Are we crazy, or just stupid?

[Jay Honeck]

I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just west of
Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his plane went
down, hard.

No cause has yet been determined, and the local aviation community is
freaking out about this seemingly inexplicable accident, and the death
of arguably our finest local pilot. Chief pilot of the FBO, CFII,
home-builder, tail-dragger, multi-engine, turbine -- you name it,
Blane flew it. Everyone who flew with him said he was a great stick.
And he had learned to fly in a Pietenpol, which is to say that he
*really* knew how to fly.

At age 34, Blane left so much on the table. A beautiful, young wife;
twin 5-years olds; a 2-year old. There were his parents, and grand-
parents, standing before his open casket, numbly greeting grieving
friends and relatives for well over five hours. The line stretched
out the door for hours on end, in sub-zero temperatures. No one
complained, and no one left.

Every pilot I know was there. We all feel and fear the same thing,
without saying a word. The thought on everyone's mind is simple: "If
this could happen to Blane, it could happen to any one of us." We
look at the grieving widow, and the crying children, and the body in
the casket, and realize that what we are doing for fun is terribly,
inescapably dangerous, and can claim any of us at any time.

We all are left to silently wonder -- are we crazy, or are we just
stupid? Is this irresistable call to the sky that we answer going to
be our swan song? Are we just being selfish, putting our kids at
terrible risk every time we strap them into the back seat?

Are the naysayers about general aviation *right*? Do we have any
right to risk ourselves and others for what amounts to a hobby?

I don't know. I've followed the call of aviation as far as I can, and
reaped benefits from it that few have enjoyed. I've slipped the surly
bonds of earth a thousand times, and have never felt closer to God or
more free then when I am flying.

But when I introduced my family to Blane's mom, all she could say,
with an intensity that can be brought about only through death, was
"Hold on to your children...as tightly as you can." And then she
wouldn't let my hands go, as her tear-filled eyes met mine...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[BT]

Jay, My heart felt condolences for all.
I've been flying over 32 years... 20 years in the Air Force in some pretty
fast jets on dark nights, bad weather and close to the ground. I've lost
friends to stupid pilots... or just dumb accidents when you hit a 25 pound
brown pelican at 540knts.

You can say, that your friend LIVED A LIFE, living it to the FULLEST.

Could you say the same thing if he was wrapped up in cotton batting and
never left the house? Afraid of what was around the corner?

I've lost friends from falling off a roof retrieving a Frisbee when he was
playing in the yard with his kids.
I've lost friends to motorcycle accidents, getting hit by stupid drivers
through no fault of their own.
I've lost friends to car accidents, getting hit by drunk drivers.

Short version.
A story I tell often, you never know when it's your turn, and when it is
your turn, you cannot avoid it. You have to live life.

A friend was scheduled to be on a certain KC-135, but was sick with a cold
and did not make the flight, another squadron member took his spot and the
sick friend headed home. Another friend was heading into the squadron, saw
the one car coming his way, remembered something he had forgotten to bring
from home and turned around. He watched the KC-135 crash in his mirror, an
engine taking out the car of the one who did not get on board.

If he had not turned around, he would have been in the same spot getting hit
by the -135. It was not his turn.
The friend who was going home sick, it was his turn, and not getting on
the -135 did not change it.

We are neither crazy nor stupid, we train, we practice, we watch the weather
and we put our training to work.
We enjoy life. Life is to be lived, to the fullest that we can.

I've told my friends, and I've told my only child. You cannot be afraid of
tomorrow, go out, live, if you want to do something, fly, water ski, scuba
dive, mountain climbing, what ever, learn all that you can about it. Enough
people have done it before you and written great books and there are great
teachers, use their experience and knowledge and build your own experiences
and you can teach others.

You cannot have a life, if you never leave home.

BT

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
> kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
> friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
> Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just west of
> Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his plane went
> down, hard.
>
> No cause has yet been determined, and the local aviation community is
> freaking out about this seemingly inexplicable accident, and the death
> of arguably our finest local pilot. Chief pilot of the FBO, CFII,
> home-builder, tail-dragger, multi-engine, turbine -- you name it,
> Blane flew it. Everyone who flew with him said he was a great stick.
> And he had learned to fly in a Pietenpol, which is to say that he
> *really* knew how to fly.
>
> At age 34, Blane left so much on the table. A beautiful, young wife;
> twin 5-years olds; a 2-year old. There were his parents, and grand-
> parents, standing before his open casket, numbly greeting grieving
> friends and relatives for well over five hours. The line stretched
> out the door for hours on end, in sub-zero temperatures. No one
> complained, and no one left.
>
> Every pilot I know was there. We all feel and fear the same thing,
> without saying a word. The thought on everyone's mind is simple: "If
> this could happen to Blane, it could happen to any one of us." We
> look at the grieving widow, and the crying children, and the body in
> the casket, and realize that what we are doing for fun is terribly,
> inescapably dangerous, and can claim any of us at any time.
>
> We all are left to silently wonder -- are we crazy, or are we just
> stupid? Is this irresistable call to the sky that we answer going to
> be our swan song? Are we just being selfish, putting our kids at
> terrible risk every time we strap them into the back seat?
>
> Are the naysayers about general aviation *right*? Do we have any
> right to risk ourselves and others for what amounts to a hobby?
>
> I don't know. I've followed the call of aviation as far as I can, and
> reaped benefits from it that few have enjoyed. I've slipped the surly
> bonds of earth a thousand times, and have never felt closer to God or
> more free then when I am flying.
>
> But when I introduced my family to Blane's mom, all she could say,
> with an intensity that can be brought about only through death, was
> "Hold on to your children...as tightly as you can." And then she
> wouldn't let my hands go, as her tear-filled eyes met mine...
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>

[[email protected]]

What would you be doing if you weren't flying? Would it be safe?

Yeah, you probably ought to worry and you probably ought to let this
experience keep you sober. But how would you go about figuring out the
answer to your question without learning to see into the future?

I've had friends die driving a combine, others from the mundane car
accident, some from age and even one from a freak congenital disorder
at the age of 20. His mother and father were particularly deeply
affected. He was their only son, still in college and his death was no
more sensible than the combination of one fruit pie for breakfast and
an extra nerve in his heart. His death came about without even the
hint of risk in his lifestyle.

Comparing how to leave your loved ones is a fruitless enterprise and,
if you're respected and loved, you're going to leave deeply
heartbroken people behind.

Maybe this is futilistic but living seems to be a series of decisions
involving risk. Taking on some activity with increased risk means,
unfortunately, that activity is more likely to kill you. That's up to
you.

To answer your question more directly, it would only be insane to take
the risk without responsible reflection. Rationalization of your
willingness to take that risk may well be a matter of delusion but in
the case of aviation, there's a large body of data about your odds to
help you determine if you are rationalizing. Even if you don't crash
an airplane, you're part of that statistical body. And when you take a
balanced look at the way you fly and your other activities, how much
has your risk increased?

It's to be expected that you would ask these things of yourself in
shock and grief. I don't believe, though, you'd be doing your best,
sane thinking to attempt to answer the question while you're still
experiencing those reactions.

Greg


On Feb 5, 11:00 pm, "Jay Honeck" > wrote:
> I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
> kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
> friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
> Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just west of
> Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his plane went
> down, hard.
>

[Aluckyguess]

Jay you're friend would want you to keep flying. You're friend will not be
forgotten for a long time.

[Crash Lander[_1_]]

Take a look at what aviation means to you and your family. From what I can
see, (and what do I know), it looks after you and your family well. You are
constantly posting your experiences of majestic flights, viewing God's
greatest images. It generates your income through your Inn. It's been good
to you, and you obviously respect it. Your friend obviously respected it
too, judging by the way you spoke of him. It was obviously just his time,
and as heart wrenching as it may be, it is probable that had he not been
flying, it still would have been his time. He died doing what he, and the
rest of us love. He knew the risks, as did his wife, and family.
Don't question your sanity, or your ability to fly. Instead, make a memorial
flight in his honour. Just take off, and reflect quietly on his life and
your time with him. Then return home, greasing it in for the best landing
you've ever done, and realise once more exactly why we do what we do.
Not sure I'm getting across what I want to get across with these words Jay,
but I reakon you know what I'm trying to say.
Oz Lander

[[email protected]]

Jay and BT,
You both wrote very, very moving posts here tonight. Thank you both for
sharing your thoughts.

