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Hi Dad!

Well, I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this situation again, let alone within a couple weeks of the last time it happened. A couple of weeks ago, by phone, I told you the story about how I had successfully landed a Twist 40 where the landing gear had come loose and twisted around so that the gear was parallel with the fuselage. In fact, I was lucky enough to land it without damaging it and the engine was still running which meant I was able to do it without striking the prop, which was surprising even to me!

Fast forward now two weeks (or so) later to Columbia, Missouri, Saturday, October 7th. I was helping a friend, Kenny Johnson, fly his U-Can-Do (UCD) for the very first time. This is just like the one you and I owned that crashed due to the fact that the on/off switch had failed in flight after enduring so much vibration. I'm sure you still remember those photos since, at first, you thought it was the Taylorcraft! :-) These UCD airplanes fly wonderfully, but they all must have some sort of a defect that makes them vibrate like a sex toy even though the prop had been meticulously balanced. This plane will rattle every screw loose that is not held in place by lock-tite. 

While taxiing the UCD on Columbia's grass runway, Kenny made the observation; "It sure seems like the gear bounces a lot." It didn't seem particularly out-of-the-ordinary to me, especially since we were taxiing on grass, so I said (possibly in what appeared to be an arrogant tone); "Oh the UCD's do that a lot with that tall gear" and I didn't think twice about it. 

I should have listened to him.

We proceeded to enjoy a perfect take-off and climb to altitude for trimming. Kent had joined us at the flight line because he wanted to watch and he had just helped Kenny get the O.S. .91 four-stroke engine adjusted to perfect running condition. He's definitely our engine expert at the field! If we only had Kent and you at the same field, at the same time, we'd never have another engine problem again, ever! (Unless there's a safety cut-off switch involved - Ha!) [Inside joke about some problems getting the Taylorcraft to start properly at the National Flying Site in Muncie, Indiana, where Stan lives]

About one lap after getting the plane trimmed out, I strained to focus on the UCD because I couldn't believe what I was seeing and quietly asked Kenny and Kent; "I think that gear is turning sideways! Can you guys see that too?"

Kenny quietly, yet excitedly said; "Yes it is!"

Kent, who can't stay quiet about anything (one of his endearing qualities) started shouting to everyone at the field; "Hey everyone! Look at the gear on the UCD! It's sideways and Zimmerman's going to have to do it again!" I tried to quiet him down about it, but there was no hope. He continued with his announcement until he pretty well had everyone at the field gathered around us to watch. :-)

Of course that's when all of the 'experts' started offering their solutions to the problem, including; rolling the plane until the other screw comes out, landing in the extra tall grass right next to a barbed-wire fence to cushion the landing better, cut the power off, leave the power on, etc, etc... Then one of the Columbia members suggested that I let so-and-so (someone I didn't know) land the airplane because he can "hover really good" and then I heard one of the Jeff City guys speak up and say something like; "Oh he did this a couple of weeks ago with a Twist 40." Then I believe I heard Kent say; "Yea, he'll probably get it down, but can he keep the engine running this time?!"

AH!! Now there's the challenge and suggestion that I was looking for! Knowing that this was Kenny's first flight with this airplane and it was still flying good despite the sideways gear, I said, "We're going to let Kenny fly his airplane for a while because he may not get another chance to fly it later, then I will bring it in." So Stacy Gillmore ran off to grab his camera. Kenny had been flying around getting a feel for his new airplane and appeared to enjoy flying it greatly, then Stacy asked Kenny to make a low pass over the runway so that he could get a picture of the plane with the gear askew.

Kenny was at a huge disadvantage using the trainer box. We had set up the control surface throws on his UCD with his computer radio, which, obviously, I was using as the Master Radio, but he was using a standard radio as the trainer box and it was making the control surfaces go to full servo deflection instead of what was programmed into the computer radio. On an airplane like this, that is a LOT of control throw, so much so, that if he had sneezed, he probably would have ripped the wings off! Ha!

Kenny did a really great job of flying despite the overly sensitive throws. He was understandably nervous about the flight; it was the 1st flight, the controls were way crazy and the landing gear on his plane was sideways! So I asked Kenny if he wanted me to make the low pass and he agreed. I told Stacy that I was going to bring it through for a low pass. Kenny suggested that I go ahead and make the landing attempt after wards.

I figured we were getting low on fuel by then anyway and I wanted to make sure I had enough fuel to go around, if necessary, because the wind was blowing steadily from 10 to 18 m.p.h, but, gratefully, it was pretty much right down the runway, even so, it was causing some 'interesting' landings throughout the day.

I gave Stacy the low pass and he took the picture. I then announced that I was going to bring it in for the landing. The wind was causing it to balloon-up some. I had a good approach going, but after the second balloon-up on that approach I decided to go around and line up again. I felt that I had probably gone too deep on the first approach, so on the second approach I brought it around sooner, while at the same time Stacy was telling me to hold off as long as I could so that he could get more pictures, but he was waiting on his camera to finish with the previous series of photos he had just taken. I said; "Sorry, I'm low on fuel and lined up good, I can't wait..."

The UCD ballooned slightly on the first setup as I was attempting the high-alpha, harrier-type approach under power so that I could get the tail wheel to touch down first and it didn't take much wind to make it climb (or balloon-up) in this attitude, but on the second attempt, I had it where I wanted it, and it was nearly stopped in the air right above the runway, so I got the tail wheel down and eased the rest of the UCD down to the main gear by backing off the power until it hit, then I cut to idle. The airplane skip-bounced one time when the sideways wheel dug into the grass, then it came to an abrupt stop and gently tipped over settling on the port wingtip - engine still running!! I confidently shouted; "YEA!!" while 'gut-punching' the air in front of me, along with all of the other guys who were also shouting out a victorious cheer in unison behind me. I tried but I couldn't wipe the smile from my face.  

Kenny gave me a sincere and relieved "Thank-you, Shaun" as he went out to retrieve his undamaged airplane from the runway and Stacy took another picture. I kind of wish Stacy would have got the camera switched to take video of this experience, but, hey, we have photos and it's been great to have him out there helping to take pictures. He's getting better all the time and he's the one that took the picture of the LT-25 flying with the vultures. We found that the landing gear on Kenny's UCD had bent a little and it made a 'hangar-rash' type indentation in the wood on the bottom of the plane, but that was all the damage.

Kenny and Kent fixed the landing gear and we flew it again a little while later with NO problems!

Another great day at the flying field. Wish you had been there.

Talk with you soon! Love, Shaun

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