With the traffic or against it?

RyanB

RyanB

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So if you had to make an emergency landing on an interstate or a large highway, would you land with or against the traffic? I would think with the traffic, unless the median was an option. Would the traffic on the ground see you and slow down, or should you land against the traffic so they see you far out?
 
I imagine the approach/stall speed of the aircraft you're landing comes into play if landing with traffic. If you have to land faster than the traffic flow then you're going to be rear ending someone. Slower and presumably the traffic behind will see and begin braking which would open a hole up for you to set down in hopefully.

So for me in the Archer... with the traffic I think.
 
With the traffic, on the top of a big semi trailer.

Bond, James Bond.
 
With the traffic. In most things like a 172/182/Cherokee, you will be landing at about 60kts which is 69mph - normal highway speed. Just try to find a gap and watch out for power lines, bridges, light posts and signs.

Lanes are at least 12 feet wide with 10-ft outside shoulder and 4-ft inside shoulder. So 2 lanes gives you 38 feet.
 
With. Any contact and the relative speeds will be less.
 
With. I don't think the avg freeway driver pays enough attention to notice a small plane landing towards them...a head on collision in a spam can is no bueno!
 
Ryanb said:
So if you had to make an emergency landing on an interstate or a large highway, would you land with or against the traffic? I would think with the traffic, unless the median was an option. Would the traffic on the ground see you and slow down, or should you land against the traffic so they see you far out?
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Really?
 
With the traffic. With most of the smaller airplanes you run the risk of being hit from the back,as no one does the speed limit. Stall the airplane on ,and hang on.
 
Good answers, with the traffic seems like the best option.
 
A guy put a C-150 on southbound I-75 along my route home during rush hour - he just merged without any problems.
 
You are landing around 65mph. Traffic is flowing around 65mph.

With the flow of traffic, if you rear end someone, or someone rear ends you, the collision speed will be somewhere between 1 and 20 mph depending on road speed.

Against the flow of traffic, the head-on collision speed would be somewhere between 100 an and 150mph.

Which would you prefer?
 
JoseCuervo said:
With the traffic, on the top of a big semi trailer.

Bond, James Bond.
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Isn't that like landing on a treadmill :D Or is it just taking off from treadmill in question.
 
ron22 said:
Isn't that like landing on a treadmill :D Or is it just taking off from treadmill in question.
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You can't land on a treadmill.
The plane will just float above it forever.
 
Land with the traffic. They'll open a hole for you. Unless you are unlucky and the guy who rear-ends you says, "I just couldn't believe there was an airplane landing in front of me." (It happened.)
 
Ryanb said:
So if you had to make an emergency landing on an interstate or a large highway, would you land with or against the traffic? I would think with the traffic, unless the median was an option. Would the traffic on the ground see you and slow down, or should you land against the traffic so they see you far out?
Click to expand...

Please don't fly or have kids. :no:


;)
 
Please this educational training film for proper off airport highway landing procedures.

 
It is really freakin hard to judge the speed of converging traffic. I deal with this every day with wrong way runners on the bike trail. You land against traffic you remove the option of merging. You force someone off the road or into oncoming traffic to avoid you. That is if they can judge your speed and distance accurately enough. Don't count on it.
 
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