Snake on board

[Flyin'[email protected]]

I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.


Pilot Fights Black Snake Stowaway on Plane
Friday, June 02, 2006

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Monty Coles was 3,000 feet in the air when he
discovered a stowaway peeking out at him from the plane's instrument panel
— a 4 1/2-foot black snake.

Coles had left Charleston earlier for a leisurely flight over the West
Virginia countryside last Saturday in his Piper Cherokee and was preparing
to land in Gallipolis, Ohio, when the snake revealed itself.

"Nothing in any of the manuals ever described anything like this," the
62-year-old Cross Lanes resident said. But the advice given 25 years
earlier from his flight instructor immediately came to mind: "No matter
what happens, fly the plane."

An attempt to swat the snake only resulted in it falling to Coles' feet
under the rudder pedals. It then darted to the other side of the cockpit.

While maintaining control of the single-engine plane with one hand, Coles
grabbed the reptile behind its head with his other.

"There was no way I was letting that thing go. It coiled all around my arm,
and its tail grabbed hold of a lever on the floor and started pulling,"
Coles said.

--
Mike Flyin'8
PP-ASEL
Temecula, CA
http://flying.4alexanders.com

[Guy Elden Jr]

wrote:
> I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.

I guess we'll find out how Samuel L. Jackson reacts to Snakes on a
Plane in a couple months. That movie looks / sounds so cheesy, it just
might be good!

--
Guy

[Peter Duniho]

> wrote in message
...
>I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.

Hard to say exactly what kind of snake was involved, but I'm not aware of
any venomous snakes in the US that are all black. A venomous snake would
certainly worry me a bit, but a non-venomous one (such as was most likely
involved in this story) is unlikely to cause any sort of trouble at all,
unless the pilot specifically attacks it (such as in the posted story). The
worst it is likely to do is bite, which would be painful but not otherwise
threatening to the flight.

Even a venemous snake could easily leave the pilot alone all the way to a
safe landing, as long as the pilot leaves it alone too. IMHO, the correct
response would be to simply identify the nearest airport and land there
ASAP. Once on the ground, then you can worry about whether the snake is
venomous, and what to do with it (generally speaking, the local animal
control officials would be a good place to start).

Wrestling with a snake in the airplane when you ought to be flying the plane
instead seems like a pretty bad idea.

Pete

[Jim Macklin]

At least it is a non-poisonous snake. I've heard of
copperheads and rattlesnakes getting into airplanes. It
should make for a more complete pre-flight.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


> wrote in message
...
|I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could
not resist.
| Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of
snakes.
|
|
| Pilot Fights Black Snake Stowaway on Plane
| Friday, June 02, 2006
|
| CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Monty Coles was 3,000 feet in the air
when he
| discovered a stowaway peeking out at him from the plane's
instrument panel
| - a 4 1/2-foot black snake.
|
| Coles had left Charleston earlier for a leisurely flight
over the West
| Virginia countryside last Saturday in his Piper Cherokee
and was preparing
| to land in Gallipolis, Ohio, when the snake revealed
itself.
|
| "Nothing in any of the manuals ever described anything
like this," the
| 62-year-old Cross Lanes resident said. But the advice
given 25 years
| earlier from his flight instructor immediately came to
mind: "No matter
| what happens, fly the plane."
|
| An attempt to swat the snake only resulted in it falling
to Coles' feet
| under the rudder pedals. It then darted to the other side
of the cockpit.
|
| While maintaining control of the single-engine plane with
one hand, Coles
| grabbed the reptile behind its head with his other.
|
| "There was no way I was letting that thing go. It coiled
all around my arm,
| and its tail grabbed hold of a lever on the floor and
started pulling,"
| Coles said.
|
| --
| Mike Flyin'8
| PP-ASEL
| Temecula, CA
| http://flying.4alexanders.com

[Morgans]

> wrote in message
...
>I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.
>
>
> Pilot Fights Black Snake Stowaway on Plane
> Friday, June 02, 2006

You know the old saying, "it is more afraid of you, than you are of them?"

That applies in the case of a black snake. They are about as dangerous as a
hamster.

Still, I understand the fear that some people have about snakes.
--
Jim in NC

[Robert M. Gary]

You just need to explain to the snake that you have a mutual interest
in the outcome of the flight.

