Landing on UK Roads

[Ts&Ps]

I was a little surprised to read in an earlier thread that emergency landings on roads in the UK are deemed illegal.

I learnt to fly in Florida and on my return to the UK flew from Stapleford (NE London). I now live in Sydney, Australia.

In the states, instructors encouraged us to consider roads (be they highways or rough tracks) as suitable options for forced landings the minute the fan has stopped.

Likewise, down here in Australia, a QFI picked me up on my passenger briefing, and prompted me to explain that in the unlikely case of the spinner stopping, we would be joining the traffic pattern on the fast lane of the free-way.

When I flew in the UK, I often overflew the QE2 Bridge on the Thames heading South for TonBridge. As the area is fairly suburban, I would often muse that the M25 looked like a fair option if the unlikely were to arise. Is this thought criminal?

[skua]

Not criminal, but surely insane! You would never find a vacant bit of tarmac to land on.

Other roads may be more promising. If I remember rightly a few years ago, a Robin landed on the hard shoulder of the M2, trying to make it back to EGTO, after engine failure. He frightened a few motorists, but I don't think he was prosecuted for it.

[This message has been edited by skua (edited 08 May 2001).]

[This message has been edited by skua (edited 08 May 2001).]

[GulfStreamV]

Gary Numan's done it!, Although the aircraft did look a bit of a mess!

GV

[Mark 1]

Gary Numan didn't do it. He just ended up in a road rather than landed on one.

You've fallen into the old trap of believing what you read in the papers.

Mark
(p.s. One of my two forced landings was at Santa Pod, fortunately with no traffic)

[Yogi-Bear]

A Broussard landed on the M62 about ten year's ago with a damaged CSU spewing oil on the windsceen. Unfortunately it caused a collision and serious injuries. I don't think you would find a road long enough and clear enough of traffic and obstructions to make it safely. BAe did fly a Jaguar onto and off the M55 for a trial but that was before it was opened!

[Aussie Andy]

I think the point is that roads in Australia and the US are much mor elikely to be lonely (and straight and wide) enough to make this feasible than here in the UK - or most parts of northern Europe.

Andy

[GulfStreamV]

Mark 1,

It was slightly tongue in cheek! You are correct he did bounce and end up ON the road. I have read his biography, and he explains a few interesting moments about that trip!

GV

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Yogi, The Broussard didn't do it either. They put it down in a field (winscreen covered in oil, no viz), but went through the far hedge coming to rest on the motorway. If the car they hit (or hit them??)hadn't been a joke of a vehicle (2CV) there probably would have been no injuries. The 2CV collapsed like a house of cards.

SSD

[Soaring Sprog]

A few years ago a balloon took off and got stuck over my home town in zero wind, slowly running out of fuel. In the end he put it down in a rather crowded housing estate on a road with two rows of trees either side. Quite skilfull I thought. I'm pretty sure he didn't get prosecuted.

[twistedenginestarter]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">, we would be joining the traffic pattern on the fast lane of the free-way</font>

I think the slow lane here in Blighty.

I'd certainly do it.

23:00. Engine goes. Everything is black. Except.... that pretty M1 right beneath me. What I am going to choose? Sorry no prizes for guessing.
:)

[foghorn]

At night, landing on a motorway in the direction of the traffic would be the best bet, IMHO. It's nicely lit, and you'll be doing, oh, about 80 mph (or so) on touchdown - not far off what the other traffic is doing.

Get on the brakes and veer off to the hard shoulder once the speed has come off a bit, and with any luck you'd be OK.

[New Bloke]

Might have a bit of a problem with the street lights but I would second (or Third) the above two sentiments.

Don't forget this is an emergency situation and anyone who second guesses a decision I made when I was at the sharp end can go shag

Aviate,
Navigate,
Communicate,
Legislate



[This message has been edited by New Bloke (edited 09 May 2001).]

[foxmoth]

I can only think that whoever was saying landing on a road is illegal in the uk was NOT talking about an emergency, in this event basically you can do whatever you need to do to survive - and the law alows for that.
If not an emergency then I certainly would be surprised if the boys in blue were leading you away.

[PingPong]

Nothing to do with landing on roads but, in an emergency, I would land in a primary school playground if necessary.

"The brave pilot skillfully steered his plane towards the school and landed to the applause of the under fours."

I just wish I could post pictures; I have a lovely one of the plane I went solo in, upside down in a residential street.

[Saab Dastard]

Soaring Sprog,

Was that Borden, May 1994, by any chance?

I was in a balloon that did just that - bounced over the roof and porch of a house.

SD


------------------
Hoping and praying should never be confused with planning...

[Aussie Andy]

Ping-Pong - you can post pictures. See http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/ubbcode.html for details:

Adding Images
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Andy

[barbox]

We could always have Trafficmaster installed as part of avionics kit.

'You are approaching junction 34, Southbound MI slow moving traffic for 6 miles expect 10 minutes delay, MI8 traffic Eastbound traffic flowing freely'.

Reckon you would get less hassle landing on the M18 than you would from Sheffield City Council for emergency landing a single at Sheffield airport!.

On a more serious note I am aware of a couple of instances where the police have closed roads to allow aircraft to take off following forced landings in fields not big enough to fly out of.

It seems the local bobbies do not have communication links with the CAA thank god.

Mmmmmm, a thought,,wonder what height Trafficmaster works to?, would be great for getting accurate fixes and even headings,,N/W/E or West!.

Would be great for the rotary boys to use as they are normally tracking via Motorways at low level!.

[Legalapproach]

I don't believe that landing on a road is per se illegal particularly in an emergency, however tax and MOT would help, watch out for the speed cameras and bear in mind that three wheelers are illegal on UK motorways.

[Soaring Sprog]

Saab,
No it wasn't there. But it was about 1994 I think. Seems baloons landing in housing estates is more common than I thought then!!