Comments on: Watch this

By: Alex Kovnat

Alex Kovnat — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:00:11 +0000

Here’s one way to discourage dangerous “watch this” flying stunts:

Equip all aircraft flown on behalf of someone else, i.e. all news helicopters, all medical flight (“lifeguard”) helicopters, all commercial fixed wing aircraft, all business jets, etc., with flight recorders. If any pilot subjects an aircraft to more g’s at any given airspeed than its authorized flight envelope allows, send the aircraft to a repair shop for inspection and maintenance and then send the bill for inspection and repairs, to the pilot for him or her to pay.

One wonders if some pilots don’t realize that if one overstresses an aircraft, just because it didn’t crash doesn’t mean you have gotten away with anything. Jack Dempsey, the well known heavyweight champ, once wrote that in boxing, when someone is killed in the ring, it was the fights before the fatal fight that did the damage. The fatal flight merely capped off an already-bad situation with the poor guy’s brain. I see an analogy with aircraft. If an aircraft is repeatedly overstressed, like the pressurization-related fatigue problem with the 1952-1954 era British Comets, you are likely to have a failure. One wonders how many fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft have come to grief because of pilots who are fond of “watch this” high-g stunts.

By: Ehud Gavron

Ehud Gavron — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:31:00 +0000

@Get-Real. I’m a low time pilot (3 years). As a newbie, I’m self-critical of _ALL_ the things I do wrong. I’m also dispassionate about it. When I read your note what I read is passion and anger. I also read “MYOB!!!” in the same light.

When I do my preflight, I check _everything_ even if I was the last pilot to fly it, and even if I personally know it has not moved from where I set it down. If there is a discrepancy, I _ALWAYS_ report it. The same goes for when Tower says stupid things, or when another pilot does stupid things, or when there is a POTENTIAL for SOMEONE at SOME FUTURE TIME to think there was an issue.

The “book” line:
As my head CFI Laura told me “There’s no penalty for filing a report. There is a penalty for failing to file one.”

My take:
If your friend is flying hot dog, talk to him. If you’re going to lose a friend because he won’t listen or hates what you say, despite it seeming Mrs. Garrett advice… he’s not your friend. AFTER talking to him in person, if he keeps doing it, NTSB or FAA. After that, hope he kills nobody but himself, and mourn the loss of one more rotorcraft because YOU did what you could.

I’ll mind my own business. You mind your own business. We’ll all get along.

Not to make it personal, but just to cover the “MYOB!!!” part of the message…

If you ever threaten the safety of my life, my friends’ lives, or the safety of the industry in general, you’ve made it MY business, and you can be sure I’ll mind it.

Regards,

Ehud
Tucson AZ

By: Get Real

Get Real — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:56:18 +0000

Police ourselves? When is the last time YOU said anything to anybody about something/behavior you disapproved of? If your lucky, you get a hateful look. If you are less than lucky, you will lose a friend forever or get punched in the nose! As a CFI since 1982, I have been constantly amazed at what the general aviation community, the AOPA, and the FAA expects me to act on during my exercise of my flight privilege. Firstly, I don’t get one red cent from even noticing all of the bad behavior. Why am I supposed to be the goodwill flying ambassador? Secondly, I have attended Wings Weekends where I, the CFI who is donating his time to anyone who requests it, spoke to an FAA rep, who I assume is paid to be there, about obseerved and obvious right of way violations in the traffic pattern. (the FAA rep was standing in the doorway of the hangar with a perfect view of the pattern)
This paid rep barely raised an eyebrow to say, “yeah, that happens a lot at these things.” So . . . watch me stick my neck out to prevent what? The POSSIBLE accident that MAY kill someone. My advice to fellow instructors, and all aviators is: if you have something helpful and constructive to contribute, then do so. If not MYOB!!!

By: CFII2B

CFII2B — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 08:58:35 +0000

Are you saying there were bad drivers 11yrs. ago?

The obvious fact here is bad drivers shouldn’t be allowed to be bad pilots.
Bad habits tend to perpetuate when rectification is negated.
Risk assessment is a fundamental function of safe appropriate piloting.
Unfortunately some will assume their skill level has increased from the (watch this scenario/ I’m good) risky decision techniques they were told to avoid during their initial training.

We know the IMSAFE mnemonic and should evaluate ourselves as decisive competent pilots prior.
When a drug induced /altered mind is noncompliant (yes Alcohol included) risk assessment becomes negligible and trying to impress others of how good we are is crucial.

I think maybe the next tech advancement should have a TCAS that denotes “BAD Pilot, -1000ft 3 O clock and getting closer”

If you’re going to be a bad driver please let me know what roads you’re traveling
If you’re going to be a bad pilot, please tell where you are flying so I can be sure to avoid that area.

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:01:13 +0000

You do realize this occurred 11 years ago?

By: Phil

Phil — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 16:06:47 +0000

A couple of years ago a pilot at my home field was violating just about every FAA rule he could. This behavior had to stop but I was reluctant to call in the FAA. I went to the airport manager first and he took care of the problem, knowing that if he didn’t the FAA would!

By: Mick

Mick — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 21:52:40 +0000

Company’s do not do the proper background checks. In fact, the company relies on the intent to do the background checks, so applicants will most likely submit truethful information. An example is: A retail store displaying “dummy” camras, advertising video servailance to reduce the likelyhood of a theft attempt and although there may be a few camras actually recording, the consumer wouldn’t know which one is active and which one is a “dummy”.

By: Cubby Bear

Cubby Bear — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:19:08 +0000

On the statement of “1 out of 2 drivers are BAD drivers”.
This is true when you consider every minute of their driving life. At one time or another, each of us can and are bad drivers. But to include a few minutes of being a “bad driver” in the course of ones life is just using statistics to prove your point. And as the saying goes, “There are lies, d*mn lies and statistics.” As NO ONE SAYS mentioned above, “judge not lest you be judged”.

As for myself, I intend on being an OLD pilot. I have read to many stories about BOLD pilots.

By: YABEWarren Smith

YABEWarren Smith — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:39:54 +0000

I think the bottom line in this accident was FUI [flying under the influence.] I am on OLD pilot [87] and have seen nearly everything. The fact that literally tons of dope come into this country on a regular basis tells me what’s wrong with our country today! [There's a lot of folks using it in EVERY walk of life] -The SKY 6 pilot was a known user and that should have ended his flying career, period!

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:00:34 +0000

No One Says makes some good points. Looks to me like management and peers may have dropped the ball. Don’t blame the FAA (or the FFA, for that matter); this was a situation begging for a solution from our industry. We were found lacking. Similar situations are described on http://www.tailwheelersjournal.com.