N.Y. on high alert? Pilot buzzes Statue of Liberty

Argh...


http://www.suntimes.com/output/terro...ws-tnyc30.html
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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 -

"Peter Pan Bus Lines". That's kind of frightening...

On Tue, 30 Dec 2003 15:32:23 GMT, "Cecil E. Chapman"
wrote in Message-Id:
:

Argh...


http://www.suntimes.com/output/terro...ws-tnyc30.html
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It's hard to believe that an instrument rated pilot got lost and
circled the Statue of Liberty:

Pilots Database Search Result
------------------------------------------------------
Name : LANGONE, RICHARD MICHAEL
Pilot's Address : XXXX BAY BLVD
ATLANTIC BEACH, NY, 11509-1648
FAA Region : Eastern
Date of Medical : Jul, 2002
Class of Medical : 3
Expiration : Jul, 2004
Pilot Certificates : Private Pilot
Airplane Single Engine Land
Instrument Airplane

Larry Dighera wrote:

It's hard to believe that an instrument rated pilot got lost and
circled the Statue of Liberty:

Well...no, not really. Rather: the IA rating isn't really relevant. If
anything, taking the rating actually reduced my pilotage skill for a while.
But not by so much that I'd be confused about Manhattan Island.

And he wasn't lost when he circled the statue. I'm not sure that this is
relevant, mind you. But he did find the statue. So...was he really
"lost"? Or did he misread the TAC?

- Andrew

On Tue, 30 Dec 2003 14:03:12 -0500, Andrew Gideon
wrote in Message-Id:
ne.com:

Larry Dighera wrote:

It's hard to believe that an instrument rated pilot got lost and
circled the Statue of Liberty:

Well...no, not really. Rather: the IA rating isn't really relevant.

Personally, I believe that an instrument rated pilot is more
experienced, professional, and careful than a pilot lacking an
instrument rating. I would generally expect the competence of an
instrument rated pilot to exceed that of a pilot without without an
instrument rating, thus the reason for my comment.

If anything, taking the rating actually reduced my pilotage skill for a while.

That is understandable, given that the charts employed for instrument
flight lack topographic and landmark detail.

But not by so much that I'd be confused about Manhattan Island.

Precisely.

And he wasn't lost when he circled the statue. I'm not sure that this is
relevant, mind you. But he did find the statue. So...was he really
"lost"? Or did he misread the TAC?

We all have bad days, I suppose.

Larry Dighera wrote:

Well...no, not really. Rather: the IA rating isn't really relevant.

Personally, I believe that an instrument rated pilot is more
experienced, professional, and careful than a pilot lacking an
instrument rating. I would generally expect the competence of an
instrument rated pilot to exceed that of a pilot without without an
instrument rating, thus the reason for my comment.

Laugh I used to think that. Then I got the rating. If *I* could get
it...

More seriously: the skills acquired for the IA rating aren't generally
applicable to what this fellow was doing. Perhaps he could hold altitude
or heading more tightly than a newly minted PPL, but that's about all.

Ah...perhaps one more item. Depending upon where he did his PPL, the IA
might also bring with it more comfort in dealing with TRACON, Center, and
such. But assuming he did his PPL around here (I'm also in the Newark
Metro area), he'd already have to be comfortable with ATC.

[...]
And he wasn't lost when he circled the statue. I'm not sure that this is
relevant, mind you. But he did find the statue. So...was he really
"lost"? Or did he misread the TAC?

We all have bad days, I suppose.

Well...if he were unfamiliar with the area, I'd agree. But if he's been
flying out of Republic for any length of time, "bad day" really doesn't
cover it. I mean, it's not like he misread a 1100' floor for a 1500'
floor, or something "small" like that.

[Then again, perhaps that is what occurred.]

Yes, of course people do make mistakes. And it's nice that this one didn't
kill anyone, which isn't always the case in this business. But I'm most
put out by the response to this "mistake" by some public officials.

- Andrew