Yes, a number of times, STOL kitted C 150. My personal record is 11 MPH backward as indicated by GPS.
lionel wrote:
Cue the Antonov AN2 operators that can do that in moderate wind. Wikipedia says the plane is “in full control” at 26 knots.
Well…. yes but at that speed it won’t fly much either but hang in what they call a parashute descent. You can fly backwards like this, sure. I’d think where it will fly straight and level would be at least at about 40 kts. If you go slower than that, the slats will deploy and unless you add power it will descend and if you do, it will recover. Normally an AN2 will fly around 100-110kts cruise.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
Well…. yes but at that speed it won’t fly much either but hang in what they call a parashute descent.
Parachute descent is given at about 22 knots, which indeed is a very small margin.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
I’d think where it will fly straight and level would be at least at about 40 kts. If you go slower than that, the slats will deploy and unless you add power it will descend
Oh, I thought one could fly straight and level with slats deployed.
Grob109 clmibing in stationary wave does that count as fixed wing? More excited by the VS on the vario than GS on the moving map
Obviously, I never experienced something similar close to the ground…
Never in a powered aircraft, but in a glider this is easily doable, for example in wave over the alps.
120kph IAS and still going a couple of kph backwards or at zero groundspeed as to not confuse ATC :)
This is probably one of the most relaxing situations in aviation. You are in completely calm air, don’t move anywhere and just enjoy the marvellous view over the alps.
aart wrote:
I once heard a story about someone doing a vertical circuit, i.e. taking off normal, ‘crosswind’ straight up (like a helicopter), ‘downwind’ going backwards (over the runway) and ‘base’ straight down like a helicopter. ATC did not see the humour of it and he got fined.Great story but, like so many, could be invented..
Not invented. I have not done this myself, but I have watched it done on the Canadian prairies while taking my initial PPL training. It was in a C152 at a towered airport on a day when the wind was really howling right down the runway, with full ATC agreement/clearance. It could be approved on days when only the airlines were flying and there was almost no other traffic. The runway was about 8000’. Essentially, during taxi/hold the instructor requested exactly that ….. “C-GABC request vertical circuits ….. C-GABC clear for vertical circuits, call for taxi when completed”. So the clearance was a bit like “clear for the option”. Very fun to watch as the C152 took off, climbed to 1000’, reduced power to fly backwards down the runway, then approached/descended still on runway heading to a normal landing, repeat. Did about 10-15 “circuits” that way while I was watching. Very efficient way to practice takeoffs and landings. 
I have never actually gone backwards but got pretty close, with a GS of 20kt on a final approach to LDLO last year, with the bora wind blowing at about 70kt
