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#71
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Scared of mid-airs
James Ricks wrote:
If this fear is really keeping you from flying, there are fairly reasonable devices that will 'listen' for other aircraft's transponder signals and alert you to the direction and range to other traffic If this fear is really keeping him from flying, there's always fishing. I put the same effort to avoid other aircraft that I put into avoiding other cars when I drive. If that's too scary for him he just needs to take up something he can handle. -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN VE |
#72
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Scared of mid-airs
You're right, it IS a semantics issue.
The issue of handling fear in flight as that pertains to a potential mid-air is far too complicated an issue to draw down into an axiom that suggests a student stay on the ground or in bed if the thought of a mid air "scares them". I just wouldn't handle this situation this way. It can be logically assumed that a pilot should never be in the air "consumed" with a fear of a mid air collision. Anything that even approaches the level of true fear is something no pilot can afford to entertain. But there is another side to this double edged sword, and that is the simple fact that although a pilot should never be experiencing true fear, the same pilot must fly in a constant state of what I will call for the lack of a better term, "an extremely high state of awareness to a possible mid-air". So what the instructor has here is the rather difficult task of suppressing actual fear as we define fear in the accurate sense, while at the same time impressing the student with the absolute importance of maintaining a constant airborne vigil as protection against a possible mid-air. This is an instructional tap dance that can leave a student confused about the issue if nothing else, and it's important that instructors see this and deal with it properly. A pilot stating he is developing a "fear" of having a mid-air after 200 odd hours of flying is a pilot who needs to be shown the difference between fear, which is a negative for him, and constant awareness, which is the positive desired. You can of course sum all this up by simply saying to that pilot; "Keep your damn eyes open, but don't get carried away with it" :-) But I think this issue deserves some airing out, so that the pilot is able to come to a better understanding of himself and his flying. Just my opinion on this FWIW. Dudley "Roger" wrote in message ... On Wed, 10 May 2006 15:20:32 -0700, Mark Hansen wrote: On 05/10/06 15:02, Ol Shy & Bashful wrote: Frode Care to come take a look at my logbooks? I've been flying all over the world and much of it, about 13000 hours, crop dusting. If the thought of a midair scares you, stay on the ground, or in bed..... I assume what you meant was that no one should let the thought of a mid-air collision scare them to the point they cannot fly safely? If any person is *not* afraid of a mid-air collision, they shouldn't be flying. We may be dealing in semantics, but fear reduces our ability to function. In some people to the point of being unable to function. I am well aware of the possibility of a collision and I try to remain vigilant and concerned, but I would use the same words old Shy used. No one who is afraid/scared of part of flying should be flying. Address the fear in a realistic manner so it becomes no more than a concern. Then fly. Many students have fears and those are addressed in training and should become things of which we are aware and for which we conduct ourselves in a manner which should reduce or eliminate the chance of the collision. If you have had several near miisses in your brief career, please let me know where you will be flying so I can avoid the area? I've had thee close encounters since 1963. The last was nearly 10 years ago when landing. It was nearly dark and an ultralight pulled right in front of me just a few hundred feet off the ground when I was on final. The two previous "close encounters" were back in the 60's and within a couple of weeks of each other. Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com |
#73
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Scared of mid-airs
Dudley
I too teach all my students to keep their head on a swivel. That doesn't mean they are in fear of mid-airs to the point of incapacitation or night sweats! Regards Rocky |
#74
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Scared of mid-airs
Jim
Nah...I'm not quite THAT old!! Well, maybe I am but it wasn't me flying. I didn't start crop dusting until 1966.g Cheers |
#75
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Scared of mid-airs
Mark
I spent about 15 years ag flying there near Modesto before I decided to get out of the PRC. I'm merely trying to illustrate the point that in a lot of hours flying I've never had any near mid-airs. I have seen the aftermath of a number of them however and have talked to pilots who were involved. So far they haven't given me nightmares nor do I expect them to. As Dudley and others have mentioned, I also train every pilot I fly with to keep their heads on a swivel looking out for the pilot who isn't! Sometimes they happen in spite of the best avoidance efforts. Cheers Ol Shy & Bashful |
