11. Landing Inverted

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • While aerobatic planes can fly inverted, a traditional inverted landing is generally destructive due to the lack of landing gear on the upper surface.
  • Aerobatic performer Craig Hosking designed a specially outfitted Pitts biplane with landing gear on both its top and bottom, enabling him to successfully perform multiple inverted landings.
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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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