Clearance Ground Effect Rudder 
Plane and Pilot
JULY 1, 2025
A witness reported that they saw the airplane lift off from the runway and remain in ground effect until it crossed the departure end of the runway. Probable cause(s): The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees after takeoff, during high density altitude weather conditions. He had no further memory of the event.
Photographic Logbook
JANUARY 25, 2025
Syracuse advised of lake effect snow creating a wall between us and Sodus. Gilead and I, both trailing Ed, ran into dramatically lowering visibility and requested pop-up IFR clearances. I countered with aggressive right rudder and barely succeeded in keeping the plane on the runway. These were immediately granted.
Plane and Pilot
OCTOBER 3, 2024
An elegantly simple rope system inside the fuselage raises and lowers the Gweduck’s water rudder mounted inside the base of the main rudder (right). The only unconventional thing I noticed (as did the folks in back) was the rudder has a dead spot mid-travel. Overall, the controls were wonderful. The plane will fly itself off.
Expert insights. Personalized for you.
Let's personalize your content