"Flying too High" by Steven Pomper

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...

Yes, and that's perfectly appropriate. What the author fails to
understand is that the primary purpose of flying IFR is to have ATC take
responsibility for aircraft separation if visibility isn't good enough to
see and avoid visually. The conditions during JFK Jr.'s flight were
entirely adequate for visual separation.


Is it? Then what's the purpose in IFR flight in uncontrolled airspace?

It's other than the primary purpose.

--Gary

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...

Yes, and that's perfectly appropriate. What the author fails to understand
is that the primary purpose of flying IFR is to have ATC take
responsibility for aircraft separation if visibility isn't good enough to
see and avoid visually. The conditions during JFK Jr.'s flight were
entirely adequate for visual separation.

Flying IFR does not help you use instruments to keep the plane upright in
the absence of a visible horizon. Contrary to naive opinion, that's a
*VFR* skill, and it's taught (in the US anyway) as part of the basic
private-pilot curriculum. The bulk of instrument-rating training takes for
granted the basic ability to fly by instruments, and concentrates on the
details of en route and approach procedures.


So why is it that US airlines were flying IFR in the US for years before
Airways Traffic Control was established?

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
news

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...

Yes, and that's perfectly appropriate. What the author fails to
understand is that the primary purpose of flying IFR is to have ATC take
responsibility for aircraft separation if visibility isn't good enough to
see and avoid visually. The conditions during JFK Jr.'s flight were
entirely adequate for visual separation.

Flying IFR does not help you use instruments to keep the plane upright in
the absence of a visible horizon. Contrary to naive opinion, that's a
*VFR* skill, and it's taught (in the US anyway) as part of the basic
private-pilot curriculum. The bulk of instrument-rating training takes
for granted the basic ability to fly by instruments, and concentrates on
the details of en route and approach procedures.


So why is it that US airlines were flying IFR in the US for years before
Airways Traffic Control was established?

I don't know. I haven't studied that history. What was the purpose of IFR
before ATC was established?

--Gary

That's what passes for 'Excellent Journalism' these days.

wrote in message
oups.com...
That article was so full of half-truths and outright distortions as to
be laughable,

"Skylune" wrote in message
lkaboutaviation.com...

Holy cow. A friend of mine (a like minded person who wants GA to be
professionalized and regulated -- no its not regulated now)


Actually, GA is quite heavily regulated now.



just referred
me to this excellent piece of journalism. A bit dated, to be sure, but
still relevant. (Ironic that this was being written at the same time GA
schools were training the Saudi terrorists who flew into the WTC.)

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/fea...10.pomper.html


Actually, that is a very poor piece of "journalism", very little in it is
accurate.

In theory, yes. In actuality, of course it is not as all honest GA pilots
know you can bust minimums and get away with all sorts of stuff,
undetected.

For those of you looking for an afternoon chuckle, here is a quite from the
article ...

" ... the world of private flying is full of these kinds of surprises. It's
the Wild Wild West meets Sherwood Forest stood on its head. Private flyers
are regulated in theory, but hardly supervised in practice. This generally
well-heeled group ..."

Michael

Generally well heeled: I don't think that is a huge leap. Wild Wild West,
well, I agree with that, as does my pilot friend who cannot operate the
GPS (still!). As do many of your fellow pilots, judging by this news
group....

Skylune wrote:

Generally well heeled: I don't think that is a huge leap. Wild Wild West,
well, I agree with that, as does my pilot friend who cannot operate the
GPS (still!).

A GPS isn't required to fly safely. Just because one pilot can't figure
out how to operate a GPS (probably can't get his VCR to stop flashing
'12:00' either) doesn't say anything about the competency of the pilot
population as a whole. But it does explain a lot about your views.


-m
--
## Mark T. Dame
## VP, Product Development
## MFM Software, Inc. (http://www.mfm.com/)
"Drop your carrier! We have you surrounded!"
-- The FBI

Skylune wrote:
.............................................


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