Dead stick landing Kolb Firestar II

Dead stick landing in a Kolb Firestar II. The altimeter was so scared, it got stuck at 2500 ft.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Kolb
• Firestar
• Dead
• Stick
• Ultralight
• Lightsport

[nighthawk0077]

Do you where a parachute when you fly, at how much wind can this aircraft take before you are grounded?

[ATLRCFlyer]

@nighthawk0077 The plane actually carries a so called Ballistic Recovery System (BRS) that doesn't just save the pilot but also the entire airplane. It only weighs around 500 lbs so you can figure it's not much wind that it takes to bounce it around and even ground it. I couldn't tell exactly, since I'm not the pilot.

[ATLRCFlyer]

@nighthawk0077 No we did not wear parachutes. Not required by FAR. The Firestar is a fairly light aircraft. And since I'm not the pilot, I can't really say, at what wind speeds he doesn't like to fly anymore... But I'd think anything above 10 kts can turn this aircraft into a handful.

[gotime242]

Just curious - what did you keep your airspeed at when gliding with two people?

[ATLRCFlyer]

@gotime242 I think we did about 50 mph with a sinkrate of approx 880 fpm...

[whitek2h]

Very Good, although it did seem like you did not approach over the end of the strip but turned from downwind to final mid field. Assume this was to reduce the push back to the hanger :-)

[ATLRCFlyer]

Yes exactly. Plus, there were no jumpers out and the gliders had called it a day already so we were the only ones in the air...:)

[bdgotalotta]

You had the term correct. It was indeed a "dead stick" as the engine is not running;-)Your statement: "...caught some condensate It was chilly up there and...humid" misleading. It appeared to us as if you were informed by the pilot that the engine had indeed failed because of carburetor ice. After reading the comment, we all assumed this was what had happened, and that the pilot was just tapping the "stuck altimeter". Only on a second viewing did I notice the mags being switched off.

[ATLRCFlyer]

Turning both mags off to make the engine quit is the whole point of a dead-stick (official term would be "engine-out") landing. And yes. Even Rotax engines quit when both mags are off. They may run forever, but not without mags...;-)

[bdgotalotta]

I don't mean to nit-pick, but as a pilot myself for 20 years, most normally aspirated, piston engines that I've flown will quit running when you switch the mags off. I suppose it could be quite different in certain LSA powered by something other than a Continental or Lycoming, but I don't think even many Rotax engines run with the ignition in the off position. ;-) Sure looks like fun though, great video!