A federal court action has Bend, Ore.- based Epic Air moving one step closer to bankruptcy, now that a separate organization known as a receiver has been named to take charge of Epic’ s assets. Epic quietly laid off all of its workers in two waves earl…

Al Uhalt (AOPA 53952)
2533 Shalimar Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80915-1030
719-574-1111

I failed to add an observation of an incredible pilot in my area. He will be 74 years old this year, and has been an aerial applicator for over 40 years. His ability to handle emergencies, even after a ‘long day in the saddle’, is well known.

His Piper PA-11 is far prettier than any R/C model ever could be, and his Sky Wagon is maintained to perfection as well. To watch him fly his aircraft proves my point; that flying should be treated as an art form. If you can’t put your signature on each flight, it wasn’t a good one.

Reynold (RAY) Harksen is as smooth as R.A. “Bob” Hoover behind the controls, and is very much an “old school” pilot that uses the latest technology to apply his bug warfare. You can take the pilot out of the cockpit, but you can’t take the ‘stick and rudder’ out of this pilot.

Ray is just one example of the many older pilots that I have been associated with, or have given check rides to, and all of them have handled emergencies both simulated, and real, to a successful outcome.

When Rod mentioned in his last article about “an out of fuselage experience”, many of us have used the “detached awareness” technique to handle the things that go bang in the night. A pilot will have plenty of time to shake and count his blessings after the bird is on the ground. Ray will agree to that.

On my earlier note, I spelled triple, “tripple”. I should have added the “, since we motocrossers associate the triple-jumps with a couple of crippled knees. Try a V1 cut after a botched landing after a “tripple” followed by a “Flyin’ W” over the handle bars. No offense to George “W”. To get the sound effects right, have your check airman separate a KFC drumstick joint from a thigh just as he chops the critical engine, and you’ll get the idea what it sounds like to me when I stomp on the rudder.

My former orthopaedic surgeon told me years ago to stay off of dirt bikes. But I told him years ago to stay out of Barons. He’s the one that left his Baron in the top of a 60′ tall cottonwod tree after an engine quit on him… And, he walked (after shinnying down the cottonwood) away. That’s o.k., he left the strobes on, as the fuel ran down the trunk of the tree. Flames from leaking fuel out of an aircraft usually propagate towards the heavens. Flames very rarely follow a doctor down a tree after the fuel ignites.

-Sam

For myself at age 59 and no job prospects, the skies will be a lot safer without my aging carcass behind the controlwheel.

However, its been my experience (21,600 hours worth) that its the pilot’s attitude towards his craft, the prospective flight, and the respect for the inherrent outcome of flight, that directly affects our decision making processes.

I’ve had the opportunity to witness some really “slick hot rocket aces” butcher an otherwise good flight by expressing their attitude towards other pilots in the cockpit. Some of these ‘rocket aces” have several violations to prove their lack of regard for staying current, reading the latest procedures, and participating in AOPA’s safety foundation quizes. Their attitudes reflect some other deficiency such as; “who’se the greatest pilot you ever saw?” “You’re lookin’at ‘im!!” Their wives usually beat them at home when they don’t deliver their paycheck to them on time.

At age 59, I am no longer the Motocrosser that I was when I was 19, but I’m a lot faster rider now since I don’t crash as much when I’m racing the grandkids. And no, I don’t do tripple jumps.

At age 59, I’m a more comfortable pilot than I was at 19 since; “a superior pilot uses his superior brain to avoid using his superior skills. And, I don’t crash as much….

The only way to quantify the above sentence is to remain proficient through proficient training, currency, and having a good attitude.

Thanks, Bruce

Sam Sharp

I’m up for volunteering on the aging Pilot study. I’m 68 and did not get my license until age 62. Presently I fly a Comanche 250 with 600 hrs. I’ve have training in light twins and have remained in single engine aircrafts.

I have watch or listed 40 plus deaths in the past 15 years around my area and have realized most were pilot errors from well skill pilots and not so skill pilots. I have had engine failure on landing, electrical fire in the cockpit, lost directional control on landing from FBO shearing off my front stop turn radius and electrical failure out climb out.

My aircraft has the most advance electronic avionics with weather-AP-and Garmin GPS’s etc.. I’m working on my IFR rating and frequent fly with twin drivers.

Aging aircrafts are the greatest factor in safety and the failure of AP’s abilities to diagnose and correct reported issues and under-estimate the pilot risks in flying these old tired birds.

As a surgeon, if I were to deliver the care I have witnessed from many AP’s I’d soon be out of business. I’m referring to the best in the business Asked them and them will tell you they are the best.

Many AP’s are generalist without having to be re- certified. I have asked a supervisor for America Airline this attitude and he states he has the same problems on certain teams he manages. They sincerely feel a minor problem is not an issue and will not put an aircraft in flight danger! They are so wrong.

I fly my aircraft waiting for the “Bird Strike” and know it will require all my learning and situational reaction to achieve a livable ending.

Bob