Bicycle Landing Gear

ever seen the footage of the jumbo jet freighter hitting a crosswind at the old hong kong airport? it came down on the port gear which was almost sideways, bounced, recovered and landed safely. it is almost beyond belief.

i bet the flight crew needed clean undies after that. and a stiff drink or six.

it's what, 200 tons a 747 weighs? all that banged on 2 wheels before the rest lined up. that is one tough bit of gear.

Or this one:

i would like to see that as a video, the whole thing to the end where passengers fall over in a dead faint when they hit the bottom of the ramp. that's a dramatic pic, but the 747 makes me feel that strut compressing, bending and shreiking with the full weight. maybe it was just a freighter, but damn, that's a whompin! there are some very dramatic b-52 landings and take-off's where they hit crosswinds. of course i can't find them, but if anyone has them to share. please do. i remember one take off of a grossly overloaded camoflaged one taking off where the wheels look 90 degrees to the fuselage. plus the damn thing had an external bombload that i would have thought impossible. anyone else seen it and maybe could share a url? tune in for diaster take off week on the rms channel!

snipped-for-privacy@some.domain wrote the following:

Yes, me too, or at least some other pics of the same incident. Photoshopping is so common these days.

Not all spectacular takeoffs are disasters - some have to be heard to be believed...

i'm not doubting the pic. i'm pretty sure i've seen it elswhere from a trusted source. it just isn't dramatic with only one piece.

snipped-for-privacy@some.domain said the following on 06/08/2011 21:34:

I remember this one making the news stations here in the UK.

If you google Kai Tak Airport, you will find the You Tube video of the

This one wasn't a disaster, by it was damn close... check the laconic commentary from the Aussies in the tower. :) (Caution: NSFW, language)

RobG (the Aussie one)