If I die...

My brother recently lost a friend of his in a diving accident. And my
brother, as a former sailor on the wreck that the accident happened on
(HMCS Cape Breton), a local PADI dive instructor and an expert in deep
diving techniques, had to go in to find the body after the RCMP tried for
two days and couldn't find him. I was reading the forum posts about the
accident, and somebody posted this. With a few substitutions, I could see
this applying to us just as well.

If I should die while diving.

If I should die while diving please do not hesitate to discuss the
incident and assess every element with a view to furthering your
understanding of how to enhance diver safety.

If I should die while diving get the facts. They won't be readily
available and will definitely not be correct as reported by the media. But
get the facts as best you can.

If I should die while diving understand, as I already do, that it will
most likely involve fault on my part to some degree or another so do not
hesitate to point that out.

If I should die while diving some of the fault will probably belong to my
buddy and that needs to be honestly assessed as well though I must admit
this is one area where I hope that compassion will be in the mix.

If I should die while diving there might be those who try to squelch
discussion out of a misplaced notion of respect for the deceased, family
and friends. They can say nice things about me at my funeral... but in the
scuba community I want the incident discussed.

If I should die while diving at least I didn't die in bed.

--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
Which ISPs provide write-only Usenet access?
From the state of Usenet in general? All of them.
-- J.D.Baldwin and Derick Siddoway

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
If I should die while diving at least I didn't die in bed.

Poignant words indeed.
The last line makes for a fitting replacement for the ever clichéd "He died
doing what he loved!", which always seems to rub people the wrong way for
some reason.
Crash Lander
--
Straight and Level Down Under.
http://www.straightandleveldownunder.net/

Crash Lander wrote:
"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
If I should die while diving at least I didn't die in bed.

Poignant words indeed.
The last line makes for a fitting replacement for the ever clichéd "He died
doing what he loved!", which always seems to rub people the wrong way for
some reason.
Crash Lander
The reason for this is complex and is much more deeply rooted in
professional aviation than it is in general aviation as that relates to
pilots who fly for pleasure.
In the professional community, many pilots don't like this sentiment.
First of all, it assumes that the person stating the sentiment knows or
knew the pilot in question well enough to make such a statement and in
almost every instance, this couldn't be further from the truth.
The truth is that most professional pilots, although we love to fly,
live in a world of intense competition and self discipline where just
doing the job right and keeping our necks in one piece takes up much of
the time we could otherwise be spending on "feeling" how wonderful it is
to fly.
If and when one of us buys the farm, it's due to something that went
wrong either with ourselves, our flying environment, and/or our
equipment. In our world, what we do when this happens is come together
like all normal people in aviation do, but you will seldom hear
sentiments like "at least he died doing what he loved to do".
What you will hear as we speak of a crash among ourselves are sentiments
like "Damn shame. What went wrong?"
If you are around professional pilots when a crash occurs, you should
notice an air of silent respect interfaced with straight forward and
pertinent questions.
In our world a crash means something went wrong that needs correcting, NOW!
The "he died with his boots on" thing just isn't our cup of tea, at
least for the pilots I know and have flown with anyway.
I've often said that if something went wrong and I dug a 10 foot hole in
the ground during one of my displays, my friends and associates would be
standing at the rim of the hole in about 30 seconds discussing what
might have gone wrong..and that's the way I would want it to be. I'd
want them to find out ASAP what happened so it didn't happen to someone
else the next day.
That's the way it is in the world of professional aviation.....at least
in my little corner of it anyway. :-)

--
Dudley Henriques

"Crash Lander" wrote in
:

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
If I should die while diving at least I didn't die in bed.

Poignant words indeed.
The last line makes for a fitting replacement for the ever clichéd "He
died doing what he loved!", which always seems to rub people the wrong
way for some reason.



Well, I hope they don't say it about me.




