"Airplane Drivers" and "Self Centered Idiots"

Jay Honeck wrote:
Thanks to AVweb for this column. The pilot makes the point better than I.

http://www.avweb.com/news/pilotlounge/193321-1.html

The author, Rick Durden, is a regular here, and a straight shooter.
What he says in that article is 100% on the money.

Those of us who fly into Oshkosh every year know precisely what he's
talking about, and it is definitely time for EAA and the FAA to step up
enforcement action against pilots who arrogantly ignore the NOTAM.
(NOTAM = NOTice to AirMen, outlining the arrival/departure
procedures.) I saw and heard things this year that I've NEVER seen or
heard before, and we don't want Oshkosh to become endangered because of
the actions of a few idiots.

That said, the FAA itself was largely to blame for much of the
confusion over Rush and Green Lakes this year. (I know -- I was
there.) If the controllers had only said "Guys, there's been an
accident on the field, and we don't know how long the hold is going to
be." -- half the planes holding would have diverted to other airports
to wait it out.

They chose, instead, to keep saying "We're doing the best we can, and
we'll get you in as soon as possible." This lack of information gave
everyone holding the false hope that the hold would end soon, and the
swarm around the lakes just kept getting bigger, and bigger, and
bigger. It was a real mess, which -- thankfully -- all worked out in
the end.

And that, Skylune, is the point you are missing, as always. Oshkosh is
well run, and continues to have a very good safety record, despite
these few transgressions. Pilots policing themselves (with peer
pressure and harsh articles like Rick's) will ultimately have the
desired effect, and will go a long ways toward stopping the "Morons to
Oshkosh".
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

His comments about stupid pilot tricks matches my experience perfectly.
That, plus the BS the flight school put on us about how convenient VFR
GA was for transportation, plus minimimizing the fact that you need to
fly regularly to be safe, way beyond what the FAA minimums require to
remain current, are what caused me to quit. Fortunately, the crooks at
the flight school (a national chain) only got a few thousand of my hard
earned cash before I (and a few other students) realized we were being
played.... It still ticks me off though.

I now have the time to train again, and actually thought about it for a
while, but there is no benefit to VFR GA in the Northeast, unless you
need a hobby.

I now have the time to train again, and actually thought about it for a
while, but there is no benefit to VFR GA in the Northeast, unless you
need a hobby.

Well, it's a damned good hobby. And we've used it for tranportation --
all VFR -- for almost 12 years now.

And I don't think you can convince me that the weather is worse in the
Northeast than it is in the Midwest. To say there is no benefit to VFR
GA is just wrong.

Bottom line: If you really want to fly, you will learn to do it. If
you really don't want to fly, you'll find every excuse imaginable not
to.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay, good VFR is common in the Midwest. Storms and front
pass by quickly, giving time for a nights rest at the Inn or
just a good meal. But in the NE, MVFR and IFR are more
common, leading to longer delays since the mountains and
ocean tend to hold water vapor, dirt and pollution around
longer.
If you fly a J3 at 80 mph, 1 sm gives time to see and avoid
towers and such, if you fly at a higher speed, like 120 mph
you only have 30 seconds to see and avoid. If you fly at
180 mph (Bonanza class) you have 20 seconds to see the tower
and guy wires, You take evasive action and hope there isn't
another tower in that direction.

VFR is OK, but if you are needing to travel on a schedule,
IFR is essential anytime the weather is MVFR and you can't
see the ridges or the towers.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
| I now have the time to train again, and actually thought
about it for a
| while, but there is no benefit to VFR GA in the
Northeast, unless you
| need a hobby.
|
| Well, it's a damned good hobby. And we've used it for
tranportation --
| all VFR -- for almost 12 years now.
|
| And I don't think you can convince me that the weather is
worse in the
| Northeast than it is in the Midwest. To say there is no
benefit to VFR
| GA is just wrong.
|
| Bottom line: If you really want to fly, you will learn to
do it. If
| you really don't want to fly, you'll find every excuse
imaginable not
| to.
| --
| Jay Honeck
| Iowa City, IA
| Pathfinder N56993
| www.AlexisParkInn.com
| "Your Aviation Destination"
|

VFR is OK, but if you are needing to travel on a schedule,
IFR is essential anytime the weather is MVFR and you can't
see the ridges or the towers.

Very true. And even IFR there are days you're not going to be flying
anywhere in a Spam can.

Luckily, the schedules I fly on are usually quite "soft" and allow for
a fair degree of flexibility.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jim Macklin wrote:
If you fly at
180 mph (Bonanza class)


If I'm throttled back.