Broke My Right Clavicle

[canefan]

Apr 22, 2020 18:35:53 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

Apr 22, 2020 18:29:16 GMT -5 daleko said:

For me, flying an open cockpit Stearman is the top of the mark. 

Not me.

I'm scared of heights!!!

Although I did always want a Jenny or an S.E. 5.

I have flown in my cousins WW2 fighter trainer with the cockpit open. Extremely cool. Funny you mention fear of height. I truly don't like heights. If I get close to an edge, even in a closed room up high, looking down makes my stomach turn. And I absolutely hate traditional ferris wheels with the seats you just sit in out in the open with a bar across your lap. Drives my wife crazy because I always loved being in small planes doing just about anything. Just a different feeling to me.

[Deleted]

Apr 22, 2020 19:23:23 GMT -5 canefan said:

Apr 22, 2020 18:35:53 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

Not me.

I'm scared of heights!!!

Although I did always want a Jenny or an S.E. 5.

I have flown in my cousins WW2 fighter trainer with the cockpit open. Extremely cool. Funny you mention fear of height. I truly don't like heights. If I get close to an edge, even in a closed room up high, looking down makes my stomach turn. And I absolutely hate traditional ferris wheels with the seats you just sit in out in the open with a bar across your lap. Drives my wife crazy because I always loved being in small planes doing just about anything. Just a different feeling to me.

You are exactly right.  I can't get on my roof to hang Christmas lights, but I have no problem with ANY altitude in an airplane.

I used to have to walk across open catwalks 150 - 200 feet above ground, and it took me MONTHS before I was no longer petrified to do it.

Maybe it has something to do with being enclosed?

[canefan]

Apr 22, 2020 19:39:49 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

Apr 22, 2020 19:23:23 GMT -5 canefan said:

I have flown in my cousins WW2 fighter trainer with the cockpit open. Extremely cool. Funny you mention fear of height. I truly don't like heights. If I get close to an edge, even in a closed room up high, looking down makes my stomach turn. And I absolutely hate traditional ferris wheels with the seats you just sit in out in the open with a bar across your lap. Drives my wife crazy because I always loved being in small planes doing just about anything. Just a different feeling to me.

You are exactly right.  I can't get on my roof to hang Christmas lights, but I have no problem with ANY altitude in an airplane.

I used to have to walk across open catwalks 150 - 200 feet above ground, and it took me MONTHS before I was no longer petrified to do it.

Maybe it has something to do with being enclosed?

I've always figured it's a control issue. I got my hands on the yoke I'm fine.

[Deleted]

Apr 22, 2020 20:56:57 GMT -5 canefan said:

Apr 22, 2020 19:39:49 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

You are exactly right.  I can't get on my roof to hang Christmas lights, but I have no problem with ANY altitude in an airplane.

I used to have to walk across open catwalks 150 - 200 feet above ground, and it took me MONTHS before I was no longer petrified to do it.

Maybe it has something to do with being enclosed?

I've always figured it's a control issue. I got my hands on the yoke I'm fine.

You're hitting part of it on the head again. I won't fly in any airplane that doesn't have either me or one of my two brothers in one of the pilot seats.

Yeah, a commercial airline pilot can be former military and have umpteen thousand hours, but I don't KNOW him or her.

Am I insane in that line of thinking?   Probably, but I will never die in an airliner crash, screaming and hollering on the way down, knowing there isn't a damn thing I can do about it.

And yes, I AM a control freak regarding quite a few things.

[daleko]

Apr 22, 2020 20:56:57 GMT -5 canefan said:

Apr 22, 2020 19:39:49 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

You are exactly right.  I can't get on my roof to hang Christmas lights, but I have no problem with ANY altitude in an airplane.

I used to have to walk across open catwalks 150 - 200 feet above ground, and it took me MONTHS before I was no longer petrified to do it.

Maybe it has something to do with being enclosed?

I've always figured it's a control issue. I got my hands on the yoke I'm fine.

There's a joke there but I'm not going to touch it.

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2020 11:51:21 GMT -5 daleko said:

Apr 22, 2020 20:56:57 GMT -5 canefan said:

I've always figured it's a control issue. I got my hands on the yoke I'm fine.

There's a joke there but I'm not going to touch it.

At least he didn't call it the joystick like they used to!

Well, to be accurate ..........  some planes have yokes, some have joysticks.

[daleko]

Apr 23, 2020 8:09:18 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

Apr 22, 2020 20:56:57 GMT -5 canefan said:

I've always figured it's a control issue. I got my hands on the yoke I'm fine.

You're hitting part of it on the head again. I won't fly in any airplane that doesn't have either me or one of my two brothers in one of the pilot seats.

Yeah, a commercial airline pilot can be former military and have umpteen thousand hours, but I don't KNOW him or her.

