audio of VFR pilot in IFR condictions

http://www.naats.org/docs/flightassist.mp3

On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 23:34:45 -0500, Aardvark
wrote:

http://www.naats.org/docs/flightassist.mp3

Talk about dodging a bullet. Whew!

Rob

On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 23:34:45 -0500, Aardvark
wrote in Message-Id:
:

http://www.naats.org/docs/flightassist.mp3

While this FSS controller promotional audio clip seems to provide a
glimpse at a very frightened pilot's fear of death, I failed to find
any meaningful assistance provided by FAA personnel other than some
dubious control input suggestions. It seems the pilot was able to
regain control of his aircraft and composure merely as a result of
having the (false?) reassurance of contact with another human.
Interesting stuff.

Great stuff!

Here's a picture of the airplane (scroll down):

http://www.directwfc.com/fleet.htm

--
Roger Long

Interesting link.

What confuses me is that the purpose of the clip (presumably) is to show an
example of exceptional assistance from a controller, yet, while passing the
pilot to a controller on another frequency the original controller can be
heard saying that he is passing on a pilot who is squawking 1200 when in
fact they had asked him (several times and he eventually complied) to change
his squawk to 7700. Eventually they corrected this error.

The other thing that bugs me is that the VFR pilot (like another poster has
already said) really received very little useful control input (aside from
the first instruction to break the stall) and instrument interpretation
instructions. At one point the VFR pilot was simply told to "just fly
straight and level" when the pilot found himself in IMC again. I can think
of a plethora of other suggestions that might have been made to the VFR
pilot, on how exactly he should interpret 'straight and level' using his
instruments and more importantly how to make turns at a bank and turn rate
that is appropriate to being in IMC. All of which could be explained
quickly without overwhelming the pilot.

I was surprised to learn that one of the controllers at another airport I've
flown to in the past, actually had never been a pilot NOR ever BEEN IN a
G.A. aircraft.

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures complete with pictures and text at:
www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -

I thought is wasn't very helpful for them to ask him to fiddle with his
transponder and switch frequencies, last thing a pilot who is struggling to
maintain control needs is distraction.

I looked up the plane, (see link above). It was a 172P so I wonder if he
really was rolling or only felt like it. If it had been any other airplane,
this tape probably wouldn't have been of such a successful outcome.

--
Roger Long
Cecil E. Chapman wrote in message
m...
Interesting link.

What confuses me is that the purpose of the clip (presumably) is to show
an
example of exceptional assistance from a controller, yet, while passing
the
pilot to a controller on another frequency the original controller can be
heard saying that he is passing on a pilot who is squawking 1200 when in
fact they had asked him (several times and he eventually complied) to
change
his squawk to 7700. Eventually they corrected this error.

The other thing that bugs me is that the VFR pilot (like another poster
has
already said) really received very little useful control input (aside from
the first instruction to break the stall) and instrument interpretation
instructions. At one point the VFR pilot was simply told to "just fly
straight and level" when the pilot found himself in IMC again. I can
think
of a plethora of other suggestions that might have been made to the VFR
pilot, on how exactly he should interpret 'straight and level' using his
instruments and more importantly how to make turns at a bank and turn rate
that is appropriate to being in IMC. All of which could be explained
quickly without overwhelming the pilot.

I was surprised to learn that one of the controllers at another airport
I've
flown to in the past, actually had never been a pilot NOR ever BEEN IN a
G.A. aircraft.

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures complete with pictures and text
at:
www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -

Simple example of what gets people killed in any sort of risky activity
(be it rock climbing, mountaineering, scuba diving, etc..)

PANIC!

The guy was completely freaked out initally in the IFR, all he had to do
was look at the damn instruments and put himself in level flight and
wait for direction..

Geez!

This is why you need to train and THINK about your response to
emergencies so you don't turn into a COMPLETE freaking idiot in an
emergency...



(anyhow, I wasn't all that impressed with the ATC in the intial
emergency anyhow!)

"Chris Schmelzer" wrote in message
...
Simple example of what gets people killed in any sort of risky activity
(be it rock climbing, mountaineering, scuba diving, etc..)

PANIC!

The guy was completely freaked out initally in the IFR, all he had to do
was look at the damn instruments and put himself in level flight and
wait for direction..

Geez!

There are fatal accidents in IFR by experienced pilots who get disoriented.
This assumption that returning to straight and level is simple and obvious
is frighteningly naive.



This is why you need to train and THINK about your response to
emergencies so you don't turn into a COMPLETE freaking idiot in an
emergency...


Well luckily, you are completely sure you'll never panic...

I agree the pilot on the tape did a lousy job getting into the spin. That's
part of the point - recognize that you might do the same thing. Being in a
spin inside the clouds and having to recover by insturments sounds pretty
damn tough to me.

Michael

On 2003-12-25 15:23:45 -0800, "Cecil E. Chapman" said:

The other thing that bugs me is that the VFR pilot (like another poster has
already said) really received very little useful control input (aside from
the first instruction to break the stall) and instrument interpretation
instructions. At one point the VFR pilot was simply told to "just fly
straight and level" when the pilot found himself in IMC again. I can think
of a plethora of other suggestions that might have been made to the VFR
pilot, on how exactly he should interpret 'straight and level' using his
instruments and more importantly how to make turns at a bank and turn rate
that is appropriate to being in IMC. All of which could be explained
quickly without overwhelming the pilot.

There's no requirement for ATS types to know anything about flying airplanes, and they should not try to give flight instruction over the radio. For similar reasons, I do not attempt to provide weather briefings or radar vectors.

--
Larry Fransson
Seattle, WA

"Cecil E. Chapman" wrote in message
m

I was surprised to learn that one of the controllers at another
airport I've flown to in the past, actually had never been a pilot
NOR ever BEEN IN a G.A. aircraft.

Why was that surprising?

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_s...veloperid=4415
____________________