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Aviation No Tie Downs: We’re going to put it in the trees

October 18, 2021

Episode 1

In the Spring of 2021, Truman O’Brien and Craig Beles, two pilots from Vashon Island, WA experienced what pilots prepare for and fear the most – a crash landing in hostile terrain. Returning from dropping off one of their planes for a paint job, engine failure just south of Mt. St. Helens, WA caused them to use some incredible decision-making skills as they rapidly descended to the forest floor. Watch this first part in a 4-part series to hear what was going through the heads as they “put it in the trees.”

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Article by Lightspeed Aviation

Lightspeed Aviation is a leading manufacturer of premium aviation headsets and helmet products. Since the first product was introduced in 1996 at AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI., the company has established a reputation for leading innovation in the aviation headset marketplace with a number of “first to market” advances, technologies, and features. In 2022, the company launched a new category of aviation products called “Safety Wearables”. Layering life-saving technologies on top of their award-winning audio and ANR platform, Lightspeed ushered in a new era of aviation safety. With this, the company continues to live its mission of “creating products that protect and save lives”. Additionally, Lightspeed is a passionate supporter of initiatives to encourage the next generation of pilots through its support of programs like Young Eagles and Ray Scholars. The company is proud to have participated in helping countless young people experience everything from a discovery flight to getting a Pilot Certificate.

7 thoughts on “Aviation No Tie Downs: We’re going to put it in the trees”

  1. This is an incredibly good example of FLIT: Forced Landing Into Trees!

    It so happens that trees are the most prolific as well as the best energy-absorbing ‘obstacles’ that can be used for absorbing the kinetic energy of an aircraft, when in a largely horizontal orientation and flying close to stall speed!

    FLIT: Forced Landing Into Trees provides pilots with multiple additional potentially life-saving emergency forced landing options when traditional emergency forced landing options are few: https://av8torsafety.com/flit/

  3. Many, many thanks to both Lightspeed and Craig and Truman. There is SO much good advice here – especially for us septuagenarian pilots. A valuable – and delightful – series of short videos with advice I will certainly never forget. ??

    • Lightspeed answering on behalf of Truman O’Brien

      When you’re in a stalled condition you are no longer in control and have no way to keep the airplane in the most advantageous attitude for impact. All it takes is a minimum airspeed above stall to maintain attitude control. The few knots extra speed will have minimal effect on the additional “Gs” you will sustain upon impact. This was certainly the case in our crash.

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