My friend and I had an engine failure in October due to an oil cooler
failure that dumped all our oil. The engine seized 6 minutes into the
flight. We landed in the desert about 3/4-mile from the other local
airport we were headed to. We were shaken up, bruised and grateful. The
plane was totaled.

That event makes you think many of the same thoughts and ask yourself
many of the same questions both of you listed. I questioned whether I'd
fly again. By the third day, I wanted to go complete the flight to that
other airport. I've only been flying since 2002. My kids are in their
20s. My daughter flies also. I think about "it" on some level every time
I fly. Some days it *isn't* worth the risk, and I stay home; other days
the lure of that wondrous, absolutely amazing and unique experience (is
there anything else like it?) outweighs the risk hands down, and I can't
wait to go!

My son and his girlfriend almost died in an apartment fire 10 years ago;
their friend didn't make it out alive. He hasn't ventured far from his
room since. He doesn't seem to feel like he's missing out on life, and
maybe it's harder on those of us who've seen him shut himself in than it
is for him.

Point is, we all deal with tragedies and near tragedies and the
resulting thoughts, questions and decisions differently.

My condolences to you and all who knew your friend, Jay. Even those of
us who didn't know him feel the loss, thanks to your thoughtful words.
Shirl


"BT" > wrote:
> Jay, My heart felt condolences for all.
> I've been flying over 32 years... 20 years in the Air Force in some pretty
> fast jets on dark nights, bad weather and close to the ground. I've lost
> friends to stupid pilots... or just dumb accidents when you hit a 25 pound
> brown pelican at 540knts.
>
> You can say, that your friend LIVED A LIFE, living it to the FULLEST.
>
> Could you say the same thing if he was wrapped up in cotton batting and
> never left the house? Afraid of what was around the corner?
>
> I've lost friends from falling off a roof retrieving a Frisbee when he was
> playing in the yard with his kids.
> I've lost friends to motorcycle accidents, getting hit by stupid drivers
> through no fault of their own.
> I've lost friends to car accidents, getting hit by drunk drivers.
>
> Short version.
> A story I tell often, you never know when it's your turn, and when it is
> your turn, you cannot avoid it. You have to live life.
>
> A friend was scheduled to be on a certain KC-135, but was sick with a cold
> and did not make the flight, another squadron member took his spot and the
> sick friend headed home. Another friend was heading into the squadron, saw
> the one car coming his way, remembered something he had forgotten to bring
> from home and turned around. He watched the KC-135 crash in his mirror, an
> engine taking out the car of the one who did not get on board.
>
> If he had not turned around, he would have been in the same spot getting hit
> by the -135. It was not his turn.
> The friend who was going home sick, it was his turn, and not getting on
> the -135 did not change it.
>
> We are neither crazy nor stupid, we train, we practice, we watch the weather
> and we put our training to work.
> We enjoy life. Life is to be lived, to the fullest that we can.
>
> I've told my friends, and I've told my only child. You cannot be afraid of
> tomorrow, go out, live, if you want to do something, fly, water ski, scuba
> dive, mountain climbing, what ever, learn all that you can about it. Enough
> people have done it before you and written great books and there are great
> teachers, use their experience and knowledge and build your own experiences
> and you can teach others.
>
> You cannot have a life, if you never leave home.
>
> BT
>
> "Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
> > kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
> > friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
> > Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just west of
> > Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his plane went
> > down, hard.
> >
> > No cause has yet been determined, and the local aviation community is
> > freaking out about this seemingly inexplicable accident, and the death
> > of arguably our finest local pilot. Chief pilot of the FBO, CFII,
> > home-builder, tail-dragger, multi-engine, turbine -- you name it,
> > Blane flew it. Everyone who flew with him said he was a great stick.
> > And he had learned to fly in a Pietenpol, which is to say that he
> > *really* knew how to fly.
> >
> > At age 34, Blane left so much on the table. A beautiful, young wife;
> > twin 5-years olds; a 2-year old. There were his parents, and grand-
> > parents, standing before his open casket, numbly greeting grieving
> > friends and relatives for well over five hours. The line stretched
> > out the door for hours on end, in sub-zero temperatures. No one
> > complained, and no one left.
> >
> > Every pilot I know was there. We all feel and fear the same thing,
> > without saying a word. The thought on everyone's mind is simple: "If
> > this could happen to Blane, it could happen to any one of us." We
> > look at the grieving widow, and the crying children, and the body in
> > the casket, and realize that what we are doing for fun is terribly,
> > inescapably dangerous, and can claim any of us at any time.
> >
> > We all are left to silently wonder -- are we crazy, or are we just
> > stupid? Is this irresistable call to the sky that we answer going to
> > be our swan song? Are we just being selfish, putting our kids at
> > terrible risk every time we strap them into the back seat?
> >
> > Are the naysayers about general aviation *right*? Do we have any
> > right to risk ourselves and others for what amounts to a hobby?
> >
> > I don't know. I've followed the call of aviation as far as I can, and
> > reaped benefits from it that few have enjoyed. I've slipped the surly
> > bonds of earth a thousand times, and have never felt closer to God or
> > more free then when I am flying.
> >
> > But when I introduced my family to Blane's mom, all she could say,
> > with an intensity that can be brought about only through death, was
> > "Hold on to your children...as tightly as you can." And then she
> > wouldn't let my hands go, as her tear-filled eyes met mine...
> > --
> > Jay Honeck
> > Iowa City, IA
> > Pathfinder N56993
> > www.AlexisParkInn.com
> > "Your Aviation Destination"
> >

[Jim Macklin]

We could all die in bed, having never done anything. Or we
could die at birth. Or in car accidents, bath tubs,
swimming pools, icy sidewalks. We might even live over 100
years and die wishing we had swum in the ocean [sharks,
barracuda and jelly fish].

Yes we are crazy and stupid.



"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
ups.com...
|I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my
life. Mary, my
| kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane
Anderson, our
| friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of
a Spencer
| Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just
west of
| Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his
plane went
| down, hard.
|
| No cause has yet been determined, and the local aviation
community is
| freaking out about this seemingly inexplicable accident,
and the death
| of arguably our finest local pilot. Chief pilot of the
FBO, CFII,
| home-builder, tail-dragger, multi-engine, turbine -- you
name it,
| Blane flew it. Everyone who flew with him said he was a
great stick.
| And he had learned to fly in a Pietenpol, which is to say
that he
| *really* knew how to fly.
|
| At age 34, Blane left so much on the table. A beautiful,
young wife;
| twin 5-years olds; a 2-year old. There were his parents,
and grand-
| parents, standing before his open casket, numbly greeting
grieving
| friends and relatives for well over five hours. The line
stretched
| out the door for hours on end, in sub-zero temperatures.
No one
| complained, and no one left.
|
| Every pilot I know was there. We all feel and fear the
same thing,
| without saying a word. The thought on everyone's mind is
simple: "If
| this could happen to Blane, it could happen to any one of
us." We
| look at the grieving widow, and the crying children, and
the body in
| the casket, and realize that what we are doing for fun is
terribly,
| inescapably dangerous, and can claim any of us at any
time.
|
| We all are left to silently wonder -- are we crazy, or are
we just
| stupid? Is this irresistable call to the sky that we
answer going to
| be our swan song? Are we just being selfish, putting our
kids at
| terrible risk every time we strap them into the back seat?
|
| Are the naysayers about general aviation *right*? Do we
have any
| right to risk ourselves and others for what amounts to a
hobby?
|
| I don't know. I've followed the call of aviation as far
as I can, and
| reaped benefits from it that few have enjoyed. I've
slipped the surly
| bonds of earth a thousand times, and have never felt
closer to God or
| more free then when I am flying.
|
| But when I introduced my family to Blane's mom, all she
could say,
| with an intensity that can be brought about only through
death, was
| "Hold on to your children...as tightly as you can." And
then she
| wouldn't let my hands go, as her tear-filled eyes met
mine...
| --
| Jay Honeck
| Iowa City, IA
| Pathfinder N56993
| www.AlexisParkInn.com
| "Your Aviation Destination"
|

[kontiki]

Jay Honeck wrote:
> But when I introduced my family to Blane's mom, all she could say,
> with an intensity that can be brought about only through death, was
> "Hold on to your children...as tightly as you can." And then she
> wouldn't let my hands go, as her tear-filled eyes met mine...
> --

Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Bob Noel]

In article om>,
"Jay Honeck" > wrote:

> Are the naysayers about general aviation *right*? Do we have any
> right to risk ourselves and others for what amounts to a hobby?