Am I insane in that line of thinking?   Probably, but I will never die in an airliner crash, screaming and hollering on the way down, knowing there isn't a damn thing I can do about it.

And yes, I AM a control freak regarding quite a few things.

I've only had concerns once. Did a white wing hunt at a place called No Le Hace Hacienda on the shores of a lake in Tamaulipas, Mexico, which also had back in the 80s world class large mouth fishing. 23°45'25.9"N 98°44'30.0"W, (Runway #s are 14 & 32) ought to get you to the "runway". Flew from Atlanta to McAllen, on Delta, then 6 guys + equipment hopped on a cpl of small props, one single, one twin to a brief check in at Reynosa, then on to the destination. Landing seemed easy enough but the takeoff out gave me pause when one of the guys, who flew a bunch, had a weight concern. We made it OK but we used a lot of the runway from my view.

[DrSchadenfreude]

Apr 23, 2020 11:55:47 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

Apr 23, 2020 11:51:21 GMT -5 daleko said:

There's a joke there but I'm not going to touch it.

At least he didn't call it the joystick like they used to!

Well, to be accurate ..........  some planes have yokes, some have joysticks.

Lou Reed-- My Red Joystick (1984)

[canefan]

Apr 23, 2020 12:23:36 GMT -5 daleko said:

Apr 23, 2020 8:09:18 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

You're hitting part of it on the head again. I won't fly in any airplane that doesn't have either me or one of my two brothers in one of the pilot seats.

Yeah, a commercial airline pilot can be former military and have umpteen thousand hours, but I don't KNOW him or her.

Am I insane in that line of thinking?   Probably, but I will never die in an airliner crash, screaming and hollering on the way down, knowing there isn't a damn thing I can do about it.

And yes, I AM a control freak regarding quite a few things.

I've only had concerns once. Did a white wing hunt at a place called No Le Hace Hacienda on the shores of a lake in Tamaulipas, Mexico, which also had back in the 80s world class large mouth fishing. 23°45'25.9"N 98°44'30.0"W, (Runway #s are 14 & 32) ought to get you to the "runway". Flew from Atlanta to McAllen, on Delta, then 6 guys + equipment hopped on a cpl of small props, one single, one twin to a brief check in at Reynosa, then on to the destination. Landing seemed easy enough but the takeoff out gave me pause when one of the guys, who eeflew a bunch, had a weight concern. We made it OK but we used a lot of the runway from my view.

That's why they used to say flying was hours and hours of boredom punctuated by brief moments of sheer terror. I wrote earlier about putting a Grumann American down in a pasture. When we got ready to take off again we got to looking at the field and didn't feel good about having enough space. There was a gate on one side into a corn field and we opened it up and pulled the plane back into the cornfield to give us a little more room and then did a short field take off. I was in the right front seat watching that last fence coming up and coming up pretty fast, but I'm pretty sure we cleared it by a couple of feet.

[canefan]

Apr 23, 2020 11:55:47 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

Apr 23, 2020 11:51:21 GMT -5 daleko said:

There's a joke there but I'm not going to touch it.

At least he didn't call it the joystick like they used to!

Well, to be accurate ..........  some planes have yokes, some have joysticks.

My cousin's old fighter trainer is the only planed I've ever flown in with a stick. I had the control from the back seat for a few minutes. Being used to a yoke it felt funny but I'm sure you would get use to it pretty easy.

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2020 13:40:21 GMT -5 canefan said:

Apr 23, 2020 11:55:47 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

At least he didn't call it the joystick like they used to!

Well, to be accurate ..........  some planes have yokes, some have joysticks.

My cousin's old fighter trainer is the only planed I've ever flown in with a stick. I had the control from the back seat for a few minutes. Being used to a yoke it felt funny but I'm sure you would get use to it pretty easy.

I don't think I would get used to an F-16 with the side stick.  I don't like fly by wire.  I want good old fashioned cables, bellcranks and pulleys.

I'd never fly in an Airbus, either.  Fly by wire.   NO!

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2020 12:23:36 GMT -5 daleko said:

Apr 23, 2020 8:09:18 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

You're hitting part of it on the head again. I won't fly in any airplane that doesn't have either me or one of my two brothers in one of the pilot seats.

Yeah, a commercial airline pilot can be former military and have umpteen thousand hours, but I don't KNOW him or her.

Am I insane in that line of thinking?   Probably, but I will never die in an airliner crash, screaming and hollering on the way down, knowing there isn't a damn thing I can do about it.

And yes, I AM a control freak regarding quite a few things.

I've only had concerns once. Did a white wing hunt at a place called No Le Hace Hacienda on the shores of a lake in Tamaulipas, Mexico, which also had back in the 80s world class large mouth fishing. 23°45'25.9"N 98°44'30.0"W, (Runway #s are 14 & 32) ought to get you to the "runway". Flew from Atlanta to McAllen, on Delta, then 6 guys + equipment hopped on a cpl of small props, one single, one twin to a brief check in at Reynosa, then on to the destination. Landing seemed easy enough but the takeoff out gave me pause when one of the guys, who flew a bunch, had a weight concern. We made it OK but we used a lot of the runway from my view.

