Totally unbelievable....

**nudemetalz** · 22nd February 2006, 14:58

Originally Posted by ManDownUnder

I find it hard to believe they're not photoshopped... wheels touching the water but no disaster?

I'm not a pilot - I'm happy to be proven wrong... but I'm a tad suspicious on this one.

As for the Harvards themselves... I'm going to Warbirds over Wanaka this year. I love 'em all (some more than others of course... )

This is definitely not photoshopped...apparently in the States is a popular trick to do in Piper Cubs...much like those Icelandic V8 powered water-skimmers, as long as you keep your speed up the water becomes like concrete,...however, you really would not want an engine failure while doing it.. !!!

Yes I'll be a Wanaka as well. Wifey and I are riding down on the ZX-10 and VTR.

**Sniper** · 22nd February 2006, 15:05

Originally Posted by ManDownUnder

too cool... where's she from?

Her mum :

**smokeyging** · 17th April 2006, 14:52

Originally Posted by nudemetalz

Now, I know this isn't motorcycle-related but I'm sure you all here will understand just how skillfull and dangerous this is...

These are of the South African Harvard display team takern recently...and no they are not photoshopped !!!

Bloody hell, and i thought kiwis were nuts.......

**Ixion** · 17th April 2006, 15:07

How do they know their wheels are touching (I'm not questioning them, just curious). Obviously the pilot cannot see his own wheels, and I presume altimeters would not be accurate enough at such low heights?

**Buster** · 17th April 2006, 15:23

Great pics. Good skills shown by the pilots. Im sure they would "feel" when the wheels touched. It makes me think of those dirt bikers who ride over small lakes at high speed.

**onearmedbandit** · 17th April 2006, 16:33

Very impressive. Now to put it in the correct forum.

**terbang** · 17th April 2006, 17:26

Originally Posted by Ixion

How do they know their wheels are touching (I'm not questioning them, just curious). Obviously the pilot cannot see his own wheels, and I presume altimeters would not be accurate enough at such low heights?

Same way you know where the wheels are on yer bike. We land on them all the time..!

**Ixion** · 17th April 2006, 17:56

well, yeah, but not normally on water, unless you're Fred Ladd. And the wheels on my bike don't usually leave the ground.

I just mean that I assume that a touch down on water would not be able to be felt, water being softish. So do they just do by eye, estimate how high they are ?

**onearmedbandit** · 17th April 2006, 18:07

I would've thought they would notice the drag, using that as an indicator.

**Shadows** · 17th April 2006, 19:46

Aquaplaning gives me the shits.

**Madness** · 17th April 2006, 19:54

A lack of aquaplaning gave this guy the shits...

**Insanity_rules** · 18th April 2006, 17:37

Originally Posted by nudemetalz

Now, I know this isn't motorcycle-related but I'm sure you all here will understand just how skillfull and dangerous this is...

These are of the South African Harvard display team takern recently...and no they are not photoshopped !!!

Holy shit! Nice

**ZorsT** · 18th April 2006, 17:47

Originally Posted by Ixion

well, yeah, but not normally on water, unless you're Fred Ladd. And the wheels on my bike don't usually leave the ground.

I just mean that I assume that a touch down on water would not be able to be felt, water being softish. So do they just do by eye, estimate how high they are ?

looking to the horizon lets you make an accurate judgement on how far off the deck you are...

Its something you get to know after a few landings in the particular aircraft.

Distance can be judged to a matter of inches this way. Looking at the ground below you will let you know to a matter of feet.

flying close to the ground in any aircraft greatly reduces drag. A phenomenon known as ground effect. Looking to the horizon is vital to the effective use of ground effect.

I imagine the increased drag would be very noticeable. The drag required to make a wake like that would be huge.

**Timber020** · 19th April 2006, 22:38

Its actually pretty easy to do, if you can land a plane you can probably pull this off. I worked on big irragation systems in aus that had huge irrigation ditches and ponds. spray planes used to do this all the time along the ditches for shits and giggles. Some actually hadnt that much flying time under their belt. Saying that one did try to land a twin prop with his wheels up. Lets just say he didnt get to keep his job!
Because of the speed you would have to put the nose into the water or bounce the tail to screw up as the still water at speed is a perfect surface for this. The planes used to do this and the water would jet up and create 2 tunnels of mist as they followed the air turbulence of the plane. Looked very cool. as they create a tunnel of spray behind them.
The planes also had a habit of straffing us to. Bastards.