The Superior Pilot

The Pilot Golfer

An epic dilemma on a day off: Do you hit the greens or the wild blue? To which I say, why choose if a course is located reasonably close to GA-friendly airports. Of course, there may be challenges getting from the home airport to the course, with weather delays and other vagaries of aviation that make you late for the tee time. All part of the fun, and the best golf destination isn’t merely accessible to the pilot-golfer, but for the pilot-golfer. And what destination says “Fly here and golf” more clearly than one that goes through the trouble of putting in a private airstrip? It’s the ultimate red carpet for private pilots. I have played at one of these but there are many courses accessible by courtesy car or inexpensive rental. Today we would be heading to one of those.

Lighter, smaller golf bags with less than the regular compliment of clubs were stashed in the back. The weather surrounding the destination advertised 10 mile plus visibility. Clear skies at the home drome but 2,500’ expected ceilings en route. The destination airport had lower ceilings listed in the metars but the surrounding airports were acceptable. It could be a faulty ASOS report. It’s happened before.

I really don’t need more challenge in my golf game or for that matter in my flying. Unfortunately, both activities are weather dependant. Mother Nature has a mind of her own and would make this golf outing as much fun as an alligator filled water hazard.

It was a VFR day. Although instrument rated, I didn’t carry the tools of the trade: Approach plates, en route charts or a plane with accurate nav radios and the Bendix GPS was inoperative. According to the forecast I wouldn’t need them. The initial part of the trip was great. Smooth air and good visibility but after the first hour, clouds appeared and ceilings began to get lower. We pressed on. We had a tee time to make.

A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid having to exercise his superior skill.

I don’t lay claim to either but I do know this excludes scud running. This is regarded as maintaining visual contact with the ground while avoiding physical contact with it. Conditions are usually low ceilings and visibility less than 3 miles. There was a time when scud-running was common place, but with the advent of instrument flight it is not legal to fly lower than 1,000 feet above ground in populated areas and less than 500 feet above structures in remote places. When the weather gets bad, you’re supposed to fly on instruments. Many an accident occurs when pilots continue visual flight into instrument conditions. The thing is, you never know when that’s going to happen. Not exactly. Sure, you get a full weather report from DUATS or a flight service station briefer, and updates from Flight Watch en route. But still, those are just forecasts. It can happen in seconds. Before you know it, you run out of visibility or altitude or options. My not so superior judgment came into play as visibility became worse. It was marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) and I could tell it was getting worse quickly. Without the ability to navigate to an airport I decided not to enter the clouds which also are prohibited without an instrument flight plan, in contact with ATC. I made a one eighty and diverted back to an alternate airport where we waited for conditions to improve. An hour an a half later we tried again. On the second attempt we made a lot of progress, now only 14 miles away and just cleared a series of tall hills. Visibility and ceilings appeared to be reduced up ahead but I couldn’t be sure. It was still MVFR. Should I press on and find out? We were within five minutes of our destination but I only had seconds to make the call. We had a tee time to make.

I turned around again.

Why? We were now at our lowest permissible altitude. There were tall radio towers, rising terrain and falling ceilings. This time I diverted to a major airport with passenger terminals. It was nice to be in contact with air traffic control who could call out if someone else was gooning it up in the murk, preventing a meeting in mid air. From here we rented a car and made a long drive to the course to make our fourth scheduled tee time. The golf was spectacular, the flight home terrific but it could have ended badly.

The Downside of Scud Running

By piecing together information from reports, we learn about another scud running pilot with a different outcome while flying through a mountain pass. On the far side is better weather and home. Behind is a tent, camp, cold and wet weather, and insufficient gas to go elsewhere. The pilot continues deeper into the pass, hoping conditions would improve. The ceiling steady, but the terrain is rising. He heads south, and winds are westerly at 20 knots, with gusts. The pilot hugs the right side of the pass for traffic.

Suddenly, clouds obscure the rising terrain, and it’s obvious he isn’t going to make it through the pass. It’s time to turn around, but the opposite canyon wall looks awfully close. The aircraft’s vertical fin is already in the clouds, and the surrounding terrain is much higher—climbing isn’t an option. Neither is a descent. From cruise configuration, the pilot initiates a hard left turn, banking 45 degrees. Unfortunately, the aircraft has just turned into a tailwind.