Bertie

And then, Mr Dudley, there were John Gillespie Magee, Jr's thoughts on
your profession. I doubt you've lost that joy and awe.



On Dec 5, 10:04 pm, Dudley Henriques wrote:
Crash Lander wrote:
"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
If I should die while diving at least I didn't die in bed.

Poignant words indeed.
The last line makes for a fitting replacement for the ever clichéd "He died
doing what he loved!", which always seems to rub people the wrong way for
some reason.
Crash Lander

The reason for this is complex and is much more deeply rooted in
professional aviation than it is in general aviation as that relates to
pilots who fly for pleasure.
In the professional community, many pilots don't like this sentiment.
First of all, it assumes that the person stating the sentiment knows or
knew the pilot in question well enough to make such a statement and in
almost every instance, this couldn't be further from the truth.
The truth is that most professional pilots, although we love to fly,
live in a world of intense competition and self discipline where just
doing the job right and keeping our necks in one piece takes up much of
the time we could otherwise be spending on "feeling" how wonderful it is
to fly.
If and when one of us buys the farm, it's due to something that went
wrong either with ourselves, our flying environment, and/or our
equipment. In our world, what we do when this happens is come together
like all normal people in aviation do, but you will seldom hear
sentiments like "at least he died doing what he loved to do".
What you will hear as we speak of a crash among ourselves are sentiments
like "Damn shame. What went wrong?"
If you are around professional pilots when a crash occurs, you should
notice an air of silent respect interfaced with straight forward and
pertinent questions.
In our world a crash means something went wrong that needs correcting, NOW!
The "he died with his boots on" thing just isn't our cup of tea, at
least for the pilots I know and have flown with anyway.
I've often said that if something went wrong and I dug a 10 foot hole in
the ground during one of my displays, my friends and associates would be
standing at the rim of the hole in about 30 seconds discussing what
might have gone wrong..and that's the way I would want it to be. I'd
want them to find out ASAP what happened so it didn't happen to someone
else the next day.
That's the way it is in the world of professional aviation.....at least
in my little corner of it anyway. :-)

--
Dudley Henriques

Crash Lander wrote:
"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
If I should die while diving at least I didn't die in bed.

Poignant words indeed.
The last line makes for a fitting replacement for the ever clichéd "He died
doing what he loved!", which always seems to rub people the wrong way for
some reason.


Screw them. Doesn't make the words false.




--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

Dudley Henriques wrote:
The reason for this is complex and is much more deeply rooted in
professional aviation than it is in general aviation as that relates to
pilots who fly for pleasure.
In the professional community, many pilots don't like this sentiment.
First of all, it assumes that the person stating the sentiment knows or
knew the pilot in question well enough to make such a statement and in
almost every instance, this couldn't be further from the truth.


Well, first I posted a rather brusque response and then I read what you'd said.
I've almost died twice in my life: once cave diving (oddly enough for this
thread) and once in an airplane. I'd rather have a few seconds of terror
followed by the deep peace that comes with acceptance of impending death than to
sit in a nursing home waiting for my cancer to eat me alive.

So yeah, I'd rather go doing something I enjoyed even if it caused me momentary
pain. The alternatives aren't attractive. I used to joke that I hoped I would
go out at the hands of a jealous husband but I believe the window of opportunity
has slammed shut on me. Now the best I can hope for is to go in my sleep. Or
doing something I enjoy....

I would fully expect folks to discuss and dissect such an event. And I'd hope
others could learn something that might help them avoid a similar fate...



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

Paul,

it has always been a sore spot with me when the local coffee pot squadron
(or the usenet) folks
begin a spirited debate on a fresh accident that involves a fatality. I
believe the issue for me is the
timing and raw speculation proceeding real data.

