DITCHING

GENERAL BRIEFING

V1.1

18 January 2007

DITCHING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
DITCHING - GENERAL DISCUSSION .................................................................. 3
SEA EVALUATION AND CONDITIONS ................................................................ 3
SELECTING THE OPTIMUM HEADING FOR DITCHING ..................................... 5
DITCHING PROCEDURES ................................................................................... 5
SELECTION OF DITCHING HEADING ................................................................. 6
SELECTION OF TOUCHDOWN POINT................................................................ 8

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DITCHING
GENERAL BRIEFING

V1.1

18 January 2007

Revision Record
Version

Date

Source

Change

30/12/02

FOT

Original Issue transferred

from original EP Manual

Capture
information

All

1.1

23/02/07

Introduction of General
Briefing Format

Online FOT
Library
introduction.

All

P. Donazzan

Subject Matter unchanged

Reason

Page/s

Disclaimer:
This briefing remains the property of QANTAS. Copying for other than students own use
is illegal. The subject content of this brief is correct at the time of publishing. In any case,
the Flight Crew Operations Manuals are the authoritative documents. It is the
responsibility of users to ensure that they are aware of changes or corrections to subject
matter circulated by QANTAS.

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GENERAL BRIEFING

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18 January 2007

DITCHING - GENERAL DISCUSSION

Model tests, which have been confirmed by the ditching of B377 Stratocruisers, KC97 Refuelling Tankers and a Russian TU124, indicated that an airplane when ditched
at the proper nose up attitude should land smoothly in the water without skipping
There are two principle factors which cause skipping. One is that the lifting capability
of the wing is increased when the aircraft's attitude is changed from a low angle at
the approach, to a higher angle after touchdown of the aft body. This change in
attitude, or rotation is caused by a suction force created by the upsweeping lines of
the aft body entering the water. If the speed of the aircraft has not been sufficiently
reduced due to contact with the water, the increased lift will cause the aircraft to skip.
The reaction force caused by the aircraft striking the water with a large surface area
may also induce skipping. This is the same principle that causes flat stones to skip
across the water when thrown at a flat angle. An aircraft ditched at the recommended
attitude and speed, should touchdown with a small surface area and should be
incapable of developing enough additional lift, due to rotation, to bounce clear of the
water. The attitude at touchdown will cause the loss of the trailing edge flaps, and
this will also reduce the available lift of the wings to prevent the aircraft from
bouncing off the water.
Type Specific Information
Please refer to your FCOM for type specific procedures and information.

SEA EVALUATION AND CONDITIONS

The pilot must know the sea and wind conditions to select a suitable ditching
heading. If an emergency occurs shortly after darkness he/she should have an
estimate of the best ditching heading from observations made during the daylight. It
is for this reason that pilots when flying into the dusk must note the sea conditions
and determine a ditching heading prior to darkness.
Many ships at sea send frequent weather reports including sea conditions. This
information may sometimes be obtained through an air ground station. It should be
realised however, that a forecast based on scattered ship reports and changing
weather conditions is subject to error.
To judge sea condition from the air, the pilot must have knowledge of what forces
combine to create the disturbance of the surface. The sea state is the condition of
the surface that is the result of waves, swells and wind direction.
Waves
Wave (or chop) is the condition of the surface caused by local winds. It is
characterised by its irregularity, short distance between crests, whitecaps and
breaking motion. The waves move in the same direction as the local wind and do not
exist for long unless the wind is blowing.
When the waves leave the area in which they were generated their energy is slowly
dissipated and at the same time their wavelength, period and velocity gradually
increase. For both of these reasons, the height decreases. The shorter waves have
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18 January 2007

less energy, and therefore disappear relatively quickly. The longer waves become
more regular.

VELOCITY KNOTS

SEA INDICATION

Calm
1-3
4-6

Like a mirror
Ripples with the appearance of scales
Small wavelets; crests have glossy
appearance and do not break
Large wavelets; crest begin to break.
Foam of glossy appearance
Small wavelets, becoming longer.
fairly frequent whitecaps
Moderate waves making a
pronounced long foam many
whitecaps
Large waves begin to form, white
foam crests are more extensive; some
spray
Sea heaps up and white foam from
breaking waves begin to be blown in
streaks along the direction of waves

7 - 10
11 - 16
17 - 21

22 - 27

28 - 33

34 - 40

41 - 47

48 - 55

Moderately high waves of greater

length; edges of crests break into
spindrift; foam blown in well marked
streaks in direction of the wind
High waves. Dense streaks of foam;
sea begins to roll; spray affects
visibility
Very high waves with overhanging
crest; foam in great patches blown in
dense white streaks. Whole surface of
sea takes on a white appearance.
Visibility is affected

HEIGHT OF WAVES
(FT)
0
1/2
1
2
5
10

15

20

25

30

35

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SELECTING THE OPTIMUM HEADING FOR DITCHING

The objective is to select a landing direction that will result in the minimum relative
speed between the aircraft and the swell system. The best heading for ditching is
usually parallel to the major swell system. There is a choice of two headings
paralleling the primary system:
Downwind and down the secondary swell.
Into the wind and into the secondary swell.
The choice of heading will depend on the velocity of the wind versus the velocity and
height of the secondary swell.
The next best heading for ditching is parallel to the minor swell system and down the
major swell system. The choice of these will be determined by the heading that gives
the greatest component of wind on the nose of the aircraft.
A descent is then made to 200 feet and the aircraft flown on successive headings
each decreased by 45 degrees until the full 360 has been evaluated. The heading on
which the sea appears the smoothest should be noted and checked against the
direction of the main swell system as observed at 2,000 feet.
The final heading should parallel the main system with minor adjustments to
accommodate the secondary systems and at the same time taking advantage, where
possible, of the wind. Look for a relatively smooth area. Also, look ahead for extra
rough areas and try to avoid them.

DITCHING PROCEDURES
Ditching

Note or sketch this information:

MAJOR SWELL direction.
MINOR SWELL direction.
WIND.
DITCH HEADING.

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SELECTION OF DITCHING HEADING

Average run out on ditching requires 250-700 feet taking approximately 5 8
seconds.
1st Choice: LAND PARALLEL TO THE SWELL OR AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE

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2nd Choice: LAND GROUND SWELL

This choice depends on length of swell. The aircraft touching down on the crest must
come to rest short of the next crest. In the long swells of the Pacific this technique
would be a logical one . However, in the Atlantic, shorter swell lengths ordinarily
prevent this heading except when landing down a secondary swell system. (In some
cases selection of a ditching heading to parallel a major swell system may require
landing down swell on minor system.)

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SELECTION OF TOUCHDOWN POINT

On final approach look ahead and observe the surface of the sea. There may be
shadows and whitecaps - signs of large seas. Shadows and whitecaps close together
indicate that the seas are rough and short - avoid these seas. Select and touch
down in an area (only about 500 feet is needed) where the shadows and whitecaps
are not so numerous.

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