-Robert

wrote:
> I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.
>

[Wiz]

I believe the article was not saying it was a snake that was black in
color, but that it was a "black snake," also known as a "rat snake."
They get big, but are not venemous nor particularly aggressive. Still,
I wouldn't want one pulling levers in the plane...

Cheers,
Wiz

Peter Duniho wrote:
> > wrote in message
> ...
> >I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
> > Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.
>
> Hard to say exactly what kind of snake was involved, but I'm not aware of
> any venomous snakes in the US that are all black. A venomous snake would
> certainly worry me a bit, but a non-venomous one (such as was most likely
> involved in this story) is unlikely to cause any sort of trouble at all,
> unless the pilot specifically attacks it (such as in the posted story). The
> worst it is likely to do is bite, which would be painful but not otherwise
> threatening to the flight.
>
> Even a venemous snake could easily leave the pilot alone all the way to a
> safe landing, as long as the pilot leaves it alone too. IMHO, the correct
> response would be to simply identify the nearest airport and land there
> ASAP. Once on the ground, then you can worry about whether the snake is
> venomous, and what to do with it (generally speaking, the local animal
> control officials would be a good place to start).
>
> Wrestling with a snake in the airplane when you ought to be flying the plane
> instead seems like a pretty bad idea.
>
> Pete

[Morgans]

"Peter Duniho" > wrote

> Hard to say exactly what kind of snake was involved, but I'm not aware of
> any venomous snakes in the US that are all black.

A "black snake" is a real type of snake, not just "a snake that is black."

They are about as benign of a snake that exists. They hang out in gardens,
and in forests, and don't constitute any threat to people. They may bite
you, if you corner them, but all you get is a couple of puncture wounds out
of the deal.
--
Jim in NC

[FLAV8R]

Personally, I don't care what color the snake is I'm sqwaking 7500 and
running after I land.

I had an incident with a couple of wasps in my car that was probably more
dangerous than
a snake in a plane.
Almost totaled my car trying to keep them away from my face.

David - Afraid of Bees, Wasps, Palmetto bugs, Snakes and anything that
crawls on my
neck or leg where I can't see what it is.

P.S. Just kidding about the 7500 so don't bother responding negatively about
it.

[C. Massey]

"Peter Duniho" > wrote in message
...
> > wrote in message
> ...
>>I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
>> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.
>
> Hard to say exactly what kind of snake was involved, but I'm not aware of
> any venomous snakes in the US that are all black. A venomous snake would
> certainly worry me a bit, but a non-venomous one (such as was most likely
> involved in this story) is unlikely to cause any sort of trouble at all,
> unless the pilot specifically attacks it (such as in the posted story).
> The worst it is likely to do is bite, which would be painful but not
> otherwise threatening to the flight.
>


In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!




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[Dan Luke]

"C. Massey" wrote:
>
>
>
> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!

A little education would cure that. Many snakes are beneficial to humans;
it's a mistake to kill them indiscriminately.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

[Dan Luke]

Good interview with the pilot on NPR:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5448666

[Morgans]

"FLAV8R" > wrote

> I had an incident with a couple of wasps in my car that was probably more
> dangerous than
> a snake in a plane.
> Almost totaled my car trying to keep them away from my face.

Yeah, as a carpenter, it is sometimes hard to remember that trying to
"run-away" from insects, of the stinging variety, will be much more painful
than moving away at a slow pace....

while you are on a scaffold board 25 feet in the air, working on an old
house. <bfg>
--
Jim in NC

[Peter Duniho]

"Wiz" > wrote in message
ps.com...
>I believe the article was not saying it was a snake that was black in
> color, but that it was a "black snake," also known as a "rat snake."

It's true that many people refer to the black rat snake as a "black snake",
but the article is not clear on this, and there are other black snakes
referred to as a "black snake".

If the article had said it was a "black rat snake" then we'd know for sure
what kind of snake it was. But they didn't, so we don't.

[Peter Duniho]

"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
> A "black snake" is a real type of snake, not just "a snake that is black."

No, it's not. There is no single snake that is uniquely known as a "black
snake".

Just because people in different regions use a generic term to describe a
common snake in their area, that doesn't make it a correct taxonomic
description.

[C. Massey]

"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
>
> "C. Massey" wrote:
> >
>>
>>
>> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
>
> A little education would cure that. Many snakes are beneficial to humans;
> it's a mistake to kill them indiscriminately.
>


All of the education in the world won't change my mind!

