A US Marine Corps pilot successfully landed his Harrier Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) fighter on a stool after his front landing ge...
A US Marine Corps pilot successfully landed his Harrier Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) fighter on a stool after his front landing gear failed to deploy.
The amazing landing happened onboard the USS Bataan, an amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy on June 7, 2014.
After taking off with his AV-8B Harrier from the ship, Captain William Mahoney noticed a malfunction with his front landing. The fault was confirmed by the crew onboard the ship after he made a low pass over it with his landing gear deployed.
A stool to support the fighter's nose upon landing was quickly devised and was placed on the landing deck. The deck was cleared as a potential error could lead to crash and explosion of $30 million worth jump jet.
The pilot skillfully vectored the engine thrust through the four nozzles downwards and stabilised the aircraft 20 feet above the stool with the aide of landing lights and air traffic controllers in the ship.
He further reduced the lift, which dropped the aircraft on to the stool. The main landing gear hit the deck first, after which the aircraft radome came to rest on the stool successfully.
