Most Important Control On My Plane

[Charles Talleyrand]

Type of plane
I have a VFR Cessna 150.

Most important control
Radio transmit

Least important control
Pitot heat (if you need it, you shouldn't be flying)

Never working control
Parking brake

Scariest control
Landing light (when it suddenly failed during a night landing)

Control I never use
Transponder test

Control in the wrong place
Fuel shutoff (right where me feet can kick it)

Control I fixate about
Mixture

Control that impresses non-pilot passengers
GPS on button

[Jay Honeck]

> Most important control
> Radio transmit

Hey, I'm a "Use the radio, dammit!" guy from way back -- but even I
wouldn't rate the transmit button as my "most important control"...

Maybe number three or so...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[BT]

most important control
pilot

BT


"Charles Talleyrand" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Type of plane
> I have a VFR Cessna 150.
>
> Most important control
> Radio transmit
>
> Least important control
> Pitot heat (if you need it, you shouldn't be flying)
>
> Never working control
> Parking brake
>
> Scariest control
> Landing light (when it suddenly failed during a night landing)
>
> Control I never use
> Transponder test
>
> Control in the wrong place
> Fuel shutoff (right where me feet can kick it)
>
> Control I fixate about
> Mixture
>
> Control that impresses non-pilot passengers
> GPS on button
>

[Bob Noel]

In article . com>,
"Charles Talleyrand" > wrote:

> Type of plane
> I have a VFR Cessna 150.
>
> Most important control
> Radio transmit

aviate, navigate, communicate.

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

[Ron Natalie]

Bob Noel wrote:
> In article . com>,
> "Charles Talleyrand" > wrote:
>
>> Type of plane
>> I have a VFR Cessna 150.
>>
>> Most important control
>> Radio transmit
>
> aviate, navigate, communicate.
>
It's Bernoulli not Marconi that makes it fly.

[Dan Luke]

"Ron Natalie" wrote:

> It's Bernoulli

Uh-oh...

[Ron Natalie]

Dan Luke wrote:
> "Ron Natalie" wrote:
>
>> It's Bernoulli
>
> Uh-oh...
>
>
Newton doesn't rhyme.

[Paul Tomblin]

In a previous article, "Charles Talleyrand" > said:
>Type of plane

I fly a Piper Lance.

>Most important control

Intercom ISO to shut up my kids.

>Least important control

The knob that sets your level on the AI. Never use it.

>Never working control

Electric trim.

>Scariest control

Landing gear override.

>Control I never use

Fin strobe - keep it on all the time so the fin strobe comes on when I
turn on the master.

>Control in the wrong place

Rudder trim - I hate reaching down to floor level for it in IMC.

>Control I fixate about

Landing gear lever.

>Control that impresses non-pilot passengers

The "Gear unsafe" light that comes on while the gear is in transit.


--
Paul Tomblin > http://blog.xcski.com/
"Panic kills"
-- Rick Grant (quoting RCAF pilot training)

[Robet Coffey]

Robert Coffey Wrote:
> Type of plane
> I have a VFR Piper Cherokee 6.
>
> Most important control
> Yoke
>
> Least important control
> ADF
>
> Never working control
> *#! Sun Visor won't stay up, I'll remember to bring velcro next time.
>
> Scariest control
> Mixture ( is right next to cabin heat & same style knob )
>
> Control I never use
> ADF, Rudder trim, VOR(s), DME, Standby VAC, Spare fuses, Defrost, (tie)
>
> Control in the wrong place
> Cabin Heat
>
> Control I fixate about
> Fuel Selector
>
> Control that impresses non-pilot passengers
> Auto pilot (when it changes course over a waypoint)
>

[Robert M. Gary]

Charles Talleyrand wrote:
> Type of plane
> I have a VFR Cessna 150.

M20

> Most important control
> Radio transmit

Yoke

> Least important control
> Pitot heat (if you need it, you shouldn't be flying)

Why shouldn't you be flying if you need pitot heat?
I would say landing light is the least important. I only use it for
taxiing.

> Never working control
> Parking brake

DME slave to nav #2. Slaves to nav #1, just not to #2. Avionics tech
gave me complicated answer, translation "it won't work".

> Scariest control
> Landing light (when it suddenly failed during a night landing)

On the Decathlon it was the door eject lever. On the Mooney, maybe the
emergency gear extention?

> Control I never use
> Transponder test

Marker beacon brightness

> Control in the wrong place
> Fuel shutoff (right where me feet can kick it)

Fuel selector. I'm long armed so its not a big deal, others who have
flown my plane have a very difficult time reaching it.

