pdxsoloflexman(at)yahoo.c
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 Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 7:01 am Post subject: RV10-List Digest: 40 Msgs - 05/23/06 |
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Just some musings from a recent IFR Student perspective:
Instrument Flying....4th Edition....Richard Taylor
"Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, familiarize himself with ALL AVAILABLE INFORMATION concerning that flight." FAR 91.103
As far as the legal side goes: "...THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR BLUNDERING INTO A THUNDERSTORM."
"...IFR pilots cannot depend on ATC for weather information"
ATC radar is designed for aircraft separation, not weather detection. Their first priority is aircraft separation, and issuance of radar safety advisories. Second priority is to provide other services that are required. Third priority is to provide additional services to the extent possible given the current workload. THE PILOT is responsible for the safe conclusion of the flight and NOT ATC.
Calling Flight Watch on 122.0, listening to other Pilot Communications, listening to HIWAS VOR's for SIGMETS and hazardous weather would have all been available to this pilot to AVOID the near mid-air airframe break up described in the post.
Recently, just near here in northeast Geogia, Scott Crossfield..first Mach 2 and 3 pilot...at age 85, died in just this same scenario when his P210 had the wings sheared off trying to use his on-board radar to penetrate a 'light spot' in a line of thunderstorms at night...and flew directly into severe Clear Air Turbulence...invisible on radar. His P210 turned into a large lawn dart penetrating the rocky ground and creating a smoking 4 foot deep hole without disturbing the tree foilage above!
Chuck Yeager commented that Crossfield was always pushing the weather limits. So he WAS ONE OLD BOLD PILOT with the habit of trying to penetrate a line of thunderstorms that finally caught up with him. Since I am NO Crossfield, Yeager or even a very good IFR Pilot and pretty unlucky, I know that I am not going to double the cost of my 10 with onboard radar, strike finder, WX MFD Color Weather, and satellite isobar printouts ($120,000.00) because like Van told me at a RV Reunion in Aurora one day....the RV-10 was designed as a VFR family plane....and as Richard Taylor writes "There is ALWAYS a better way to get someplace in an airplane other than through a thunderstorm. The risk is never worth the price that might have to be paid." "Wise pilots AVOID threatening weather, there is no weather-turbulence detection equipment developed yet that can safely guide you through a squall line or a thinderstorm."
Someone else once prayed: "Please Lord, don't let me look foolish on the NTSB report!"
....and you JUST KNOW that the FAA would have determined that had that flight in So Cal ended badly it would have been 'Pilot Error' in deciding to continue the flight into IMC that led to an 'airframe break-up in mid-air' and everyone's demise!
...guess whose insurance company would be liable and would they refuse to pay based on Pilot Error?
As per the Retractable Gear discussion:
I sure had my bubble burst, as I have been toying with all of these ideas since seeing a homebuilt retractable at a RV Fly-In once. But I did think of a few more additions to all the great ideas above: 'a gear-up warning sound' when you power back for the approach and forgot to lower it and an emergency 'extendable gear lowering handle' between the seats, and a pullable fuse....so your CFII can simulate a 'gear down and lock failure' while you are on the glide slope while simulataneaously cutting the power to simulate a dead stick emergency landing.....don't ask me how I know they can do that!
I did take the CIRRUS Transition Training Course in anticipation of flying the comparable RV-10 and I must admit that I really think a better expenditure than all that weather detection gear would be a Ballistic Parachute System for the 10.
....just my 2 cents....
Paul
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