11. Landing Inverted

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • While aerobatic airplanes can fly inverted, landing upside down with standard landing gear would likely result in the aircraft's destruction.
  • Skilled aerobatic performer and Hollywood actor Craig Hosking has successfully executed numerous inverted landings.
  • Hosking achieved these unique landings by using a specially modified Pitts biplane equipped with landing gear on both the top and bottom of the aircraft.
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Can a plane land inverted? Of course, it can. Aerobatic airplanes are regularly flown upside down. But landing? Piece of cake for a skilled aerobatic ace, though. But unless it’s got landing gear on top, it’ll probably be their last landing. Aerobatic performer and Hollywood actor Craig Hosking has done it, many times! For a while, Hosking, who has been busy making movies of late (most recently on 2017’s Dunkirk), made inverted landings in his Pitts biplane specially outfitted with landing gear on both top and bottom. Thanks all the same, but we’ll avoid that plane if it shows up on the line at our flying club! Some temptations one does not need! 

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