And where did I say anything about killing snakes? Personally, I won't get
close enough to a snake to kill it!




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[Dan Luke]

"C. Massey" wrote:

>>>
>>> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
>>
>> A little education would cure that. Many snakes are beneficial to
>> humans; it's a mistake to kill them indiscriminately.
>>
>
>
> All of the education in the world won't change my mind!

I hear ya'. I feel the same way about spiders.

> And where did I say anything about killing snakes? Personally, I won't get
> close enough to a snake to kill it!

OK. Just leave 'em alone and they'll do the same for you.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

[Jim Macklin]

A snake can keep the mice and rats out of the airplane.
Rats and mice eat insulation from wires. You might want to
add a snake to your cat, dog, duck IFR kit.



--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
|
| "C. Massey" wrote:
| >
| >
| >
| > In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
|
| A little education would cure that. Many snakes are
beneficial to humans;
| it's a mistake to kill them indiscriminately.
|
| --
| Dan
| C172RG at BFM
|
|

[[email protected]]

C. Massey wrote:
> "Peter Duniho" > wrote in message
> ...
> > > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
> >> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.
> >
> > Hard to say exactly what kind of snake was involved, but I'm not aware of
> > any venomous snakes in the US that are all black. A venomous snake would
> > certainly worry me a bit, but a non-venomous one (such as was most likely
> > involved in this story) is unlikely to cause any sort of trouble at all,
> > unless the pilot specifically attacks it (such as in the posted story).
> > The worst it is likely to do is bite, which would be painful but not
> > otherwise threatening to the flight.
> >
>
>
> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
>

Isn't that rather like saying "In my eyes, all privately owned
aircraft are a threat to National Security?"

It is one thing to be stupid, it is another to be so proud
of being stupid as to announce it to the world.

--

FF

[[email protected]]

C. Massey wrote:
> "Dan Luke" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "C. Massey" wrote:
> > >
> >>
> >>
> >> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
> >
> > A little education would cure that. Many snakes are beneficial to humans;
> > it's a mistake to kill them indiscriminately.
> >
>
>
> All of the education in the world won't change my mind!

Which pretty well illustrates the difference between ignorance
and stupidity, or a phobic delusion.

>
> And where did I say anything about killing snakes? Personally, I won't get
> close enough to a snake to kill it!

I, and our little wriggly friends, the snakes, are quite happy to hear
that.

--

FF

(Now for an animal that is inherently evil, consider the
minature poodle.)

[C. Massey]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> C. Massey wrote:
>> "Peter Duniho" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> >>I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
>> >> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.
>> >
>> > Hard to say exactly what kind of snake was involved, but I'm not aware
>> > of
>> > any venomous snakes in the US that are all black. A venomous snake
>> > would
>> > certainly worry me a bit, but a non-venomous one (such as was most
>> > likely
>> > involved in this story) is unlikely to cause any sort of trouble at
>> > all,
>> > unless the pilot specifically attacks it (such as in the posted story).
>> > The worst it is likely to do is bite, which would be painful but not
>> > otherwise threatening to the flight.
>> >
>>
>>
>> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
>>
>
> Isn't that rather like saying "In my eyes, all privately owned
> aircraft are a threat to National Security?"
>


Only if there is a snake inside of them!


> It is one thing to be stupid, it is another to be so proud
> of being stupid as to announce it to the world.
>


So, I am afraid of snakes. I don't like snakes. I have no desire to be near
snakes. Why does that make me stupid?

I don't guess that *you* are afraid of anything, huh?




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[[email protected]]

C. Massey wrote:
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> >
> > C. Massey wrote:
> >> "Peter Duniho" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > > wrote in message
> >> > ...
> >> >>I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not resist.
> >> >> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.
> >> >
> >> > Hard to say exactly what kind of snake was involved, but I'm not aware
> >> > of
> >> > any venomous snakes in the US that are all black. A venomous snake
> >> > would
> >> > certainly worry me a bit, but a non-venomous one (such as was most
> >> > likely
> >> > involved in this story) is unlikely to cause any sort of trouble at
> >> > all,
> >> > unless the pilot specifically attacks it (such as in the posted story).
> >> > The worst it is likely to do is bite, which would be painful but not
> >> > otherwise threatening to the flight.
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
> >>
> >
> > Isn't that rather like saying "In my eyes, all privately owned
> > aircraft are a threat to National Security?"
> >
>
> Only if there is a snake inside of them!
>
>
> > It is one thing to be stupid, it is another to be so proud
> > of being stupid as to announce it to the world.
> >
>
>
> So, I am afraid of snakes. I don't like snakes. I have no desire to be near
> snakes. Why does that make me stupid?

