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Aircraft Safety

American Bonanza Society Campaigns to Eliminate Gear-Up Landings

Owner group says landing gear mishaps account for more than 40 percent of type accidents.

Jonathan Welsh
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Jonathan Welsh

Beechcraft Bonanza A36 [Credit: American Bonanza Society]

The American Bonanza Society has begun a campaign aimed at training pilots to avoid costly gear-up landings and other landing gear problems that have plagued the type and its owners for decades.

The Wichita, Kansas-based type club and its ABS Air Safety Foundation introduced PutYourGearDown.com, a yearlong program meant to reduce the number of landing gear accidents involving Beechcraft Bonanzas, Debonairs, Barons, and Travel Airs. According to the ABS, mishaps with landing gear account for more than 40 percent of all accidents involving the types.

Jonathan Welsh

Jonathan Welsh is a private pilot and lifelong aviation enthusiast who has been a reporter, writer and columnist for 35 years. His career includes stints with the Wall Street Journal, Flying Magazine and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He recently returned to Firecrown to lead Aviation Consumer.