> Control I fixate about
> Mixture

Gear

> Control that impresses non-pilot passengers
> GPS on button

Red flashing "auto pilot not engaged" light.

-Robert

[Charles Talleyrand]

Jay Honeck wrote:
> > Most important control
> > Radio transmit
>
> Hey, I'm a "Use the radio, dammit!" guy from way back -- but even I
> wouldn't rate the transmit button as my "most important control"...
>
> Maybe number three or so...

I was not thinking of the yoke or pedals as controls. I was thinking
more buttons and knobs. If they count ... then it's the elevator.

-The original poster

[Don Tuite]

On 27 Nov 2006 23:22:45 -0800, "Charles Talleyrand"
> wrote:

>
>Jay Honeck wrote:
>> > Most important control
>> > Radio transmit
>>
>> Hey, I'm a "Use the radio, dammit!" guy from way back -- but even I
>> wouldn't rate the transmit button as my "most important control"...
>>
>> Maybe number three or so...
>
>I was not thinking of the yoke or pedals as controls. I was thinking
>more buttons and knobs. If they count ... then it's the elevator.
>
The little knob on the altimeter gets my vote.

Don

[Jerry]

Most important control
Start switch

Jerry

"Charles Talleyrand" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Type of plane
> I have a VFR Cessna 150.
>
> Most important control
> Radio transmit
>
.................................................. ........................................

[Charles Talleyrand]

Robert M. Gary wrote:
> Charles Talleyrand wrote:
> > Type of plane
> > I have a VFR Cessna 150.
>
> M20
>
> > Most important control
> > Radio transmit
>
> Yoke
>
> > Least important control
> > Pitot heat (if you need it, you shouldn't be flying)
>
> Why shouldn't you be flying if you need pitot heat?


Because I fly a VFR Cessna 150. When would I need pitot heat assuming
the weather was good enough to fly in the first place. In other words,
if I need pitot heat, what I really needed was better decision making
before takeoff.

[Jim Carter[_1_]]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Charles Talleyrand ]
> Posted At: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 6:45 PM
> Posted To: rec.aviation.owning
> Conversation: Most Important Control On My Plane
> Subject: Re: Most Important Control On My Plane
>
>
....
> >
> > Why shouldn't you be flying if you need pitot heat?
>
>
> Because I fly a VFR Cessna 150. When would I need pitot heat assuming
> the weather was good enough to fly in the first place. In other
words,
> if I need pitot heat, what I really needed was better decision making
> before takeoff.

To each, his or her own limits. However, pitot heat isn't only useful in
below freezing conditions. It used to be a practice to have the pitot
heat on before flight into visible moisture. I realize you mentioned VFR
only Charles, but it seems to me that this thread was tending to suggest
that pitot heat was for use during below freezing conditions, and that's
just not always the case.

[Roger[_4_]]

On 27 Nov 2006 23:22:45 -0800, "Charles Talleyrand"
> wrote:

>
>Jay Honeck wrote:
>> > Most important control
>> > Radio transmit
>>
>> Hey, I'm a "Use the radio, dammit!" guy from way back -- but even I
>> wouldn't rate the transmit button as my "most important control"...
>>
>> Maybe number three or so...
>
>I was not thinking of the yoke or pedals as controls. I was thinking
>more buttons and knobs. If they count ... then it's the elevator.

Nah. You should be able to fly using ailerons and trim without the
elevator. I had one instructor have me land doing just that. The AOPA
even put out a video on doing it.

I believe certification requires that the elevator not be a single
failure point. Home builts OTOH may not necessarily have that
advantage.



>
>-The original poster
Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

[Robert M. Gary]

Jerry wrote:
> Most important control
> Start switch

Or stop switch. When I had the Chief I once had a bad mag ground that
prevented the mags from shutting off. Since the Chief has no idle cut
off mixture all I could do was to shut the fuel valve off and sit and
wait, and wait, and wait.

