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HDHP:Steve Pierce - "Stuff" Happens - What the YouTube Pilots Don't Tell You About Playing Hard

I 'think' the safety cables are designed to work under tension, and not as much under compression. If an upper cabane tab fails (at or near the AN5 bolt) the opposite side gear spreads out under tension to the limits of the cabling. If the same side gear is moved in under a side load/compression (or maybe from bungees retracting) the opposite upper cabane tube that's now loose can go places and help break things. I think that's possible in the right conditions.

Gary
 
I just finished watching Steve's program on YouTube. Thanks Steve for being willing to discuss and illustrate these "oops's". We can all learn a lot from your discussion of them.

Thanks again,
MTV
 
Steve,

I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your video. Your candor and openness was refreshing. It helped confirm my decisions about the risk / reward trade-offs, especially for someone new to backcountry flying. It was refreshing to hear your thoughts about sometimes "passing" on attempting to land at some places – even when your flying pals are already on the ground waiting for you.

My wife (who is uncomfortable in airplanes in general, and seldom flies with me) came over and sat down to watch the video with me. At first, I thought "Oh, boy. This is NOT the video I want her to watch!" But to my surprise, she really enjoyed the video, and was amazed at how good a job the steel tube "cage" protected the occupants in many of those incidents. She was also surprised to hear you talk about returning those airplanes to service. I think it really helped her be a bit more comfortable with my choice to fly a steel tube, fabric-covered airplane in the "low and slow" environment.

We had a frank discussion about "risk vs reward" afterward, and talked about different risk profiles for different types of flying. I think she's a lot more comfortable understanding that I'm perfectly OK with being the guy who circles overhead while the others "give it a go" in some of those more aggressive places.

Anyway, just wanted to say "Thanks" for this video, Steve. It was interesting and timely!
 
My wife (who is uncomfortable in airplanes in general, and seldom flies with me) came over and sat down to watch the video with me. At first, I thought "Oh, boy. This is NOT the video I want her to watch!" But to my surprise, she really enjoyed the video, and was amazed at how good a job the steel tube "cage" protected the occupants in many of those incidents.

My wife also watched and had the same reaction.... Except every time he said "Cathy" I looked at my wife and it was clear she would not be providing any ground support should I find myself in a similar situation. The good thing is I show her and talk to her and my daughter about the errors people make and what can be done do to reduce the risks. Every time there is a youtube sensation I seem to find myself rolling my eyes when they waterski up to a gravel bar that is flat and 3000 feet long. Or when they take off and pitch to the heavens, eventhough there are no obstacles, because they know they are on camera. I dont mean to take away from the skill they have developed, but one thing many of them clearly lack is good judgement. In the end many of them appear to me to be better entertainers and video editors than they are airmen.

Very informative and positive session - Thanks Steve & Steve!
 
Really a great presentation. My favorite small gem was when you said there’s “lots of carnage” that goes unseen on the videos of famous Youtubers. I’d suspected as much.

Thanks, guys.
 
My best flying buddy when I was in Wyoming just died(in bed in Florida). The last 20 years of his life were not as good as they might have been. He hoisted it to the heavens and suffered a fuel flow problem. Having metal installed in your back is never fun.
 
Steve... What a great presentation. My father and I watched it together. We had an "oops" in our PA-12 back on Aug 1st 2019... Still hoping to get it rebuilt sooner rather than later! I commend you for being humble and sharing your experiences with the group. It's nice to know that we're not alone with an "oops" out there!
 
Steve.

Got one question. Early in your presentation you show a wreck because of cabane tab failure. With safety cables. How did that happen. Ive broke mine twice . Probably made multiple landing afterward unknowingly. Were the cables hooked up wrong ?

Nice presentation, I agree with the message.

I have the same question. I have had a tab failure. If the cable was installed why did the gear collapse? That is why the cable is there.
 
Nice presentation, I agree with the message.

I have the same question. I have had a tab failure. If the cable was installed why did the gear collapse? That is why the cable is there.

See Post #31 for a possible cause. Another: if the left upper cabane separates and the right tire hits first it'll pull the V away from the left fitting to the extent of the upper safety cable's limits. When the left tire hits it moves it back in place or thereabouts. Stuff eventually bangs around enough to break things.

Edit: Look at 8:19 and 8:50 of Steve's video. Right shock strut bent/compressed and tip of upper cabane V may be gone (hard to tell on the latter). It wasn't that fitting's first rodeo from all the wear that's apparent prior to severing.

Gary
 
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Steve... What a great presentation. My father and I watched it together. We had an "oops" in our PA-12 back on Aug 1st 2019... Still hoping to get it rebuilt sooner rather than later! I commend you for being humble and sharing your experiences with the group. It's nice to know that we're not alone with an "oops" out there!
I know that feeling well. I tell people "you are not the first and certainly not the last".
 
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Dont know how many landings this made this way but it bent the cabane. Didnt see it til i was putting it away.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
 
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Dont know how many landings this made this way but it bent the cabane. Didnt see it til i was putting it away.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

That's what should happen with a tab failure. Just curious why the cable didn't do it's job.
 
Cubdriver2 should have a photo of a front gear leg broken right off at the fitting. Discovered by another pilot admiring the airplane during a flyin breakfast!


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Ok, so this morning I felt the tail get into something soft and as I started braking I felt the tail get light, jerked off the power and the brakes. Found a soft spot where I broke through. Pictures don't really show the pile of mud that ended up in front of the tires. Shoveled behind the tires and with a rope on the tailwheel and two of us swinging the tail around the not so stuck tire we got it turned around 180 degrees and taxied it straight out. Should have stuck to the dry gravel of which there was plenty.
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Seems you showed me a picture of another plane that did the same thing but wasn’t so lucky. I’d stay away from any red dirt as it has filtered down from Oklahoma and its a trap.


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Seems you showed me a picture of another plane that did the same thing but wasn’t so lucky. I’d stay away from any red dirt as it has filtered down from Oklahoma and its a trap.


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Yep, you damn tricky Okies. The mud was just a thin layer on top of the wet gravel. Holes filled with water so lesson learned. Face/palm emoji insert here. ;)
 
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