news story out of chicago today:bc-MEIGS--LANDING--B&S 05-30 0165 A single-engine Cessna 172 landed "gear up," according to Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory. She could not immediately provide further information about the landing, except that no injuries were reported. The FAA will complete its investigation within several weeks, she said. - - A small plane made a belly landing at Meigs Field Thursday after experiencing trouble with its landing gear. No one was reported injured. Emergency crews responded at about 11:46 a.m. to a still alarm at Meigs, at Lake Shore Drive and 15th Street, according to a fire dispatcher. Units began leaving the scene at 11:57 a.m. No one was taken to a hospital from the scene, according to Fire Media Chief Kevin MacGregor. The small plane reported having problems with its landing gear, MacGregor said. It landed at Meigs without the gear. The plane landed on its belly, according to a spokesman reached at Meigs. The man, who did not release his name, referred further questions to the airport's supervisor, who was on the field as of 1 p.m. A spokeswoman at the city's Aviation Department could not be reached immediately for comment. - (5-30-02) Sherman KaplanHighland Park Il

Hmmm. Might make an interesting adventure!Only thing is, would FS2k2 simply quit the simulation when it detects the belly of the craft touching the ground?-brian

No, you can do belly landings, but it requires great care and precision. Too much of a bump, and you've crashed...just like the real thing.Sherm

OK now I'm confused...... a 172 with gear up, is that possible... the gear being UP I mean, on a 172... ??Pete

Yup. they did make 'em

>No, you can do belly landings, but it requires great care >and precision. Too much of a bump, and you've crashed...just >like the real thing. >>Sherm Indeed! Late last night I fired up FS2K2, selected the cessna 182, took off from Meigs at midday, flew a traffic pattern, then came into land with gear *up*.Some grinding later, the aircraft comes to a rather abrupt halt, and the simulator doesn't quit the simulation!:)-brian

I've done that in (I think it was) the 777 once in FS2000... Actually, I did a belly landing and took off again with the gear up.....All the while, both engines were completely sunk into the runway....Landed the baron on its belly in FS2002, and it sank into the runway and bounced around until I restarted the situation.....You can even land non-floatplanes successfully on water if you're careful enough, although once the forward momentum stops, you'd better get out of the plane ASAP before it sinks....