Jay:

I fly a small single-engine aircraft (yes, even at night). I even fly single
pilot IFR in my own single-engine aircraft (well, not right now since I'm
not current). I even ride a motorcycle.

But remember what happened to me last year in Cedar Rapids? I tripped
crossing a street, for pete's sake! My injury wasn't *immediately* life
threatening, but I wasn't in surgery a few hours later for kicks and giggles.

Enjoy life. Manage your risks, but enjoy life.

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

[Steve Foley]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> The thought on everyone's mind is simple: "If this could happen to Blane,
> it could
> happen to any one of us."

Jay, I'm sorry for your loss.

So far, I've only lost one friend to a crash. I have lost more in automobile
crashes. This morning's news was about a high school freshman who was killed
when an SUV driven by a schoolmate (senior) lost control and hit him.

The only consolation I can find for your friend is that he died doing what
he loved. I cannot think of a better way to go.

[Gene Seibel]

On Feb 5, 11:00 pm, "Jay Honeck" > wrote:
> I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
> kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
> friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
> Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just west of
> Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his plane went
> down, hard.
>
Charles Lindbergh said, "I decided that if I could fly for ten years
before I was killed in a crash, it would be a worthwhile trade for an
ordinary lifetime." He challanged the Atlantic on a single engine and
flew for decades. A few years ago a fiance of mine, a young lady with
two children, started out on a "riskless" 30 mile drive on an
interstate highway and did not survive. In our grief we look for a
reason. There is none except that death waits for us all. We look for
something or someone to blame. Aviation is easy to blame, but
aviation is not death. Aviation has brought life to many, both
figuratively and literally.
--
Gene Seibel
Gene & Sue's Flying Machine - http://pad39a.com/gene/
Because we fly, we envy no one.

[Jim B]

Neither. Or maybe both. We're human. We have no other comparative species
to measure our collective decisions or misfortunes against.

Two years ago one of my brothers and his wife lost their full term unborn
baby to spina-bifida. Blessing or curse? We'll never know. Undeterred,
they recovered from their loss, conceived again, took extra precautions,
additional doctor visits and additional monitoring. This year, three days
before Christmas, they lost another full term unborn baby when the umbilical
cord wrapped itself around the baby's neck, just 3 days before a scheduled
delivery. Two full term babies lost, never to experience life. Two young
parents will never experience the love and joy of what would have been their
third and fourth children. Two little brothers left scared and confused,
wondering where the babies went.

The product of risk is rarely as beautiful as it is ugly.

So do we then shelter and over protect those around us, limiting their
exposure to any and all risk? Do we prohibit any experience where risk
outweighs practical benefit? Do we arbitrarily decide that after a single
tragedy that all around us should be forever prohibited to participate in
the same behavior? These would be truly selfish acts. Acts designed more
so to protect the minds, hearts, and welfare of the survivors, not
particularly to protect the participants. Imposed security limits liberty
no matter who the imposer.

Our decisions and associated risk management become harder when we choose to
engage our children in "our" risky events, for as children, they often have
no choice. Hopefully we take all available precautions and use our best
judgment, but to shield our children from the experiences and opportunities
that our chosen activity offers would be in itself a tragedy.

What would life be without living?

Jim

[Jay Honeck]

> Charles Lindbergh said, "I decided that if I could fly for ten years
> before I was killed in a crash, it would be a worthwhile trade for an
> ordinary lifetime." He challanged the Atlantic on a single engine and
> flew for decades. A few years ago a fiance of mine, a young lady with
> two children, started out on a "riskless" 30 mile drive on an
> interstate highway and did not survive. In our grief we look for a
> reason. There is none except that death waits for us all. We look for
> something or someone to blame. Aviation is easy to blame, but
> aviation is not death. Aviation has brought life to many, both
> figuratively and literally.

Very well put, as always.

Thanks, Gene.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jay Honeck]

> What would life be without living?

Agreed.

I know too many people who are sleep-walking through life, rarely
going beyond the confines of their living rooms. They believe they
are "safe", as they eat their high-fat, high-sodium foods in front of
the boob-tube.

They look at what Mary and I do as hopelessly wreckless. We look at
what they do as hopelessly pathetic. Never the twain shall meet, I
guess.

In the end, we believe that Blane lived life to the fullest.
Unfortunately, his children may never share our philosophy.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Peter R.]

On 2/6/2007 8:56:49 AM, "Gene Seibel" wrote:

> Aviation is easy to blame, but
> aviation is not death. Aviation has brought life to many, both
> figuratively and literally.

Very moving, Gene. I always enjoy and immensely respect your input here.

--
Peter

[Jim B]

Hopefully their mother will keep his memory, his values, and his love of
life alive for many years to come. This is one of the greatest gifts she
can give them as their father still has many lessons left to teach his
children.
Jim

[john smith]

I have only been flying for 25 years, but in that time I have
experienced the deaths of many friends and acquaintances.
After getting my PPL, I got heavily involved with aerobatics and warbird
pilots. The aerobatic pilots have passed at the rate of one or two every
year.
The first couple had me asking the same questions.
In discussing it with one pilot friend who had been around for awhile,
his matter of fact response of "When your number's up, you're number's
up" has stayed with me.
I still feel the loss and I still wonder why, but I do not dwell it.
As others here have said, remember the good times and the joy it brings
to you and pilots and friends you share the activity with.
Read all the accident report you can and run "what-if" scenerios through
your head when you are looking for things to do.
The more prepared you are, the better equipped to handle a situation.
There may come a time when even that won't be enough.
The most important thing to remember is, never give up!

Jay, sorry for your loss. My condolences to all.

[Al G[_1_]]

I would use different words and quote different situations, but I could not
improve
on the comments by Jay & BT. Well said, gentlemen. To this day, I can't look
at a missing man formation with dry eyes. Jay, My heart felt condolences for
all.

Lots of people get killed every year, but that doesn't hurt as much as
someone you really care for. You care for them for a reason, because of what
they are, what they care about, and what they stand for. They are what they
are partially because of what they do.

Sure, we're still crazy after all these years.

