Abort net for jungle ops.

[phr8dawg]

I have a buddy doing flights off a 1,200 foot strip with a dropoff either side in a STOL C206. Has anyone ever considered an abort net or arresting cable design for dropoffs? I'm thinking of a rope net or maybe a nosegear cable trigger which pops up
a cable to restrain the mains. We are trying to save both him and the aircraft. Some damage is
expected. This is not a commercial operation, by the way.

Any ideas or experiences?

PS: Reverse JATO bottles are NOT practical!

 

[BushwickBill]

Oh come on. I don't mean to sound practical but how about not doing it at all....?

 

[Seadogrun]

I have a buddy doing flights off a 1,200 foot strip with a dropoff either side in a STOL C206. Has anyone ever considered an abort net or arresting cable design for dropoffs? I'm thinking of a rope net or maybe a nosegear cable trigger which pops up
a cable to restrain the mains. We are trying to save both him and the aircraft. Some damage is
expected. This is not a commercial operation, by the way.

Any ideas or experiences?

PS: Reverse JATO bottles are NOT practical!

I think the answer to this problem isn't technical/equipment, rather risk assessment/management. How much runway does the plane "need" to land. If he is regularily using most of it it would probably be a good idea to take a better look at the operation and see if it's worth it. If the plane uses 500ft of runway it may be OK just to operate as is.

Now if your buddy is going to go with an arresting cable just make it static. No need to over complicate it. If he not off the ground or stopped by the time he reaches the cable it will stop him.

 

[erj-145mech]

The landing gear attach points will not withstand an arrested cable restraint. I may keep your buddy's airplane from going over the edge, but the airplane won't be of much use after that, unless they can perform structural repairs at that location.

 

[phr8dawg]

Net

He insists it's a safe site. The plane takes about
500 feet up or down, but I worry about wet grass
or slippery mud using up the remainder. He has
1,400 hours of STOL operations. Too scary for me.

 

[NW_Pilot]

I have a buddy doing flights off a 1,200 foot strip with a dropoff either side in a STOL C206. Has anyone ever considered an abort net or arresting cable design for dropoffs? I'm thinking of a rope net or maybe a nosegear cable trigger which pops up
a cable to restrain the mains. We are trying to save both him and the aircraft. Some damage is
expected. This is not a commercial operation, by the way.

Any ideas or experiences?

PS: Reverse JATO bottles are NOT practical!

Tell him to not be greedy and leave some if the dope behind! If he is lucky he can make a second load.

 

[SPilot]

laughing out loud.

 

[TheInsider]

I have a buddy doing flights off a 1,200 foot strip with a dropoff either side in a STOL C206. Has anyone ever considered an abort net or arresting cable design for dropoffs? I'm thinking of a rope net or maybe a nosegear cable trigger which pops up
a cable to restrain the mains. We are trying to save both him and the aircraft. Some damage is
expected. This is not a commercial operation, by the way.

Any ideas or experiences?

PS: Reverse JATO bottles are NOT practical!

Some damage is expected? Sounds like a drug-run to me....

 

[TWA]

It's been a year, do we get any followup? Is he still alive/awaiting trial? BTW, what country did/is this taking place in?

 

[phr8dawg]

FYI: We lost the aircraft due to a mechanical failure unrelated to the airport. Everyone got out. This fine Cessna product saved 42 lives in a charity operation and carried some 130 NGO volunteers before extreme age caught up with her. See GreatCommissionAir.org.