That doesn't. You may be a bit irrational, or more than a bit. The
stupidity came in when you wrote that in your eyes all snakes
are venomous. The world is ful of dangers. We stay safe by
understanding those dangers and how to deal with them.
Then there is no need to be afraid.

For instance, one of the earliest thing I can remember my
father teaching me was how to tell a venonmous snake from
a harmless one.

>
> I don't guess that *you* are afraid of anything, huh?
>

I'm deathly afraid of stupidity.

--

FF

[C. Massey]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> C. Massey wrote:
>> > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>> >
>> > C. Massey wrote:
>> >> "Peter Duniho" > wrote in message
>> >> ...
>> >> > > wrote in message
>> >> > ...
>> >> >>I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not
>> >> >>resist.
>> >> >> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.
>> >> >
>> >> > Hard to say exactly what kind of snake was involved, but I'm not
>> >> > aware
>> >> > of
>> >> > any venomous snakes in the US that are all black. A venomous snake
>> >> > would
>> >> > certainly worry me a bit, but a non-venomous one (such as was most
>> >> > likely
>> >> > involved in this story) is unlikely to cause any sort of trouble at
>> >> > all,
>> >> > unless the pilot specifically attacks it (such as in the posted
>> >> > story).
>> >> > The worst it is likely to do is bite, which would be painful but not
>> >> > otherwise threatening to the flight.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Isn't that rather like saying "In my eyes, all privately owned
>> > aircraft are a threat to National Security?"
>> >
>>
>> Only if there is a snake inside of them!
>>
>>
>> > It is one thing to be stupid, it is another to be so proud
>> > of being stupid as to announce it to the world.
>> >
>>
>>
>> So, I am afraid of snakes. I don't like snakes. I have no desire to be
>> near
>> snakes. Why does that make me stupid?
>
> That doesn't. You may be a bit irrational, or more than a bit. The
> stupidity came in when you wrote that in your eyes all snakes
> are venomous. The world is ful of dangers. We stay safe by
> understanding those dangers and how to deal with them.
> Then there is no need to be afraid.



I don't like snakes so I am irrational? My point by saying that all snakes
are posinous is that I will keep my distance from all snakes, be it a rattle
snake or a grass snake. I don't like snakes and don't want to be near them.
Is that OK with you?



<snip>




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[Matt Barrow]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
>>
>> I don't guess that *you* are afraid of anything, huh?
>>
>
> I'm deathly afraid of stupidity.
>

Self-loathing, Fred.

[Matt Barrow]

"C. Massey" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
> I don't like snakes so I am irrational? My point by saying that all snakes
> are posinous is that I will keep my distance from all snakes, be it a
> rattle snake or a grass snake. I don't like snakes and don't want to be
> near them. Is that OK with you?
>

Nah!! Fred's into macho bull****!

Let's hope he tries to fondle an anaconda.

[[email protected]]

C. Massey wrote:
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> ...
> >>
> >> So, I am afraid of snakes. I don't like snakes. I have no desire to be
> >> near
> >> snakes. Why does that make me stupid?
> >
> > That doesn't. You may be a bit irrational, or more than a bit. The
> > stupidity came in when you wrote that in your eyes all snakes
> > are venomous. The world is ful of dangers. We stay safe by
> > understanding those dangers and how to deal with them.
> > Then there is no need to be afraid.
>
>
>
> I don't like snakes so I am irrational?

No, but but you are irrational if you are so afraid of them that
you can't think straight about them. Sort of like the attitude
a lot people have towards gays or Christians.

> My point by saying that all snakes
> are posinous is that I will keep my distance from all snakes, be it a rattle
> snake or a grass snake. I don't like snakes and don't want to be near them.
> Is that OK with you?

Sure.

My brother, a herpetologist, was a borderline arachnaphobe until he
went to Guam to work on the brown tree snake control project. The
brown tree snakes, a mildly venomous species, have spread to several
islands in the Pacific, probably as stowaways on board aircraft or
ships. They have been found on planes.