Al G


"BT" > wrote in message
...
> Jay, My heart felt condolences for all.
> I've been flying over 32 years... 20 years in the Air Force in some pretty
> fast jets on dark nights, bad weather and close to the ground. I've lost
> friends to stupid pilots... or just dumb accidents when you hit a 25 pound
> brown pelican at 540knts.
>
> You can say, that your friend LIVED A LIFE, living it to the FULLEST.
>
> Could you say the same thing if he was wrapped up in cotton batting and
> never left the house? Afraid of what was around the corner?
>
> I've lost friends from falling off a roof retrieving a Frisbee when he was
> playing in the yard with his kids.
> I've lost friends to motorcycle accidents, getting hit by stupid drivers
> through no fault of their own.
> I've lost friends to car accidents, getting hit by drunk drivers.
>
> Short version.
> A story I tell often, you never know when it's your turn, and when it is
> your turn, you cannot avoid it. You have to live life.
>
> A friend was scheduled to be on a certain KC-135, but was sick with a cold
> and did not make the flight, another squadron member took his spot and the
> sick friend headed home. Another friend was heading into the squadron, saw
> the one car coming his way, remembered something he had forgotten to bring
> from home and turned around. He watched the KC-135 crash in his mirror, an
> engine taking out the car of the one who did not get on board.
>
> If he had not turned around, he would have been in the same spot getting
> hit by the -135. It was not his turn.
> The friend who was going home sick, it was his turn, and not getting on
> the -135 did not change it.
>
> We are neither crazy nor stupid, we train, we practice, we watch the
> weather and we put our training to work.
> We enjoy life. Life is to be lived, to the fullest that we can.
>
> I've told my friends, and I've told my only child. You cannot be afraid of
> tomorrow, go out, live, if you want to do something, fly, water ski, scuba
> dive, mountain climbing, what ever, learn all that you can about it.
> Enough people have done it before you and written great books and there
> are great teachers, use their experience and knowledge and build your own
> experiences and you can teach others.
>
> You cannot have a life, if you never leave home.
>
> BT
>
> "Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
>>I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
>> kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
>> friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
>> Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just west of
>> Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his plane went
>> down, hard.
>>
>> No cause has yet been determined, and the local aviation community is
>> freaking out about this seemingly inexplicable accident, and the death
>> of arguably our finest local pilot. Chief pilot of the FBO, CFII,
>> home-builder, tail-dragger, multi-engine, turbine -- you name it,
>> Blane flew it. Everyone who flew with him said he was a great stick.
>> And he had learned to fly in a Pietenpol, which is to say that he
>> *really* knew how to fly.
>>
>> At age 34, Blane left so much on the table. A beautiful, young wife;
>> twin 5-years olds; a 2-year old. There were his parents, and grand-
>> parents, standing before his open casket, numbly greeting grieving
>> friends and relatives for well over five hours. The line stretched
>> out the door for hours on end, in sub-zero temperatures. No one
>> complained, and no one left.
>>
>> Every pilot I know was there. We all feel and fear the same thing,
>> without saying a word. The thought on everyone's mind is simple: "If
>> this could happen to Blane, it could happen to any one of us." We
>> look at the grieving widow, and the crying children, and the body in
>> the casket, and realize that what we are doing for fun is terribly,
>> inescapably dangerous, and can claim any of us at any time.
>>
>> We all are left to silently wonder -- are we crazy, or are we just
>> stupid? Is this irresistable call to the sky that we answer going to
>> be our swan song? Are we just being selfish, putting our kids at
>> terrible risk every time we strap them into the back seat?
>>
>> Are the naysayers about general aviation *right*? Do we have any
>> right to risk ourselves and others for what amounts to a hobby?
>>
>> I don't know. I've followed the call of aviation as far as I can, and
>> reaped benefits from it that few have enjoyed. I've slipped the surly
>> bonds of earth a thousand times, and have never felt closer to God or
>> more free then when I am flying.
>>
>> But when I introduced my family to Blane's mom, all she could say,
>> with an intensity that can be brought about only through death, was
>> "Hold on to your children...as tightly as you can." And then she
>> wouldn't let my hands go, as her tear-filled eyes met mine...
>> --
>> Jay Honeck
>> Iowa City, IA
>> Pathfinder N56993
>> www.AlexisParkInn.com
>> "Your Aviation Destination"
>>
>
>

[Mxsmanic]

Steve Foley writes:

> So far, I've only lost one friend to a crash. I have lost more in automobile
> crashes.

Only one friend lost to a plane crash? How many friends do you have
who ride in general aviation aircraft? How many friends do you have
who ride in cars?

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

[Peter Dohm]

> I have only been flying for 25 years, but in that time I have
> experienced the deaths of many friends and acquaintances.
> After getting my PPL, I got heavily involved with aerobatics and warbird
> pilots. The aerobatic pilots have passed at the rate of one or two every
> year.
> The first couple had me asking the same questions.
> In discussing it with one pilot friend who had been around for awhile,
> his matter of fact response of "When your number's up, you're number's
> up" has stayed with me.

That really does sum it all up, and as mentioned elsewhere in this same
thread, it is far better to live and die than to not live and still die.
That really is the choice that each of us is given.

My condolences to all, and I hope that his family are not frightened away
from aviation.

Peter

[RomeoMike]

Jay Honeck wrote:
> I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
> kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
> friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
> Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just west of
> Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his plane went
> down, hard.

My sincere condolences as well. I won't try to expand on what others
have said, but from a practical point of view, I always hope that these
younger guys with kids have life insurance, because I remember when I
was young enough to need it it was difficult to get if you were a pilot.
If one had gotten a policy before taking up flying, that policy stayed
in force. If one tried to get a policy after starting to fly it was
nearly impossible, or one could get it with an exclusion for flying. At
one time I had a policy that wouldn't cover death in an airplane, but I
was covered in a glider.

[Jim Macklin]

A friend of mine recently suffered the death of his 93 year
old father. Hew died in his own bed, with several
generations of family present.

I told my friend, "Your father did not perish, he merely
died."



"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
ups.com...
|> Charles Lindbergh said, "I decided that if I could fly
for ten years
| > before I was killed in a crash, it would be a worthwhile
trade for an
| > ordinary lifetime." He challanged the Atlantic on a
single engine and
| > flew for decades. A few years ago a fiance of mine, a
young lady with
| > two children, started out on a "riskless" 30 mile drive
on an
| > interstate highway and did not survive. In our grief we
look for a
| > reason. There is none except that death waits for us
all. We look for
| > something or someone to blame. Aviation is easy to
blame, but
| > aviation is not death. Aviation has brought life to
many, both
| > figuratively and literally.
|
| Very well put, as always.
|
| Thanks, Gene.
| --
| Jay Honeck
| Iowa City, IA
| Pathfinder N56993
| www.AlexisParkInn.com
| "Your Aviation Destination"
|

[Paul kgyy]

Death is always an unwelcome intruder. I have 3 acquaintances who
have each lost a lovely daughter, 2 of them teen-agers, another in her
20s. One lost control of her car on ice; one was killed by excessive
speed while riding as passenger on a snowmobile; the third of Lupus,
an immune deficiency disease. Each family was devastated, and the
loss is irreparable.

Personally, my own life was at risk when the driver of a Toyota in
which I was riding as a passenger fell asleep at 70 mph, and
subsequently rolled over 3 times before coming to rest on the
shoulder. I was able to walk away from the car with only heavy
bruising. It would have taken only a culvert, bridge abutment, or
nearby truck to terminate my life.

In a sense, we all live on borrowed time. Knowing this, I accept the
risk of flying and enjoy life. I don't think it's either crazy or
stupid. I frankly feel safer in the plane than I do on urban
freeways, though that's probably an illusion.

[Tony]

The theme of this thread is that we should know the risks we're
willing to take on.

There's little doubt an hour in a GA airplane is more risky than an
hour in front of the TV, but the risk is quantifiable and to some of
us, acceptable. I don't subscribe to the notion that when our time
comes, that's it -- there's little reason to offer too much temptation
to that reaper or use that as an excuse for bad judgment..

We -- that is, most of us who read this newsgroup -- are luckier and
lead a more full life than many others. This lifestyle does us at
greater risk of an accidental death, and for many of us, more likely
to have lost good friends too early.

I know all of that, have experienced those kinds of losses, and still,
I'm happy to be at this particular dance. We chose to be here, we know
the risks, and I'm richer for having known some people these life
choices have brought close to me.

Jay, even now you'd likely say knowing this man was better than not
known him. Your grief is testament to that.










On Feb 6, 4:51 pm, "Paul kgyy" > wrote:
> Death is always an unwelcome intruder. I have 3 acquaintances who
> have each lost a lovely daughter, 2 of them teen-agers, another in her
> 20s. One lost control of her car on ice; one was killed by excessive
> speed while riding as passenger on a snowmobile; the third of Lupus,
> an immune deficiency disease. Each family was devastated, and the
> loss is irreparable.
>
> Personally, my own life was at risk when the driver of a Toyota in
> which I was riding as a passenger fell asleep at 70 mph, and
> subsequently rolled over 3 times before coming to rest on the
> shoulder. I was able to walk away from the car with only heavy
> bruising. It would have taken only a culvert, bridge abutment, or
> nearby truck to terminate my life.
>
> In a sense, we all live on borrowed time. Knowing this, I accept the
> risk of flying and enjoy life. I don't think it's either crazy or
> stupid. I frankly feel safer in the plane than I do on urban
> freeways, though that's probably an illusion.

