ospam (Rosspilot) writes:

For a good example of what can go wrong if you don't
take winds aloft into account properly, see the following link.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3306443.stm

That really sux. I can't believe they wouldn't SELL the pilot fuel . . .
what
assholes.

Yeah, what kind of people are these who refuse to encourage pilots
to do dumb things? They're probably the same party-poopers who
won't let their friends drive home drunk.

Kyler . . . every pilot has done dumb things.

That's an astute observation. Thank you for sharing it.

This guy had flown that plane
around the world 3 times.

...so he should have had a clue of what procedures to follow and what
risks are involved.

How does that equate to trying to drive home drunk?

Read the article you quoted and let me know when you get to this
part.
"He appears to have gone in there without a search and
rescue plan and without a contingency plan if things go
wrong, and he's expecting the New Zealand and United
States Governments to pick up and be his contingency,"
Mr Sanson added.

He didn't have a good plan for dealing with headwinds. He got
bitten. Now you want people to encourage this behavior so that
other pilots are more likely to do the same? And you really don't
see how poor fuel management in a plane equates to driving drunk?
(Hints: both kill, both can be readily avoided.)

Yes, I realize that there are US citizens who always expect to be
bailed out when they fail to plan ahead. I'm not one of them. (I
just work in California. I live in Indiana.)

--kyler