Close to, or over, gross weight takeoffs can be interesting.

If you add in heat and altitude above sea level for the airport, sometimes you just can't take off.  
Aircraft performance tables are based on a standard of 59 degrees F at sea level with low humidity.  With temps above 59 degrees and/or above sea level, and/or high humidity, performance declines.

A perfect example of high density altitude making takeoff a BAD idea:

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2020 13:40:21 GMT -5 canefan said:

Apr 23, 2020 11:55:47 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

At least he didn't call it the joystick like they used to!

Well, to be accurate ..........  some planes have yokes, some have joysticks.

My cousin's old fighter trainer is the only planed I've ever flown in with a stick. I had the control from the back seat for a few minutes. Being used to a yoke it felt funny but I'm sure you would get use to it pretty easy.

I never liked the idea of the old Beech's with the throwover yoke.  Both front seat positions had rudder pedals, but only one person at a time got to use the yoke.

Like the state police Bell Jetranger I flew in ......... I think it had both collective sticks, and I know it had rudder pedals on both sides, but only the right side had the cyclic stick installed.  If the pilot had trouble, the left seater was most likely dead too, unless he was a contortionist who could reach all the way to the right side with both hands.  AND knew how to fly a helo.   I don't, other than knowing what the controls are for.

[canefan]

Apr 23, 2020 17:54:39 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

Apr 23, 2020 12:23:36 GMT -5 daleko said:

I've only had concerns once. Did a white wing hunt at a place called No Le Hace Hacienda on the shores of a lake in Tamaulipas, Mexico, which also had back in the 80s world class large mouth fishing. 23°45'25.9"N 98°44'30.0"W, (Runway #s are 14 & 32) ought to get you to the "runway". Flew from Atlanta to McAllen, on Delta, then 6 guys + equipment hopped on a cpl of small props, one single, one twin to a brief check in at Reynosa, then on to the destination. Landing seemed easy enough but the takeoff out gave me pause when one of the guys, who flew a bunch, had a weight concern. We made it OK but we used a lot of the runway from my view.

Close to, or over, gross weight takeoffs can be interesting.

If you add in heat and altitude above sea level for the airport, sometimes you just can't take off.  
Aircraft performance tables are based on a standard of 59 degrees F at sea level with low humidity.  With temps above 59 degrees and/or above sea level, and/or high humidity, performance declines.

A perfect example of high density altitude making takeoff a BAD idea:

Wow, what did they say, 5000 feet of runway and still couldn't climb out in time. Those weight and balance problems they have in ground school are serious business. Interesting video. There was a Cessna 310 video available after I watched, flying in the Bahamas, that I enjoyed as well.

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2020 18:39:05 GMT -5 canefan said:

Apr 23, 2020 17:54:39 GMT -5 @muttthemaster said:

Close to, or over, gross weight takeoffs can be interesting.

If you add in heat and altitude above sea level for the airport, sometimes you just can't take off.  
Aircraft performance tables are based on a standard of 59 degrees F at sea level with low humidity.  With temps above 59 degrees and/or above sea level, and/or high humidity, performance declines.

A perfect example of high density altitude making takeoff a BAD idea:

Wow, what did they say, 5000 feet of runway and still couldn't climb out in time. Those weight and balance problems they have in ground school are serious business. Interesting video. There was a Cessna 310 video available after I watched, flying in the Bahamas, that I enjoyed as well.

IIRC, they calculated the density altitude for that day at about 9,000 ft.  The Stinson's service ceiling is 14,000 so he was OK there.

BUT ........ if he failed to lean the mixture for takeoff, he was running way to rich, and even leaned properly, the engine was probably producing 70% of full power at best.  And that is assuming the engine was properly maintained and running like new.

Youtube is addictive.  I watch a lot of crash investigation videos to see what private pilots did wrong, and if I would have done something differently.

This is a long one, but it is really absorbing.  Doug White sounds like a total hayseed, but at least he had some pilot experience.

I can't believe he didn't know how to disconnect the autopilot though.  Just push every button on the yoke until the A/P light goes off!!

"Just find me the longest, widest runway you can."  "I got a dead pilot sittin' next to me."  

EDIT: I checked with my brother who is a King Air instructor pilot, and each yoke has an A/P disconnect button on it.  There is also an A/P disconnect on the left throttle, as well as one on the autopilot controller itself.  And if that isn't enough, you can move the electric elevator trim on the yoke, and THAT will disconnect the A/P too.

And 160 KIAS is a nice safe speed for gear and flap extension, too.  He told me the engine torque setting for landing, but I forgot it.   LOL