[Casey Wilson]

"Mxsmanic" > wrote in message
...
> Steve Foley writes:
>
>> So far, I've only lost one friend to a crash. I have lost more in
>> automobile
>> crashes.
>
> Only one friend lost to a plane crash? That's more friends
> than I have
>
In addition to being stupid, you are rude beyond any question. Your
idiotic remark above is a blatant attempt at hijacking the thread. STFU....

[Blueskies]

"BT" > wrote in message ...
::
: You cannot have a life, if you never leave home.
:
: BT
:


Well said, BT. There once was a book, Fate is the Hunter...

[Blueskies]

We are neither crazy or stupid. We love life and will live every day to the fullest. There are lessons to be leared all
the time, but we are not stupid if we learn from them.

I feel for your (our!) loss and wish there was an easy answer, but the only one I can think of is that life always ends
in death, and we all given time on this earth. It is what we do with that time that sets us apart...

Blueskies!

Dan D.

[Mxsmanic]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Casey Wilson writes:

> In addition to being stupid, you are rude beyond any question. Your
> idiotic remark above is a blatant attempt at hijacking the thread. STFU....

It wasn't my post. Only digitally-signed posts are reliably mine.
And posts that contain spelling or punctuation errors are probably not
mine.

I take note of your tendency to jump to conclusions.

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--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

[Rotor&Wings]

so what was the problem they had that kept them grounded for 5 days in route? what parts did they have to wait on and install to continue the trip?

[Jim Logajan]

"Casey Wilson" > wrote:
> "Mxsmanic" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Steve Foley writes:
>>
>>> So far, I've only lost one friend to a crash. I have lost more in
>>> automobile
>>> crashes.
>>
>> Only one friend lost to a plane crash? That's more friends
>> than I have
>>
> In addition to being stupid, you are rude beyond any question. Your
> idiotic remark above is a blatant attempt at hijacking the thread.
> STFU....

The post in question did not originate from Mxsmanic. Some nitwit thinks
they are being clever by posting forgeries.

[Wizard of Draws]

On 2/6/07 12:00 AM, in article
om, "Jay Honeck"
> wrote:

>
> We all are left to silently wonder -- are we crazy, or are we just
> stupid? Is this irresistable call to the sky that we answer going to
> be our swan song? Are we just being selfish, putting our kids at
> terrible risk every time we strap them into the back seat?
>

My sincere condolences Jay.

But to your question, how many of us in this group upon our own
aviation-related deaths, would wish to see a single pilot give up his wings?

It's not selfish. I fly with my grandson to teach him. Just as I read with
him, just as I draw pictures with him, just as I cook and play and wrestle
with him, I do it to teach. It would be selfish not to.
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino

Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.wizardofdraws.com

More Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

[Mxsmanic]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Mxsmanic writes:

> STOP COPYING ME!

At least I know that the forger doesn't understand how cryptographic
authentication systems work. You cannot simply copy and paste the
header and footer of a digitally-signed message without invalidating
the signature.

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=+XcK
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--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

[Jay Honeck]

> so what was the problem they had that kept them grounded for 5 days in
> route? what parts did they have to wait on and install to continue the
> trip?

I've heard it was something in the charging system -- alternator/
generator? -- but that's just hearsay at this point.

In this sort of thing, the rumor mill grinds incessantly -- but not
necessarily reliably.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[[email protected]]

On Feb 5, 10:00 pm, "Jay Honeck" > wrote:
> I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
> kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
> friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
> Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just west of
> Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his plane went
> down, hard.
>
> No cause has yet been determined, and the local aviation community is
> freaking out about this seemingly inexplicable accident, and the death
> of arguably our finest local pilot. Chief pilot of the FBO, CFII,
> home-builder, tail-dragger, multi-engine, turbine -- you name it,
> Blane flew it. Everyone who flew with him said he was a great stick.
> And he had learned to fly in a Pietenpol, which is to say that he
> *really* knew how to fly.
>
> At age 34, Blane left so much on the table. A beautiful, young wife;
> twin 5-years olds; a 2-year old. There were his parents, and grand-
> parents, standing before his open casket, numbly greeting grieving
> friends and relatives for well over five hours. The line stretched
> out the door for hours on end, in sub-zero temperatures. No one
> complained, and no one left.
>
> Every pilot I know was there. We all feel and fear the same thing,
> without saying a word. The thought on everyone's mind is simple: "If
> this could happen to Blane, it could happen to any one of us." We
> look at the grieving widow, and the crying children, and the body in
> the casket, and realize that what we are doing for fun is terribly,
> inescapably dangerous, and can claim any of us at any time.
>
> We all are left to silently wonder -- are we crazy, or are we just
> stupid? Is this irresistable call to the sky that we answer going to
> be our swan song? Are we just being selfish, putting our kids at
> terrible risk every time we strap them into the back seat?
>
> Are the naysayers about general aviation *right*? Do we have any
> right to risk ourselves and others for what amounts to a hobby?
>
> I don't know. I've followed the call of aviation as far as I can, and
> reaped benefits from it that few have enjoyed. I've slipped the surly
> bonds of earth a thousand times, and have never felt closer to God or
> more free then when I am flying.
>
> But when I introduced my family to Blane's mom, all she could say,
> with an intensity that can be brought about only through death, was
> "Hold on to your children...as tightly as you can." And then she
> wouldn't let my hands go, as her tear-filled eyes met mine...
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"

My condolences.
Your friend Blane is among those who accepted risk to follow dreams.
Without this there is no life, only the dull existence of wasted
opportunity. And still death awaits, so make sure you live first.

"It is not the critic who counts. The credit belongs to the man who is
actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and
blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and
again; because there is not effort without error and shortcoming; but
who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great
enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy
cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumphs of high
achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while
daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and
timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat" Theodore Roosevelt -
April 23, 1919

[Morgans]

"Bob Noel" > wrote

> But remember what happened to me last year in Cedar Rapids? I tripped
> crossing a street, for pete's sake! My injury wasn't *immediately* life
> threatening, but I wasn't in surgery a few hours later for kicks and
> giggles.
>
> Enjoy life. Manage your risks, but enjoy life.

I agree.

Refresh our memories. What happened after the trip?
--
Jim in NC

[Morgans]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote

> In the end, we believe that Blane lived life to the fullest.
> Unfortunately, his children may never share our philosophy.

They may not share that philosophy, now. It is common to resent that which
hurts us in the present.

Many children have problems relating to their parents. Later in life, in
the course of living their lives, the children begin to understand the
actions and motivations of the parent, and appreciate what they formerly
found fault in.

It is very possible, and perhaps probable, that later Blane's children may
understand what drove him, and made his life so full and worth living. They
may even find and live the same loves that Blane lived.

That is my hope.
--
Jim in NC

[Jay Honeck]

> > so what was the problem they had that kept them grounded for 5 days in
> > route? what parts did they have to wait on and install to continue the
> > trip?

Interestingly, the Sheriff's Department (of all people?) has released
some kind of statement about Blane's crash, saying that it was
probably caused by a "mechanical problem".

I've never heard of the Sheriff getting involved in NTSB/FAA turf
before, but here's the story:

http://tinyurl.com/3xyr72
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jules]

Jay Honeck wrote:

> Are the naysayers about general aviation *right*? Do we have any
> right to risk ourselves and others for what amounts to a hobby?
>
> I don't know. I've followed the call of aviation as far as I can, and
> reaped benefits from it that few have enjoyed.