-Robert

[Drew Dalgleish]

>>I was not thinking of the yoke or pedals as controls. I was thinking
>>more buttons and knobs. If they count ... then it's the elevator.
>
>Nah. You should be able to fly using ailerons and trim without the
>elevator. I had one instructor have me land doing just that. The AOPA
>even put out a video on doing it.
>
When I was getting my float rating the instructor had me take off
using just trim and rudder

[Steve Foley]

Gas Cap

"Jerry" > wrote in message
m...
> Most important control
> Start switch
>
> Jerry
>
> "Charles Talleyrand" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Type of plane
>> I have a VFR Cessna 150.
>>
>> Most important control
>> Radio transmit
>>
> .................................................. .......................................
>

[Matt Barrow]

Relief tube!
--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO (MTJ)

[[email protected]]

Robert M. Gary wrote:
> Jerry wrote:
> > Most important control
> > Start switch
>
> Or stop switch. When I had the Chief I once had a bad mag ground that
> prevented the mags from shutting off. Since the Chief has no idle cut
> off mixture all I could do was to shut the fuel valve off and sit and
> wait, and wait, and wait.
>
> -Robert

With the old Stromberg carbs on those things one can maybe
run the RPM up to 1200 or so, yank it back to idle, and just as the
engine is reaching its lowest RPM you slam the throttle wide open.
It'll usually quit. The lean mixture on decreasing RPM and the lack of
an accelerator pump will starve it enough to quit.
But it's still better to run it out of fuel, for safety. I do
that with my A-65.

Dan

[Lee McGee]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> > Most important control
> > Radio transmit
>
> Hey, I'm a "Use the radio, dammit!" guy from way back -- but even I
> wouldn't rate the transmit button as my "most important control"...
>
> Maybe number three or so...
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>

[Lee McGee]

"Charles Talleyrand" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Type of plane
> I have a VFR Cessna 150.
>
> Most important control
> Radio transmit
>
> Least important control
> Pitot heat (if you need it, you shouldn't be flying)
>
> Never working control
> Parking brake
>
> Scariest control
> Landing light (when it suddenly failed during a night landing)
>
> Control I never use
> Transponder test
>
> Control in the wrong place
> Fuel shutoff (right where me feet can kick it)
>
> Control I fixate about
> Mixture
>
> Control that impresses non-pilot passengers
> GPS on button
>

[Lee McGee]

Wallet.

Lee McGee
Mount Aukum, California

"Steve Foley" > wrote in message
news:xpfbh.6539$ki3.5887@trndny01...
> Gas Cap
>
> "Jerry" > wrote in message
> m...
> > Most important control
> > Start switch
> >
> > Jerry
> >
> > "Charles Talleyrand" > wrote in message
> > oups.com...
> >> Type of plane
> >> I have a VFR Cessna 150.
> >>
> >> Most important control
> >> Radio transmit
> >>
> >
.................................................. ...........................
..............
> >
>
>

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

"Roger" > wrote in message
...
> On 27 Nov 2006 23:22:45 -0800, "Charles Talleyrand"
> > wrote:
>
>>
<...>>
>>I was not thinking of the yoke or pedals as controls. I was thinking
>>more buttons and knobs. If they count ... then it's the elevator.
>
> Nah. You should be able to fly using ailerons and trim without the
> elevator. I had one instructor have me land doing just that. The AOPA
> even put out a video on doing it.
<...>

I dunno that I would want to have to land, but I did manage to fly about an
hour with just the trim and skooching back and forth between the left and
right seats. (C-120)

--
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.

[[email protected]]

: > Because I fly a VFR Cessna 150. When would I need pitot heat assuming
: > the weather was good enough to fly in the first place. In other
: words,
: > if I need pitot heat, what I really needed was better decision making
: > before takeoff.

: To each, his or her own limits. However, pitot heat isn't only useful in
: below freezing conditions. It used to be a practice to have the pitot
: heat on before flight into visible moisture. I realize you mentioned VFR
: only Charles, but it seems to me that this thread was tending to suggest
: that pitot heat was for use during below freezing conditions, and that's
: just not always the case.

One of the most surprising cases of airframe icing I've encountered in my PA28-180 was in VMC under VFR near Kenosha,
WI...

-Cory


--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

[Stealth Pilot]

On 26 Nov 2006 19:51:09 -0800, "Charles Talleyrand"
> wrote:

>Type of plane
>I have a VFR Cessna 150.
>
>Most important control
>Radio transmit
>
>Least important control
>Pitot heat (if you need it, you shouldn't be flying)
>
>Never working control
>Parking brake
>
>Scariest control
>Landing light (when it suddenly failed during a night landing)
>
>Control I never use
>Transponder test
>
>Control in the wrong place
>Fuel shutoff (right where me feet can kick it)
>
>Control I fixate about
>Mixture
>
>Control that impresses non-pilot passengers
>GPS on button

starter...dont leave home without it