Just As Well It Wasn't A New One

[Garry Russell]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-le ... e-22474805

Seriously, poor chap, so easily done, such high profile

[511Flyer]

Whatever happened to the mechanical lock? I would have thought that with the weight of the aircraft on the legs, the locks would hold.

Maybe he was still bouncing along the runway?

[Garry Russell]

Well I wonder if there was one...did they have them??

[Chris Trott]

As far as I'm aware, the Spitfire does not have a "weight on wheels" micro-switch or other system to prevent retraction on the ground. In fact, many airplanes of that era didn't have them. Not even the DC-3 has such a system.

[Tomliner]

At least the pilot wasn't hurt and the aircraft is repairable EricT

[Garry Russell]

Indeed Eric

I feel sorry for the poor chap as it's one of those things anyone could do

To save his blushes they don't name him, but of course to anyone on the inside they all know who he is.

[WhisperJet]

As far as I'm aware, the Spitfire does not have a "weight on wheels" micro-switch or other system to prevent retraction on the ground. In fact, many airplanes of that era didn't have them. Not even the DC-3 has such a system.

... not even the SF340...

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Crossair ... 0648419/L/

(by the way: the pilot who caused this 340 to rest on the ground was the same guy who drove an Avro RJ100 into the woods near ZRH a few years later killing 24 people)

Nick

[Garry Russell]

I remember that link between the two Ian

He wasn't a shining example of piloting through his career and some yet some how still remained at a job he wasn't particularly good at