Two days later, searchers find the remains of the aircraft near the top of the pass. The wreckage pattern leads downhill, on a northerly heading. The NTSB accident database is littered with stories of pilots who failed to turn around in the space available to them. Pose this question to a dozen pilots, and you’ll hear as many answers. Some advocate a chandelle—a climbing turn at the conclusion of which you should be within a couple knots of stall speed. Risky to be close to stall speed in the hilly terrain and turbulence. Others suggest a diving turn. But there comes a point where you can no longer descend.

Lessons Learned

A couple of notes to self on the trip: First, if there is any question about visibility and ceilings it’s best to fly on an instrument flight plan. Although it is illegal to intentionally climb into IFR conditions without a clearance, such an option might be considerably safer than continuing in IMC at a low altitude but without charts and frequencies you may be relegated to declaring an emergency on 121.5. Second, it was the right decision to divert both times, actually about a minute late the first. Landing at alternate airports and waiting burned up much more time then if we used a car instead of a plane.

Another deposit into the bag of experience from the bag of luck. I learned about flying from that.

Moveable No Fly Zones

You arrive at the field ready to chase hamburgers, and the pre-flight goes well. Since you are only going a couple of cities over and the WX is clear and a million, you decide not to call for a weather briefing. That may be a problem. You can still take off but someday you may be spending quality time with law enforcement officials and the lawyer of your choice.

9-11 forever changed general and commercial aviation. One of the changes included the introduction of the temporary flight restriction (TFR) areas that can be activated with very little notification. They can be very confusing if you read the Notams in text format. Here is one for Washington D.C. Good luck with that. Since deadly force can be used if you violate a TFR the other options are a look at graphical TFR's which can be found in several places including AOPA or to call a flight service station. One thing you don't want to see is an F-15 out the side window which would oblige you to follow the intercept procedure. That would be the signal you flew into a moveable, prohibited, air space. Someone did today.

Two F-15s already in the airspace over the New York metropolitan area were sent to chase a plane that had wandered into a restricted flight area Monday, set up in connection with President Barack Obama's trip to New York City, an air defense official said… The aircraft left from the Central Jersey Airport in Hillsborough and returned to the airport before the jets reached it, he said.

Unfortunately, it gives all general aviation pilots a bad name when it happens.

Falling From Space

This is a view from a camera mounted on a rocket booster on the Space Shuttle Atlantis. All the way to splashdown. Makes a ride in the Extra look pretty tame.

glumbert - Falling from Space

The Reno Air Races

...are this week.

After a year of preparation and this week’s last days of practice and qualifying, the fastest motor sport on the planet goes at it in earnest through Sunday at Reno Stead Field. Few things are certain, and a lot will be decided on race day for each of the seven classes of this year’s 46th running of the Reno National Championship Air Races: Jet, Unlimited, Super Sport, Sport, Formula One, Biplane, and T-6 (in order of qualifying speed).

For EAA members you can log in to see the action from multiple cameras from the grandstand area including the 500 mph-plus Unlimiteds from the back side of the course. Also several in-cockpit cameras will be available, and shots from the pylons. Log in at Oshkosh365.
Cool!

Update- From the Reno Air Race Association: "We can coordinate your wedding or special event at the Air Races. Please contact our office for further information on options and pricing". Apparently they have.

Say Again?

Perhaps they didn't think it through. A second opinion might help before you actually name the airport. Skyscanner brings us the most unusual airport names. Eek; Wuhu and Dang? Are you landing there or expressing yourself?

A question to Chris or any of my Aussie friends: What are the origins of Wagga Wagga or Woodie Woodie? There must be a good reason for "Useless Loop"?

Canada has Black Tickle and Deception as well as the ever popular Asbestos Hill Airport.

I shouldn't be critical. Chicago is an Algonquian word meaning "onion field". Perhaps in another 300 years these airport names may not seem unusual

Eight Years After

Eight years have passed since the terrorist attacks on our nation. Eight pilots were killed. As a result, 2,900 more lost their lives. I can still recall feelings of shock, grief, anger and resolve. Americans knew that our country and the whole world had changed.

That day also forever changed the perception of aviation and the issues within aviation. I remember the empty skies following the tragedy. Flying was no longer that important to me. In fact, I logged the least amount of time ever in the months that followed. General Aviation had been viewed in a positive light to that point but thereafter, all things associated with flying and light airplanes were viewed with suspicion. There were bigger issues at stake.

