Student given close-up lesson in emergency landing

An air force pilot trainee was given a dramatic lesson in emergency landing today after a fault occurred in a training plane's landing gear.

The trainee, with an air force flying instructor, had been carrying out routine take-off and landing training at Ohakea Air Force Base as part of the student's RNZAF wings course when the fault was identified.

Ambulance and fire units were put on standby about 1pm as the air force King Air trainer circled the Manawatu base trying to use up about an hour's supply of fuel while attempting to fix the wheels.

If the problem continued, the plane would have to make a belly landing.

An air force spokesman said the instructor made a "textbook" emergency landing about 1.35pm.

The instructor had to land on the main wheels without a fully deployed nose-wheel landing gear.

- NZPA