989 had its tail engine explode, taking out all hydraulics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_232.%C2'>

 

There's a book about it called _Miracle in the Corn Field_.

 

Mike

[Tushka 0]

Must have taken a lot of skill to learn! 

 

I myself attempted to do such landing on FS9 with a trijet airliner with failed hydraulics, however on X-Plane maybe things will go a bit differently,

[Mike777 163]

Great flying!  Maybe I will give this a try...

 

Mike

[Kuragiman 227]

I recently watched the Air Crash Investigation for JAL 123.    Episode was heart breaking.   Hats off to flight crew for keeping that badly wounded bird up as long as they did.   So many actually survived the crash but were badly wounded and no help came for 12 hours.  By the time help arrived there were only 4 left alive... :(     Anyway... nice video!

[jcomm 5,890]

Great landing uwespeed!  Congratulations!

[uwespeed 497]

Thanks for the congratulations :wink:.

 

I recently watched the Air Crash Investigation for JAL 123.    Episode was heart breaking.   Hats off to flight crew for keeping that badly wounded bird up as long as they did.   So many actually survived the crash but were badly wounded and no help came for 12 hours.  By the time help arrived there were only 4 left alive... :(    

 

I have also recently seen the episode (in German TV).

 

Must have taken a lot of skill to learn! 

 

I myself attempted to do such landing on FS9 with a trijet airliner with failed hydraulics, however on X-Plane maybe things will go a bit differently,

 

Well, I tried it 4 times, and the 4th attempt was succesful ... what isn't a guarantee that I will never crash from now on in such a case.

Yesterday evening I did some more flying, this time not only an approach, but more or less the simulation of the DHL A300 incident (still with the Baron). I started and during climb at 1500 ft, I released all controls - it will be fairly visible. After the 3rd attempt, I stopped due to lack of time.