As Guam previously had no snakes or comparable predators they
have devastated the local bird populatio, which in turn has caused
a rise in the local insect population and therefor a rise in the
population
of insect predators--like spiders. He found that crawling though the
spider webs in the bush was a lot more disturbing than the numerous
bites he received from the aggressive snakes. But he got used to
it and is a lot less arachnophobic now than before.

--

FF

[[email protected]]

Matt Barrow wrote:
> "C. Massey" > wrote in message
> . com...
> >
> > > wrote in message
> > oups.com...
> >
> > I don't like snakes so I am irrational? My point by saying that all snakes
> > are posinous is that I will keep my distance from all snakes, be it a
> > rattle snake or a grass snake. I don't like snakes and don't want to be
> > near them. Is that OK with you?
> >
>
> Nah!! Fred's into macho bull****!
>
> Let's hope he tries to fondle an anaconda.

If you're referring to mine, I'm flattered!

--

FF

[C. Massey]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> C. Massey wrote:
>> > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>> ...
>> >>
>> >> So, I am afraid of snakes. I don't like snakes. I have no desire to be
>> >> near
>> >> snakes. Why does that make me stupid?
>> >
>> > That doesn't. You may be a bit irrational, or more than a bit. The
>> > stupidity came in when you wrote that in your eyes all snakes
>> > are venomous. The world is ful of dangers. We stay safe by
>> > understanding those dangers and how to deal with them.
>> > Then there is no need to be afraid.
>>
>>
>>
>> I don't like snakes so I am irrational?
>
> No, but but you are irrational if you are so afraid of them that
> you can't think straight about them. Sort of like the attitude
> a lot people have towards gays or Christians.
>


I am a Christian and gays don't bother me any as long as they don't play
grab ass with me.

I am still afraid of snakes and always will be. Your trying to make fun of
me about this isn't going to change my mind. Your a big macho heman and I am
just a little ol' pussy because I don't like snakes. Get over it!




>> My point by saying that all snakes
>> are posinous is that I will keep my distance from all snakes, be it a
>> rattle
>> snake or a grass snake. I don't like snakes and don't want to be near
>> them.
>> Is that OK with you?
>
> Sure.
>
> My brother, a herpetologist, was a borderline arachnaphobe until he
> went to Guam to work on the brown tree snake control project. The
> brown tree snakes, a mildly venomous species, have spread to several
> islands in the Pacific, probably as stowaways on board aircraft or
> ships. They have been found on planes.
>
> As Guam previously had no snakes or comparable predators they
> have devastated the local bird populatio, which in turn has caused
> a rise in the local insect population and therefor a rise in the
> population
> of insect predators--like spiders. He found that crawling though the
> spider webs in the bush was a lot more disturbing than the numerous
> bites he received from the aggressive snakes. But he got used to
> it and is a lot less arachnophobic now than before.
>


Great... I am soooo proud of your brother. He is my new hero.

I'm finished with this subject. I'm sure no one here wants to see us arguing
about something off topic that doesn't amount to a hill of beans...

Bye...




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[C. Massey]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Matt Barrow wrote:
>> "C. Massey" > wrote in message
>> . com...
>> >
>> > > wrote in message
>> > oups.com...
>> >
>> > I don't like snakes so I am irrational? My point by saying that all
>> > snakes
>> > are posinous is that I will keep my distance from all snakes, be it a
>> > rattle snake or a grass snake. I don't like snakes and don't want to be
>> > near them. Is that OK with you?
>> >
>>
>> Nah!! Fred's into macho bull****!
>>
>> Let's hope he tries to fondle an anaconda.
>
> If you're referring to mine, I'm flattered!
>


Seems that Fred has an anaconda and an inch worm confused...




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[[email protected]]

C. Massey wrote:
>
> I am a Christian and gays don't bother me any as long as they don't play
> grab ass with me.
>

Neither bother me either.

--

FF

[Gig 601XL Builder]

"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
>
> "C. Massey" wrote:
> >
>>
>>
>> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
>
> A little education would cure that. Many snakes are beneficial to humans;
> it's a mistake to kill them indiscriminately.
>
> --
> Dan
> C172RG at BFM
>

I agree with Mr. Massey all snakes are venomous just like all guns are
loaded. Treat them as such and your chances of getting poisoned or shot drop
dramatically.

