by Trucker » Thu Jul 20, 2023 4:25 pm
I had called turning final, I was full flaps, about 65 mph. Suddenly on short final, at <100 agl, an RV8 was suddenly on my wing, 50 ft or less above me. He never made any calls in the pattern yet there he was, coming in to land at maybe 80 mph. He made a T&G and departed - - with still no calls. I don't think he ever saw me even tho I called him on the radio. Was he on the wrong freq?
I immediately applied full power, moved further away from him, then tried to raise the flaps from full to 1st notch. I couldn't get the flaps out of the full flap notch without reducing power and a/s, which I didn't want to do at 75 ft altitude. Even tho i'm an old 77 yr old with weak muscles due to my cancer situation I couldn't believe those big flaps would be impossible for me to move at full power. I decided to not fool with the full flap situation and just flew the plane as it was.
I ended up staying at full power around the entire pattern, stuck at full flaps, in high density altitude (FL heat) and only reached less than 300 ft altitude by short final, then made a successful landing. Normally, the full flap notch is pretty easy to release the handle, if not maybe too loose on the ground.
So, is there a solution to this flap problem besides electric flaps or keeping rookies out of the pattern?
Thanks