You do have a point. It is somewhat a selfish act. Perhaps after taking
it as far as one can, one should think about something different.
However our egos prevent us seeing things in perspective. Me, I could
quit I guess. I have done all I will do in aviation. I was thinking
about helicopters, but to what end? If I do go in a crash, I hope nobody
says the, "He died, doing what he loved", comment. Because I don't like
crashing airplanes. And I don't want the least bit of experience at it!

[LWG]

Years ago I had a case in which a young father died. He worked for a
government agency involved in community redevelopment. A significant
project was completed, and a celebration was held. The place was a very old
local church. This man went into the church, and sat about halfway down the
aisle, in the middle of the pew.

The celebration was held in the evening after a hot summer day. The church
was old, and the windows were open because of the heat. A thunderstorm
developed, complete with lightning. According to witnesses, ball lightning
landed on the window sill next to the pew where this man was sitting. The
ball lightning hopped across to the back of the pew, followed the back of
the pew to where this man was sitting, and jumped on him, causing the man's
death.

I often think about this when making a decision to go flying. I don't
believe in pushing it, but when your number's up...


> Jay Honeck wrote:
>> I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
>> kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
>> friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
>> Air Car (and amphibious homebuilt craft) last Friday, just west of
>> Iowa City. He was less than 20 minutes from home when his plane went
>> down, hard.

[Peter R.]

On 2/7/2007 4:35:45 PM, "LWG" wrote:

> According to witnesses, ball lightning
> landed on the window sill next to the pew where this man was sitting. The
> ball lightning hopped across to the back of the pew, followed the back of
> the pew to where this man was sitting, and jumped on him, causing the man's
> death.

Wow, nothing like a random act of physics in a place of worship to underscore
one's beliefs.

--
Peter

[tom pettit]

He shouldn't have been reading the Playboy hidden in the hymn book. ;-)
tom

LWG wrote:
> The
> ball lightning hopped across to the back of the pew, followed the back of
> the pew to where this man was sitting, and jumped on him, causing the man's
> death.

[Jay Honeck]

> I often think about this when making a decision to go flying. I don't
> believe in pushing it, but when your number's up...

Great story.

Mary and I just returned from our first flight since our friend's
demise. It was a rather emotional experience, and I admit that I had
some second thoughts during the climbout.

We made a bee-line for the area where he went down, located some 50
miles west of Iowa City. It was very quiet as we slowly circled the
area, scanning the fields and contemplating the horrible thing that
had happened in such innocent-looking farm country. With five inches
of new snow, and the wreckage removed, we never did identify the exact
field he went down in...

Everything looked so peaceful and normal. The air was smooth as
glass, and my spirits soared as I arced effortlessly through a clear
blue sky. It was a beautiful day to fly.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jack Allison]

Jay,

My condolences. No doubt, the aviation community lost a great pilot and
several lost a great friend as well. I hate it when there are so many
unanswered questions at a time like this. I can imagine the unanswered
how/why questions both spoken and unspoken. BTDT when family members
and friends have passed away, sometimes suddenly.

I'm glad you and Mary had a chance to get back in the air. I'm sure it
was uncomfortable and that feeling in itself must have been strange.
Here you guys are doing something so familiar yet Blane's death opens
your eyes wider to the possibility that something bad can happen to you.

From what I've read about Blane, IMHO, he'd want everyone he knew to
keep the dream of flying alive. I'm glad you and your family can do so.
I know that I sure will.


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-Instrument Airplane

"To become a Jedi knight, you must master a single force. To become
a private pilot you must strive to master four of them"
- Rod Machado

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

[gpsman]

On Feb 6, 12:00 am, "Jay Honeck" > wrote: <brevity
snip>
> I just returned from one of the hardest evenings of my life. Mary, my
> kids, and I just attended the visitation for Blane Anderson, our
> friend and fellow pilot who lost his life in the crash of a Spencer
> Air Car

My heartfelt condolences.

> Chief pilot of the FBO, CFII,
> home-builder, tail-dragger, multi-engine, turbine -- you name it,
> Blane flew it. Everyone who flew with him said he was a great stick.
> And he had learned to fly in a Pietenpol, which is to say that he
> *really* knew how to fly.

No man is immune to error, no matter how qualified, or experienced.
Ask anyone who is ultimately qualified and experienced. If they
refuse to admit to error, they ain't that qualified.

> Are we just being selfish, putting our kids at
> terrible risk every time we strap them into the back seat?

I think so, if they are so young as to be incapable of assessing the
risk. Would you fly with a GA pilot whom you didn't "know"? I do,
but I'm capable and willing to assess and accept the risk, with full
knowledge of what death means, and how it looks, not on TV, and that
no matter how skilled my PIC (I'm not licensed), **** happens.

Whose ass doesn't pucker a little when the take-off roll begins, and
when the wheels leave the ground? Mine does, every time.

As a former truck driving instructor (and advanced truck driving) I
know that when the fear leaves, risk creeps in, presumably to fill the
void. Rookie drivers have a better incident rate since they (usually)
maintain a fear of their equipment. Once they allow that fear to be
replaced by confidence (and complacency) , they become dangerous.

No relevance to your friend, but human nature is human nature, and
difficult to change without the application of conscious effort.
That's why morons drive identically in all conditions, they got away
with it last time.

The important thing, I think, is to learn from the error (if any) in
the incident of your friend, and reap what benefit there may be.
There can be no greater tribute to one's death than to save another
life. Make sure it never happens again.

It saved my ass, on more than two occasions...
-----

- gpsman

[[email protected]]

> reason. There is none except that death waits for us all. We look for
> something or someone to blame. Aviation is easy to blame, but
> aviation is not death. Aviation has brought life to many, both
> figuratively and literally.
> --
> Gene Seibel
> Gene & Sue's Flying Machine -http://pad39a.com/gene/
> Because we fly, we envy no one.

Gene,

I was working for an Idaho based avionics company in 2002 when a
tragedy occured. Three employees of the company, including my
immediate boss who was one of the three partners that had started it,
were in a landing accident in a Lancair. Two of them were killed
including the one who was PIC. My boss managed to survive with a
severe leg fracture that required surgery and had a risk of amputation
if it didn't succeed.

Immediately after the accident, I warned his wife that she should make
sure that he didn't wallow in survivors guilt since he had lived and
the others had not.

Two weeks after the accident, his partners and the head of the company
that had bought them out, called him in for a management meeting since
he had been at home recuperating. They demanded that he resign, which
he did under the pressure and the fact that he was a mess still from
the accident. Seems that they had blamed him for the accident even
though he wasn't flying the plane. You are right about people wanting
to blame someone for an aviation accident. I have seen it happen
first hand, and know that the guy they blamed was not responsible for
it happening...

I left that company about 9 months later, which was the first
opportunity I found to switch jobs. It was an awful place to work,
and was no where near the professional, supportive environment I had
known at Boeing.

Dean

[Gene Seibel]

On Feb 8, 9:15 am, wrote:
> > reason. There is none except that death waits for us all. We look for
> > something or someone to blame. Aviation is easy to blame, but
> > aviation is not death. Aviation has brought life to many, both
> > figuratively and literally.
> > --
> >Gene Seibel
> > Gene & Sue's Flying Machine -http://pad39a.com/gene/
> > Because we fly, we envy no one.
>
> Gene,
>
> I was working for an Idaho based avionics company in 2002 when a
> tragedy occured. Three employees of the company, including my
> immediate boss who was one of the three partners that had started it,
> were in a landing accident in a Lancair. Two of them were killed
> including the one who was PIC. My boss managed to survive with a
> severe leg fracture that required surgery and had a risk of amputation
> if it didn't succeed.
>
> Immediately after the accident, I warned his wife that she should make
> sure that he didn't wallow in survivors guilt since he had lived and
> the others had not.
>
> Two weeks after the accident, his partners and the head of the company
> that had bought them out, called him in for a management meeting since
> he had been at home recuperating. They demanded that he resign, which
> he did under the pressure and the fact that he was a mess still from
> the accident. Seems that they had blamed him for the accident even
> though he wasn't flying the plane. You are right about people wanting
> to blame someone for an aviation accident. I have seen it happen
> first hand, and know that the guy they blamed was not responsible for
> it happening...
>
> I left that company about 9 months later, which was the first
> opportunity I found to switch jobs. It was an awful place to work,
> and was no where near the professional, supportive environment I had
> known at Boeing.
>
> Dean

Blame is usually not constructive in aviation or anywhere. One of the
very few things that stuck in my mind from some managenent training I
took is that if a good employee makes a costly mistake, you've just
made an investment in their education. No time to throw it away.
Unfortunately politics often get in the way. Come to think of it,
politics and blame go together a lot.