#76
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Scared of mid-airs
"Frode Berg" wrote in message news OK. I will not speak my mind on this forum if this is what happens. Thanks to all the insightful posts by all you other people! I just needed to put some statistics into perspective. After all, I witnessed a mid air right before starting my PPL. However, tha last week I've flown a few times, and haven't thought much about it anymore. I guess mr Ol Shy here is flying around his farm in the middle of nowhere at 300 feet in his ultralight. I only have 250 hours total, and have had 3 close encounters. Not really "near misses" apart from one of them, but they were still to me uncomfortably close, so you claiming 23.000 hours with none....? Hmmm...makes you wonder... Frode If you have had three close encounters in 250 hours you might benefit from spending time with an instructor going over scan techniques. |
#77
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Scared of mid-airs
"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message m... Larry Dighera wrote: On 10 May 2006 09:57:27 -0700, "Ol Shy & Bashful" wrote in . com:: Fear of mid-airs? Come give me a break! sheeesh I'm sure that's what the victims of these MACs thought too: You have entirely too much free time on your hands. Ever go flying? No, of course not - he spends his every waking hour worrying about that ..0001%! |
#78
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Scared of mid-airs
"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message ... James Ricks wrote: If this fear is really keeping you from flying, there are fairly reasonable devices that will 'listen' for other aircraft's transponder signals and alert you to the direction and range to other traffic If this fear is really keeping him from flying, there's always fishing. I put the same effort to avoid other aircraft that I put into avoiding other cars when I drive. If that's too scary for him he just needs to take up something he can handle. In fishing, there's always the possibility of falling out of the boat and getting eaten by alligators, piranha, sharks, bluegill... |
#79
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Scared of mid-airs
Well, neither have I.
However, nid air is one thing not too easy to recover from if it happens. Engine out, suddenly IMC while VFR etc, all is survivable, but if a mid air occurs (that famous .1% chance) then you can have all pilot skills and all the hours logged you like. Your most likely toast. That's what I feel is more scary about them. But I still fly my plane well, and don't spend all my time thinking of them, off course not. And Rocky, I fly thoughout Europe. I have 250 hours total, probably half of them are long cross country trips covering most of Europe from Norway to Italy. I just phrased my comments becuase I felt your post was a bit harsh. If you did not mean it that way, fine. Frode "Ol Shy & Bashful" skrev i melding ups.com... Dudley I too teach all my students to keep their head on a swivel. That doesn't mean they are in fear of mid-airs to the point of incapacitation or night sweats! Regards Rocky |
#80
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Scared of mid-airs
To the group.
My original posting has developed beyond intentions. Let me be presise: I am NOT terrified of having a mid air every time I fly. I realise my original post is misleading in this regard. I fly as much as I can, and I scan for traffic the best I can with the techniques I've learnt, and picked up along the way. However, from time to time, I think more about this than other times. Much like the way one might think more about hitting another motor vehicle going around a bend in 80 mph somewhere. Sure, you don't think of this all the time, but occasionally after seeing reckless drivers out there, the thought creeps in. I just posted to get some opinions on the subject, and some raw statistics. I'm sorry if my original post offends any pilots out there. Be assured, I do not fly around being afraid, and I do not intend to in the future either. It's just been a few times the past 2-3 years that I've experienced the odd minute or two of nervousness enroute, but it doesn't last. Maybe it even makes my scan technique better! And 3 times close encounters (not meaning near misses) is not much I believe if you do any flying near any sort of congested airspace like I do. Only once was I uncomfortably close to another plane, and that was in the airspace around Amsterdam Schiphol. Does the fact that this happened before I reached 230.000.567.983.574.000 hours total time holding an ATPL, being knighted by the FAA etc etc etc AND being the best crop duster in the world make me a careless pilot? I don't believe it does. Everyone has the right to his/her opinion though. Thanks for all the input on this matter, and safe flying to you all! Frode "Ol Shy & Bashful" skrev i melding oups.com... Frode Care to come take a look at my logbooks? I've been flying all over the world and much of it, about 13000 hours, crop dusting. If the thought of a midair scares you, stay on the ground, or in bed..... If you have had several near miisses in your brief career, please let me know where you will be flying so I can avoid the area? |
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