[Matt Barrow]

"Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net> wrote in message
...
>
> "Dan Luke" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "C. Massey" wrote:
>> >
>>>
>>>
>>> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
>>
>> A little education would cure that. Many snakes are beneficial to
>> humans; it's a mistake to kill them indiscriminately.

Snakocide?

> I agree with Mr. Massey all snakes are venomous just like all guns are
> loaded. Treat them as such and your chances of getting poisoned or shot
> drop dramatically.

Whateryagonnado, ask it for ID? They ain't got shoulders much less a wallet.

[pgbnh]

Care to share your father's wisdom:?????
For instance, one of the earliest thing I can remember my
father teaching me was how to tell a venonmous snake from
a harmless one.
(Nothing to do with flying, but neither do most discussions here,
eventually)

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> C. Massey wrote:
>> > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>> >
>> > C. Massey wrote:
>> >> "Peter Duniho" > wrote in message
>> >> ...
>> >> > > wrote in message
>> >> > ...
>> >> >>I do not usually like to copy and paste, but this I could not
>> >> >>resist.
>> >> >> Makes me wonder how I would react. I am not a fan of snakes.
>> >> >
>> >> > Hard to say exactly what kind of snake was involved, but I'm not
>> >> > aware
>> >> > of
>> >> > any venomous snakes in the US that are all black. A venomous snake
>> >> > would
>> >> > certainly worry me a bit, but a non-venomous one (such as was most
>> >> > likely
>> >> > involved in this story) is unlikely to cause any sort of trouble at
>> >> > all,
>> >> > unless the pilot specifically attacks it (such as in the posted
>> >> > story).
>> >> > The worst it is likely to do is bite, which would be painful but not
>> >> > otherwise threatening to the flight.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> In my eyes, ALL snakes are venomous!!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Isn't that rather like saying "In my eyes, all privately owned
>> > aircraft are a threat to National Security?"
>> >
>>
>> Only if there is a snake inside of them!
>>
>>
>> > It is one thing to be stupid, it is another to be so proud
>> > of being stupid as to announce it to the world.
>> >
>>
>>
>> So, I am afraid of snakes. I don't like snakes. I have no desire to be
>> near
>> snakes. Why does that make me stupid?
>
> That doesn't. You may be a bit irrational, or more than a bit. The
> stupidity came in when you wrote that in your eyes all snakes
> are venomous. The world is ful of dangers. We stay safe by
> understanding those dangers and how to deal with them.
> Then there is no need to be afraid.
>
> For instance, one of the earliest thing I can remember my
> father teaching me was how to tell a venonmous snake from
> a harmless one.
>
>>
>> I don't guess that *you* are afraid of anything, huh?
>>
>
> I'm deathly afraid of stupidity.
>
> --
>
> FF
>

[Peter Duniho]

"pgbnh" > wrote in message
...
> Care to share your father's wisdom:?????
> For instance, one of the earliest thing I can remember my
> father teaching me was how to tell a venonmous snake from
> a harmless one.

There's no reliable 100% method, short of being a snake expert and being
able to identify the species of snake.

However, conventional wisdom holds that a distinctly triangular head belongs
to a venomous snake, while a rounded head belongs to a non-venomous snake.
There are other physical characteristics that are typical of venomous versus
non-venomous, but if you're not sure the snake is non-venomous already, you
probably don't want to get close enough to check those (eyes, sensory
organs, tail scales).

Statistically speaking, if you come across a snake most likely it's not
venomous. There just aren't that many kinds of venomous snakes in the US,
compared to the total number of types of snakes. Beyond that, more than
half are varieties of rattlesnakes, so a snake with a real rattle is a dead
giveaway. If you learn to identify the remainder -- copperheads, coral
snakes, and cottonmouths (water moccasins) -- you can be reasonably sure of
knowing whether you're dealing with a venomous snake or not (in the US, that
is).

That said, venomous or not, it seems to me that having a snake in the
airplane requires the same action. I personally wouldn't want to rely on my
snake identification skills for the purpose of determining whether to
continue the flight or not. Any animal, snake or otherwise, in the airplane
that I didn't put there on purpose is grounds for an immediate landing and
removal of the animal. Even non-venomous snakes or other animals can
present a hazard to the safety of the flight and should be removed as soon
as possible.

