The American Bonanza Society (ABS) and the ABS Air Safety Foundation have kicked off a year-long campaign to “significantly reduce gear-up and landing gear collapse accidents,” according to officials, who say landing gear mishaps are the single greatest threat to the longevity of the Beechcraft fleet today.
Gear-up landings and gear collapse mishaps make up at least 40% of all accidents in Beech Bonanzas, Debonairs, Barons, and Travel Airs, officials report. Airplanes are frequently totaled after a gear mishap because of the cost of repairs.
According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), gear-up and gear collapse accidents are the costliest claims for the insurance industry for all general aviation airplanes, not just retractable gear types.
“What pilots do with retractable landing gear sets the tone for insurance price and availability not only for Beech owners, but for all general aviation,” ABS officials said.
ABS has launched a special website, PutYourGearDown.com, to make a host of videos, articles, and other resources available for pilot technique and maintenance procedures aimed at avoiding the root causes of landing gear mishaps.
“PutYourGearDown.com invites pilots and mechanics to read and watch information that will make gear-up and gear collapse accidents much less likely, take a pledge to proactively avoid landing gear mishaps, and add their personal stories of landing gear events, near-accidents, and other maintenance and operational lessons learned,” ABS officials explained.
“Protecting our fleet begins with protecting every landing,” says Stephen Hammers, president of the American Bonanza Society Board of Directors. “The Put Your Gear Down campaign is about giving pilots and mechanics the knowledge and tools they need to prevent avoidable accidents and preserve the airplanes we all value.”
“The strength of ABS has always been our community,” added ABS Executive Director Lauren Bayless. “Put Your Gear Down gives that community a focused call to action around one of the most significant accident trends affecting the Beechcraft fleet, and it creates a place where education, experience and shared commitment can make a real difference.”
ABS Air Safety Foundation Executive Director Tom Turner continues: “With this campaign ABS hopes to spread the word not only among Beech pilots, mechanics, and flight instructors, but also to those in all types of retractable gear airplanes. Instead of accepting that ‘there are those who have and those who will’ have a gear-up landing or gear collapse, by adopting good operating and maintenance practices owners and pilots can become one of ‘those who won’t.’”
For more information: Bonanza.org
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