The fiance of whom I spoke was killed driving home from my house.
After several years, one of her daughters is still bitter towards me -
the other has thanked me for making her Mom's last days her happiest.
Same event, bipolar responses. One celebrates her Mom and adds joy to
the world, the other still mourns and adds pain. In the beginning, I
lashed out at a couple peole who didn't deserve it, but soon made a
choice to live on. Grief is a very complicated animal.
--
Gene Seibel
Gene & Sue's Aeroplanes - http://pad39a.com/gene/planes.html
Because we fly, we envy no one.

[Dylan Smith]

On 2007-02-06, Jay Honeck > wrote:
> Every pilot I know was there. We all feel and fear the same thing,
> without saying a word. The thought on everyone's mind is simple: "If
> this could happen to Blane, it could happen to any one of us."

My grandfather spent 10 years dying from the results of a stroke. If it
could happen to someone like my grandfather (who, incidentally at age 75
before the stroke had a physique to put many 25 year olds to shame), it
could happen to any of us.

We all die. Some of us will make a fatal error while aviating. Some of
us will spend years dying. But we all die. You have a choice: be afraid
of your own shadow and instead of living, merely waiting to die (like
many of the most risk averse in society are doing, without even
realising that they are merely waiting to die instead of living) - or
perhaps take reasonable risks and actually live.

Aviation has risks, but it isn't insane. The overwhelmingly vast
majority of us can expect years of trouble free flying. Even in my Dad's
sport (motorcycle racing - my Dad races motorcycle sidecars in road
racing), the overwhelming majority survive their entire racing career.
In the end it boils down to this: is the risk/reward relationship good
enough? And don't think wrapping yourselves in cotton wool gets rid of
risk - it doesn't - you still stand a 100% risk of dying, and however
you wrap yourself up as we live longer you're increasingly more likely
to spend 10 years having an awful death like my grandfather.

While doing 170mph on the back of a friend's Super Blackbird
(motorcyle), I was not afraid, I merely thought "well, if we do crash at
least it won't hurt for very long".

--
Yes, the Reply-To email address is valid.
Oolite-Linux: an Elite tribute: http://oolite-linux.berlios.de

[Mxsmanic]

Dylan Smith writes:

> While doing 170mph on the back of a friend's Super Blackbird
> (motorcyle), I was not afraid, I merely thought "well, if we do crash at
> least it won't hurt for very long".

The difference between smart people and stupid people is that smart people
accurately assess the risks, and stupid people don't. Smart people may still
take significant risks, but they know what they are getting into. Stupid
people take risks without knowing what they are doing. Thus, the smart person
always has the satisfaction of knowing that the result justifies the risk (at
least in his own mind), whereas the stupid person just stumbles along, and
often stumbles into Darwin's rejected gene pool.

Astronauts know what they are getting into. The risks are substantial, but
they are smart enough to know what the risks are, and they've accepted them.
Good pilots are the same way. So are good motorcycle riders. All of these
people ask themselves in advance: Is this experience worth a risk of xx% that
I'll be killed? The answer doesn't matter so much as asking the question and
heeding the reply. The stupid people just say to themselves: Wow, this looks
like fun!

General aviation is vastly more dangerous than commercial airlines, but
clearly most of the risk comes from careless, stupid pilots and poorly
maintained aircraft (and one could argue that the latter is also a consequence
of the former).

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

[Bart]

On Feb 8, 12:25 pm, Dylan Smith > wrote:
> We all die. Some of us will make a fatal error while aviating. Some of
> us will spend years dying. But we all die. You have a choice: be afraid
> of your own shadow and instead of living, merely waiting to die (like
> many of the most risk averse in society are doing, without even
> realising that they are merely waiting to die instead of living) - or
> perhaps take reasonable risks and actually live.

I agree to an extent. But when you engage in risky behavior, you have
to consider other things besides your own quality of life. You also
have to consider the people who would be affected.

I would consider flying somewhat risky behavior. Not outrageously so,
but riskier than the behaviors that the average person will engage in.
So I struggle with the question of whether I should continue to fly if/
when my wife and I have children. Should one engage in unnecessary,
above average risky behavior when one has responsibilities to family -
especially young children?

[[email protected]]

On Feb 8, 8:15 am, wrote:
> > reason. There is none except that death waits for us all. We look for
> > something or someone to blame. Aviation is easy to blame, but
> > aviation is not death. Aviation has brought life to many, both
> > figuratively and literally.
> > --
> > Gene Seibel
> > Gene & Sue's Flying Machine -http://pad39a.com/gene/
> > Because we fly, we envy no one.
>
> Gene,
>
> I was working for an Idaho based avionics company in 2002 when a
> tragedy occured. Three employees of the company, including my
> immediate boss who was one of the three partners that had started it,
> were in a landing accident in a Lancair. Two of them were killed
> including the one who was PIC. My boss managed to survive with a
> severe leg fracture that required surgery and had a risk of amputation
> if it didn't succeed.
>
> Immediately after the accident, I warned his wife that she should make
> sure that he didn't wallow in survivors guilt since he had lived and
> the others had not.
>
> Two weeks after the accident, his partners and the head of the company
> that had bought them out, called him in for a management meeting since
> he had been at home recuperating. They demanded that he resign, which
> he did under the pressure and the fact that he was a mess still from
> the accident. Seems that they had blamed him for the accident even
> though he wasn't flying the plane. You are right about people wanting
> to blame someone for an aviation accident. I have seen it happen
> first hand, and know that the guy they blamed was not responsible for
> it happening...
>
> I left that company about 9 months later, which was the first
> opportunity I found to switch jobs. It was an awful place to work,
> and was no where near the professional, supportive environment I had
> known at Boeing.
>
> Dean

Can you name the company? I don't want to buy their stuff.

[[email protected]]

On Feb 8, 5:54 pm, wrote:
> On Feb 8, 8:15 am, wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > > reason. There is none except that death waits for us all. We look for
> > > something or someone to blame. Aviation is easy to blame, but
> > > aviation is not death. Aviation has brought life to many, both
> > > figuratively and literally.
> > > --
> > > Gene Seibel
> > > Gene & Sue's Flying Machine -http://pad39a.com/gene/
> > > Because we fly, we envy no one.
>
> > Gene,
>
> > I was working for an Idaho based avionics company in 2002 when a
> > tragedy occured. Three employees of the company, including my
> > immediate boss who was one of the three partners that had started it,
> > were in a landing accident in a Lancair. Two of them were killed
> > including the one who was PIC. My boss managed to survive with a
> > severe leg fracture that required surgery and had a risk of amputation
> > if it didn't succeed.
>
> > Immediately after the accident, I warned his wife that she should make
> > sure that he didn't wallow in survivors guilt since he had lived and
> > the others had not.
>
> > Two weeks after the accident, his partners and the head of the company
> > that had bought them out, called him in for a management meeting since
> > he had been at home recuperating. They demanded that he resign, which
> > he did under the pressure and the fact that he was a mess still from
> > the accident. Seems that they had blamed him for the accident even
> > though he wasn't flying the plane. You are right about people wanting
> > to blame someone for an aviation accident. I have seen it happen
> > first hand, and know that the guy they blamed was not responsible for
> > it happening...
>
> > I left that company about 9 months later, which was the first
> > opportunity I found to switch jobs. It was an awful place to work,
> > and was no where near the professional, supportive environment I had
> > known at Boeing.
>
> > Dean
>
> Can you name the company? I don't want to buy their stuff.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

You can read about it here:
<http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm?
ContentBlockID=39832E54-95F9-4CEC-A8E8-099E0450E72D&Dynamic=1>

[LWG]

And the other strange coincidence was that a few years before that, my ex
and I attended a party he and his wife gave at their nearby home. I
remember it clearly. He showed us his garage where he was restoring a BMW
car/motorcycle that had the one door in the front, sort of like a carnival
ride with a windshield. He was a very nice guy, and his wife was a nice
gal.