In an effort to pave the way for aviation commerce the United States had the
foresight to develop an amazing
system to investigate accidents, disseminate any conclusions and make
adjustments in the regulations and
recommended operating procedures in response. Every time I respond to a
controller with the chant "maintain XXXXft until established on a published
portion of the approach" I am reminded of that system. It may not be
perfect, but it
is certainly the model. I *do* believe strongly that studying these
details is a component of our aviation learning
and certainly improve my personal safety. I wish people would sit down
with them in a quiet room and read them in the spirit of "there but for the
grace of God go I ..."

It is a fresh subject for me as I was an a recent pilot gathering and
everyone wanted to speculate about Dr. Mayo and the Faribault accident.
For my part I wanted to shout, there were two teenagers killed, and for all
you know a friend or relative is within earshot. Furthermore I doubt the
combined experience of the audience added up to his total flight hours --
that is what really chapped me.

There is something ignoble about the sense of gravitas and authority that
people assume with these things.
Its like the NASCAR crowd (the smallest component) that want something
dramatic to happen to fill some kind of Walter-Mitty void in their lives.
Some of the skydiving crowd really gave me the creeps in this regard.

Your posted "will and testament" is a noble one.

For my part, if I am killed flying -- come to my funeral and say something
nice -- if someone from the media asks you a question please don't say "he
was such a careful pilot" -- and later if the circumstances strike a nerve
then please delve into the accident details and conclusions offered by the
professionals. And if seeing my mistake spares you, then I'll congradulate
you in Heaven.

But if some nerd (wearing a sport's pilot shirt with epaulets his mother
sew'd on) runs to his computer 10 minutes after my accident I'll haunt you
from my grave.

Hah!
Todd

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
If I should die while diving.

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote in
:

Crash Lander wrote:
"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
If I should die while diving at least I didn't die in bed.

Poignant words indeed.
The last line makes for a fitting replacement for the ever clichéd
"He died doing what he loved!", which always seems to rub people the
wrong way for some reason.


Screw them. Doesn't make the words false.


I think it does...

Well, maybe not false, but they don't ring true and they're zero
consolation.


Bertie

"Todd W. Deckard" wrote in
:

Paul,

it has always been a sore spot with me when the local coffee pot
squadron (or the usenet) folks
begin a spirited debate on a fresh accident that involves a fatality.
I believe the issue for me is the
timing and raw speculation proceeding real data.

In an effort to pave the way for aviation commerce the United States
had the foresight to develop an amazing
system to investigate accidents, disseminate any conclusions and make
adjustments in the regulations and
recommended operating procedures in response. Every time I respond
to a controller with the chant "maintain XXXXft until established on a
published portion of the approach" I am reminded of that system. It
may not be perfect, but it
is certainly the model. I *do* believe strongly that studying these
details is a component of our aviation learning
and certainly improve my personal safety. I wish people would sit
down with them in a quiet room and read them in the spirit of "there
but for the grace of God go I ..."

It is a fresh subject for me as I was an a recent pilot gathering and
everyone wanted to speculate about Dr. Mayo and the Faribault
accident. For my part I wanted to shout, there were two teenagers
killed, and for all you know a friend or relative is within earshot.
Furthermore I doubt the combined experience of the audience added up
to his total flight hours -- that is what really chapped me.

There is something ignoble about the sense of gravitas and authority
that people assume with these things.
Its like the NASCAR crowd (the smallest component) that want something
dramatic to happen to fill some kind of Walter-Mitty void in their
lives. Some of the skydiving crowd really gave me the creeps in this
regard.

Your posted "will and testament" is a noble one.

For my part, if I am killed flying -- come to my funeral and say
something nice -- if someone from the media asks you a question please
don't say "he was such a careful pilot" -- and later if the
circumstances strike a nerve then please delve into the accident
details and conclusions offered by the professionals. And if seeing
my mistake spares you, then I'll congradulate you in Heaven.

But if some nerd (wearing a sport's pilot shirt with epaulets his
mother sew'd on) runs to his computer 10 minutes after my accident
I'll haunt you from my grave.


Hear hear.


Bertie