And you aren't going to treat a venomous snake differently than a
non-venomous one, or any other animal for that matter. Leave it alone, fly
as gently as possible, and get out of the airplane once you've landed. Let
a professional deal with removing the animal from the airplane unless you
are 100% confident you can remove the animal safely (for yourself AND for
the animal).

Pete

[Matt Barrow]

"pgbnh" > wrote in message
...
> Care to share your father's wisdom:?????
> For instance, one of the earliest thing I can remember my
> father teaching me was how to tell a venonmous snake from
> a harmless one.

Let it bite you on the hand.

[[email protected]]

pgbnh wrote:
> Care to share your father's wisdom:?????
> For instance, one of the earliest thing I can remember my
> father teaching me was how to tell a venonmous snake from
> a harmless one.
> (Nothing to do with flying, but neither do most discussions here,
> eventually)

For many venomous snakes (and any that might have been found
in our backyard) the distinctive feature is the triangular head. If
you are familiar with the harmless snakes of NE Ohio then when
you see a rattlesnake or a copperhead, which I didn't until I
was much older, that triangular head really stands out as a striking
feature (no pun intended) which is common to pit vipers.
Cottomouth watter mocasains are the other native pit-viper.

The only seriously venomous snake native to the US that is not
a pit viper is the coral snake. There is only one native snake
with similar coloration (possibly mimicry) so it's easily avoided
as well.

In fact there are so few venomous snakes native
to the US, and most of those rattlesnakes of one sort or
another, that it is easy to learn to identify those by species.
At least as easy as identifying common birds like robins
or blue jays.

There are other native snakes with mildly toxic saliva or fangs
in the rear of their mouth that can only inject venom into prey
they are swallowing, so those are not deadly to people.

--

FF

[[email protected]]

Matt Barrow wrote:
> "Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net> wrote in message
> ...
>
> ...
>
> > I agree with Mr. Massey all snakes are venomous just like all guns are
> > loaded. Treat them as such and your chances of getting poisoned or shot
> > drop dramatically.
>
> Whateryagonnado, ask it for ID? They ain't got shoulders much less a wallet.

How do you tell one model of airplane from another, do you have
all the N-numbers memorized?

--

FF

[Montblack]

("Peter Duniho" wrote)
> That said, venomous or not, it seems to me that having a snake in the
> airplane requires the same action. I personally wouldn't want to rely on
> my snake identification skills for the purpose of determining whether to
> continue the flight or not. Any animal, snake or otherwise, in the
> airplane that I didn't put there on purpose is grounds for an immediate
> landing and removal of the animal. Even non-venomous snakes or other
> animals can present a hazard to the safety of the flight and should be
> removed as soon as possible.


Now you're just being a smart-asp! :-)

http://www.anapsid.org/smartsnakes.html
Speaking of smart asps

Funny snake vs. military site!
http://extlab1.entnem.ufl.edu/ih8pcs/humor/snake.htm
The Differential Theory of U.S. Armed Forces
Upon encountering a snake in the Area of Operations (AO):


Montblack

[Montblack]

>
>> I am a Christian and gays don't bother me any as long as they don't play
>> grab ass with me.

> Neither bother me either.


I'm left to guess - exactly which two out of the three things don't bother
you? :-)


Montblack

[C. Massey]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
>>
>> ...
>>
>> I agree with Mr. Massey all snakes are venomous just like all guns are
>> loaded. Treat them as such and your chances of getting poisoned or shot
>> drop
>> dramatically.
>
> Safety demands that you know if the gun is loaded or not, even though
> you handle as if it were.
>
> You don't clean a loaded gun, you don't pack a loaded gun in your
> luggage when you fly, you don't put a loaded gun away in long-term
> storage.


FF, are you a pilot?



>
> In the snakes-on-a-plane scenario, if the pilot didn't know if the
> snake was a black ratsnake or a blake mamba (neither of those
> are pit vipers) hitting it with a radio and trying to grab it would
> be foolish. OTOH, after identifying it as a harmless snake it
> made good sense to grab and hold it out of harms way, (for
> both of them) rather than leaving it free to do something like
> curl up behind a rudder pedal.
>
> --
>
> FF
>




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[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Every time I see this thread, I think someone has taken our resident troll
for a ride...
:-)

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.