By the time she collected his death benefits from the city, and other
private insurance, she was a very wealthy woman.

I jokingly told my ex that I didn't buy life insurance because when I died,
I wanted it to be a sad day for everyone.

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>> I often think about this when making a decision to go flying. I don't
>> believe in pushing it, but when your number's up...
>
> Great story.
>

[Don Tuite]

On Thu, 8 Feb 2007 21:22:49 -0500, "LWG" >
wrote:

>And the other strange coincidence was that a few years before that, my ex
>and I attended a party he and his wife gave at their nearby home. I
>remember it clearly. He showed us his garage where he was restoring a BMW
>car/motorcycle that had the one door in the front, sort of like a carnival
>ride with a windshield. He was a very nice guy, and his wife was a nice
>gal.
>
BMW Isetta: http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/bmwisetta250.html

With the only means of egress being the front door, it was something
of a suicide machine.

For aviation content, the Isetta was more or less contemporary with
this:
http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/messerschmitt-kr200-1955-9.html

Don

[Montblack]

("Don Tuite" wrote)
> BMW Isetta: http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/bmwisetta250.html
>
> With the only means of egress being the front door, it was something
> of a suicide machine.
>
> For aviation content, the Isetta was more or less contemporary with
> this:
> http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/messerschmitt-kr200-1955-9.html


More ...(NAC) Necessary Aviation Content:
http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/avolette-tourisme.html
1956 Avolette Tourisme (de Luxe)
"In the Mid-50's Egon Brutsch sold the license for building his
three-wheeled vehicles to the Cessna aircraft distributor for France, named
Societe Air-Tourist. Not satisfied with merely reproducing the open
three-wheeler, they designed their own vehicle with a tubular body frame.
Construction took place in an aircraft hangar near the Paris airport. The
Paris Salon of 1955 saw the introduction of five versions of their
egg-shaped doorless vehicles."


Montblack

[Bob Noel]

In article >, "Morgans" >
wrote:

> > But remember what happened to me last year in Cedar Rapids? I tripped
> > crossing a street, for pete's sake! My injury wasn't *immediately* life
> > threatening, but I wasn't in surgery a few hours later for kicks and
> > giggles.
> >
> > Enjoy life. Manage your risks, but enjoy life.
>
> I agree.
>
> Refresh our memories. What happened after the trip?

(I've been TDY)

Short version: I had surgery to repair a hole in my diaphram.
They used a 6cm x 8cm Gortech patch.

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

[Jay Honeck]

> > Refresh our memories. What happened after the trip?
>
> (I've been TDY)
>
> Short version: I had surgery to repair a hole in my diaphram.
> They used a 6cm x 8cm Gortech patch.

Slightly longer version -- he tore the hole by slipping and falling
onto a curb (?), right?

This from a guy who doesn't drink...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Morgans]

"Bob Noel" > wrote

> Short version: I had surgery to repair a hole in my diaphram.
> They used a 6cm x 8cm Gortech patch.

Ouch!
--
Jim in NC

[Bob Noel]

In article om>,
"Jay Honeck" > wrote:

> > Short version: I had surgery to repair a hole in my diaphram.
> > They used a 6cm x 8cm Gortech patch.
>
> Slightly longer version -- he tore the hole by slipping and falling
> onto a curb (?), right?

nope. The surgery report shows that I did not have an acute
rupture, but rather it was a pre-existing condition aggravated
by the fall (and striking the curb) and revealed by the first chest
x-rays I can recall having.

>This from a guy who doesn't drink...

The beauty of not drinking is that I can fly anytime.

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

[Jay Honeck]

> nope. The surgery report shows that I did not have an acute
> rupture, but rather it was a pre-existing condition aggravated
> by the fall (and striking the curb) and revealed by the first chest
> x-rays I can recall having.

Whoops -- I remember now.

> >This from a guy who doesn't drink...
>
> The beauty of not drinking is that I can fly anytime.

Good point. However, since I only drink occasionally, and only at
night -- and we don't fly at night -- problem solved!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Blueskies]

"Bob Noel" > wrote in message
...
: In article om>,
: "Jay Honeck" > wrote:
:
: > > Short version: I had surgery to repair a hole in my diaphram.
: > > They used a 6cm x 8cm Gortech patch.
: >
: > Slightly longer version -- he tore the hole by slipping and falling
: > onto a curb (?), right?
:
: nope. The surgery report shows that I did not have an acute
: rupture, but rather it was a pre-existing condition aggravated
: by the fall (and striking the curb) and revealed by the first chest
: x-rays I can recall having.
:
: >This from a guy who doesn't drink...
:
: The beauty of not drinking is that I can fly anytime.
:
: --
: Bob Noel
: Looking for a sig the
: lawyers will hate
:

You mean, if I don't drink, I can go up right now! Wish I could, but the snow on the runway and in front of the hanger
does not want me to. I think I need a drink...

;-)

[Jose]

> : The beauty of not drinking is that I can fly anytime.

I fly all the time. Sometimes I use an airplane.

Jose
--
Humans are pack animals. Above all things, they have a deep need to
follow something, be it a leader, a creed, or a mob. Whosoever fully
understands this holds the world in his hands.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[Jay Honeck]

> You mean, if I don't drink, I can go up right now! Wish I could, but the snow on the runway and in front of the hanger
> does not want me to. I think I need a drink...

Pshaw! We've been in the deep freeze here for weeks (I can tell --
anything above 0 fahrenheit feels okay to me, now), but we're still
flying every couple of days.

And, come to think of it, we're still drinking a beer or two pretty
regularly, too.

All things in moderation -- except flying, which must be done as often
as possible...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Blueskies]

I mean, literally, there is two feet of snow between the ol' 172 and the
runway. I'd have to go 'rent' a plane to be able to go up....

....crying in my beer...




"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message oups.com...
:> You mean, if I don't drink, I can go up right now! Wish I could, but the snow on the runway and in front of the
hanger
: > does not want me to. I think I need a drink...
:
: Pshaw! We've been in the deep freeze here for weeks (I can tell --
: anything above 0 fahrenheit feels okay to me, now), but we're still
: flying every couple of days.
:
: And, come to think of it, we're still drinking a beer or two pretty
: regularly, too.
:
: All things in moderation -- except flying, which must be done as often
: as possible...
:
: ;-)
: --
: Jay Honeck
: Iowa City, IA
: Pathfinder N56993
: www.AlexisParkInn.com
: "Your Aviation Destination"
:

[Jay Honeck]

> I mean, literally, there is two feet of snow between the ol' 172 and the
> runway. I'd have to go 'rent' a plane to be able to go up....

Well, I've shoveled at least that much from in front of my hangar this
year.

Of course it depends: How far is it from the 172 to the runway?

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination

[Blueskies]

Maybe a 1/4 mile. And then there is the runway itself, covered shin deep anyway...

We live on 4n0..

http://www.airnav.com/airport/4N0

Dan D.


"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message ps.com...
:> I mean, literally, there is two feet of snow between the ol' 172 and the
: > runway. I'd have to go 'rent' a plane to be able to go up....
:
: Well, I've shoveled at least that much from in front of my hangar this
: year.
:
: Of course it depends: How far is it from the 172 to the runway?
:
::-)
: --
: Jay Honeck
: Iowa City, IA
: Pathfinder N56993
: www.AlexisParkInn.com
: "Your Aviation Destination
:

[Jay Honeck]

> Maybe a 1/4 mile. And then there is the runway itself, covered shin deep anyway...

Crikey! You're right -- you're not going *anywhere*...

Sorry to hear it. Maybe you should build your own "Mighty Grape" that
includes a snow plow?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"