Gear up

I now owned a retractable gear airplane. In reference to retractable gear there are
two kinds of pilots, those who have landed with the gear up and those who are going to.

I had worked all night the night before. I slept about four hours maybe, and then I flew to Sutton, West Virginia to retrieve Dad. We were a quarter-mile out on final approach to Middletown. A Lear jet pilot on the ground called, "Aircraft on final
approach, your gear is up."

Much to my distress, I looked and yes, my gear was up. I added power, set up
another approach, and landed uneventfully. Usually I look out the window and make sure the landing gear is down, especially just before touching down. I wonder if I would have landed gear up if not for the Lear jet pilot.

The airplane had its annual inspection about nine months later, and it was discovered that the gear warning horn had been disconnected. When the power is below a certain level and the gear is up, the gear warning horn starts to blare. It frequently annoys me and scares passengers. But if it will keep me from landing with the gear up, I think I will keep it connected.