As a nation we sought to rebuild and move on. Eventually, we returned to many of our routines. We have maintained the freedom to fly but it has brought about new restrictions and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The TSA was well intentioned but it has created a number of policies that hamper general aviation without improving security.

Today, I'm reminded of the tragedy, However, I also recall feelings of purpose and resolve during that time. As my friend Mr. Bibb said: “it cemented our common bond, rekindled our thirst for liberty, and found us marching shoulder to shoulder facing down evil with determined indignation”. We surely need more of that as we tackle the political and economic challenges ahead of us.

Ooops

The copilot did his best to go flying in this historic 1950's Handley Page Victor today. Since that was never the plan, the suprized pilot did his best to level the plane and bring her back to earth. Bob Prothero averted a disaster during "Cold War Jets Day" in England after the co-pilot hit throttle by mistake.

The crew was only supposed to taxi the aircraft on the runway closer to the crowd for photos when the co-pilot inadvertently firewalled the throttles and the bomber accelerated down the runway. The aircraft briefly lifted off and veered left, reaching as high as 150 feet, before retired RAF pilot Bob Prothero was able to nurse the barely flying bomber back down to a landing on the grass beyond the end of the runway.

It's probably a good idea to brief the controls with a non pilot. Made it a more exciting airshow though.

Mavericks of the Sky

As the years have trickled by, I’ve found that early mornings should not be wasted. Some of the absolute best flying (fishing too) is to be found at the break of dawn. The air is smooth and orange and yellow hues paint the sky as the sun splits the horizon. Our flight was to down to the Illinois River. Flying to explore, not to get anywhere, although we’d try a new airport.

After leaving controlled airspace we headed southwest, following the very same railroad tracks that Charles Lindberg used for navigation during his air mail route to St. Louis. Contract Route No 2 to be exact. Lindbergh flew a de Havilland DH-4 over the route, with stops at Springfield and Peoria. During this period he twice had to bail out from the mail aircraft. No doubt Lindberg would have loved a moving map GPS such as we had on board. It was hazardous duty during the early air mail operations which have been captured in the book “Mavericks of the Sky-The First Daring Pilots of the U.S. Air Mail” by Rosenberg. These were pilots who possessed more courage than common sense, launching off into the clouds with no clue as to when, if ever, they would break into the open. They flew in rain and snow, at night, and in the fog without navigation aid or airway to guide them. There were no beacons, runway lights, weather stations, radios, or even aeronautical charts. No sane pilot today would even consider flying in the conditions the early airmail pilots encountered daily. Typically, they understated some of their adversity. After one crash landing, a pilot named Dean Smith, wired headquarters: “Flying low. Engine quit. Only place to land on cow. Killed cow. Wrecked plane. Scared me.

Travelling further south we intersected the Illinois River and Starved Rock, site of the first European settlement in Illinois, established 1675. The water was smooth as glass (as in the photo). Barge traffic, not dugout canoes, ply these waters now and it remains the principal water route connecting the great lakes with the Mississippi. A barge cruised under one of the larger bridges. I’m reminded how swiftly I make the journey without the tribulations of pioneer life. Seeing it with a God’s eye view, I wonder if Father Jacques Marquette would have dreamed of men in flying machines passing overhead. The river snaked west and then south until the airport came into view, Runway 31 was just beyond higher terrain. Airnav said so, and cautioned that hills were 90 feet left of the centerline and above the glide slope. Easy to do flying in blue skies but far more exciting if you wander far off the prescribed approach in IMC. A nice airport with two runways in the middle of nowhere. A short stop and it was time for the return. Some Illinois pilots claim that flying in the Midwest all looks the same, flat with lots of farmland. They’re not looking in the right places.

