I would question the full stall landing info. I'm guessing what was meant was that he touched down at minimum speed, meaning he had the opportunity to get flaps out and make a controlled approach. You are right in your finding it hard to believe that no one else had ever ditched successfully. There have been several, and a quick Google search will yield some examples. In the big scheme of things, ditchings are extremely rare in the airline industry. (knock on wood) The dead stick landing you are speaking of, I suspect, is a pretty famous one up in Canada. I don't know what percentage of airline pilots are also glider pilots, but it's probably higher than most people might imagine. I know lots of people I fly with also have glider ratings. Lots of people who do that job do it because they have an interest in aviation, and as a result fly several things.
Flying fighters in the military, we practiced for engine out landings routinely especially in the single engine world. (F-16) I would rate that training as much more valuable for landing an airliner than my glider experience. The more you can practice in anything, though, the better your odds of success when the time comes.
Jim B.
From: James Ferris
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2010 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group St. Augustine forced landing
All you say is very true, but he made a full stall landing also and there is another example of a aliner making a dead stick landing on an abanded aitport who was also a glider pilot and they also said no one else had ditched an airplane successful that I found hard to believe.
jim
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