Tom is spot on about "automatic" my flying instructor drilled me to
(what seemed at the time) boredom about what to do if the engine quit
while in flight. We are talking single engine fixed pitch props here,
nothing fancy. I had been flying for two years "illegally" so I
thought a lot of his chatter was just to satisfy the FAA.
I got a big lesson during my first legal flight with a passenger -- a
70 year old grandmother who wanted to see her farm from the air before
she died and had never been in a plane before.
We were about 2,000 feet off the deck when a deafening racket started.
The gauges looked good, but I automatically picked up the mic,
declared an emergency and TOLD Midway tower we would be landing ASAP
and not talking again until we had touched down.
John had pounded in to me:
aviate -- fly it
navigate -- figure out where you are
communicate -- then talk, to yourself or others
The plane had just been overhauled and the mechanic had failed to
tighten the oil drain plug. We scorched the engine, but landed without
mishap. To her credit, "granny" wanted to find another plane and go
right back up and see her farm. Me, I called my instructor and told
him how much I appreciated what he had taught me.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy says on the first page, "Don't
Panic"
I figure the only way not to is to know what to do before you have to
do it!
Speedy Regards,
"LandSpeed" Louise Ann Noeth
LandSpeed Productions
Telling stories with words and pictures
------------------------o0o--------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas E. Bryant" <saltracer@awwwsome.com>
To: "JERRY FOSTER" <fosterap@flash.net>
Cc: "Dan Warner" <dwarner@electrorent.com>;
<land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 10:03 AM
Subject: Re: Emergency's
> Jerry,
> I have had the pleasure of a few spins. The thing that I noticed was
> that there isn't a lot of thinking going on. If it isn't automatic
it
> probably won't happen. Hopefully, we won't have the experience often
> enough to give opportunity to create the correct driving habits. I
do
> think that you learn from each experience, however.
>
> I have been taught to keep the throttle down, it definitely could
help,
> but the best advice I have is to avoid getting into that situation
in
> the first place. It is usually our dogged determination to finish a
run
> regardless of...you fill the blank, that gets us in trouble. Better
to
> lift and make another run. I have found that when you lift you will
> generally regain control anyway. By lifting, I mean to reduce the
> throttle a bit, don't come completely off the throttle, or you may
> create a new problem.
>
> Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/GCC
>
> JERRY FOSTER wrote:
> >
> > Dan, list, in a spin would it be a good idea to keep the throttle
about
> > halfway down to keep the rear wheels spinning? Seems to me that
at this
> > point, you don't want the car to "get a bite" on the surface, but
just scrub
> > off speed and come to a stop. Jerry in Dallas
///
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