Life, Liberty and the Right to Sue - Part Two

Aircraft accidents almost always generate some sort of litigation. Previously, I have commented on lawsuits that seek to blame the aircraft manufacturer for incidents that were caused by pilot error. Apparently, lawyers can also sue based on “pilot negligence”. The family of Michael Waugh has just been awarded $15M in a wrongful death suit due to an accident that occurred January 2006 in suburban Chicago (Wheeling, IL). Failure to maintain airspeed on approach may have been the cause. While all the facts aren’t readily available, we know there were two pilots: One with a private certificate and the other, the owner of the plane, had a commercial license.
The plaintiff’s attorney said: There is a world of difference between a professionally trained pilot and an amateur pilot," said Robb, an attorney in Kansas City, Mo. "That was the basis of our lawsuit."… "That they would permit nonprofessional pilots to fly Morgan Stanley customers on Morgan Stanley business is reprehensible,"

An Airline Transport Pilot certificate is more demanding than a commercial certificate and mandates a minimum 1,500 hours flight time but what exactly constitutes a “professionally trained pilot”? A commercial pilot can be professionally trained. If the pilot in question had an ATP rating wouldn’t the lawyers still choose to sue the pilot for negligence? I think they would.

While there were business relationships involved in this situation, these men were flying together because they were friends. This casts a shadow on the whole idea of flying a buddy or a neighbor. Pilots might even be a little more concerned about introducing youngsters to the wonders of flight in the Young Eagles program given liability considerations. Every pilot I’ve ever met is supremely confident they’ll bring plane and passengers back safe and sound but light aircraft flights do have more risk. Passengers should understand that an “engine out” situation in a single engine plane means at the very least they’ll be walking out of a field with muddy boots. It has the potential to be worse.

There are legal firms ambulance chasers that specialize in this line of work:

Have you or a loved one been injured in a plane crash? Have you lost a loved one to an aviation disaster? When people and organizations responsible for your safety and the safety of your loved ones on an aircraft fail, state and federal laws allow for individuals and families to hold them responsible for injuries or wrongful death. If you have questions regarding airplane crash law, aviation liability, and personal injury and wrongful death, contact the law offices of…

There are no standard aviation insurance policies that carry $15M of liability coverage. Probably because the tort body of law didn't always operate this way. General aviation pilots are anxious regarding new security proposals, budget legislation from Washington, urban pressures on airports, and other vital issues will affect their ability to fly. Lawsuits are one more concern to add to the list.

→Stop me if you've heard these already.

So what's black and brown and looks good on a lawyer?
A Rottweiler.
and why don't sharks attack lawyers?
Professional courtesy.

(and I heard these from lawyers!)

Leaving a Perfectly Good Airplane

Sometimes you miss big family events when you travel. I have tried to minimize this over the years but still regret it all the same. Two first time events in the same day: Son#2 in his first Chicago Triathlon and Son #3 skydiving. I had planned to take the subway / run to each cheering station for the Triathlon, same as I did at the Chicago Marathon. Instead, my support came long distance and happy to say that son #2 had his personal best, finishing the international course in 3:00 hours. It takes perseverance, determination and a lot of pain to be an endurance athlete and we're proud of him. Next year: The Ironman.

The worried Dad in me wanted to caution the prospective skydiver son about unnecessary risks, but how when his Pop is out spinning airplanes? So I said nothing and waited to talk about what it feels like to hurtle toward the ground later. While I have worn parachutes, I’ve never actually had to, you know, use one. I know what the view looks like heading straight down after leaving the top of a loop or the moment after kicking in rudder in a hammerhead. I’ve never cared to think about what it might be like without the protective sphere of the cockpit and wings.

So how does it feel? I imagine a certain level of anxiety as you see the altimeter climbing up, then leveling off at jump height. The tension as you approach the open door until you jump (or are pushed) by the instructor strapped to your back. The PAC750XL plane is at 14,000 feet. (I have always respected two areas of constant parachute activity in Chicago); As a skydiver free falls and gains speed, there is an increase in the air resistance pushing up from below. This force counters the force of gravity and, once these forces are equal, the skydiver no longer accelerates and is said to have reached "terminal velocity" (an unfortunate phrase). A drogue chute is used so that speeds are reduced to 120 mph instead of 200 mph.

I watch the video in my hotel room and see smiling, waving, then spinning and then touching hands with another diver with free fall for a minute before he pulls the handle at 5,500 feet. They decelerate to 15mph in a few seconds, pulling G's which, I suspect, might be similar to pulling into a loop. Another five more minutes to glide to earth and lucky enough to drop through a cloud.

“How was it”? I ask, over the phone, a half world away. “Dad it was very........ windy. And awesome”. Like father, like son (s).