Sorry guys but I just can't sit by without commenting on your testosterone charged foolishness. Half of all midairs occur below 500' AGL in the pattern. Doing a "high speed low altitude" shine your ass pass down the runway is asking for trouble IMHO. We've already had one midair this year with a Lancair and a Cessna 172. Had another solo accident last year doing a low altitude high speed pass in TX (killed himself).

 

Quote from Chuck Brenner's NTSB report..."A 642-hour pilot departed from an airfield and announced that he would be circling around the traffic pattern to make a low pass. A witness stated that he observed the airplane as it approached the runway with the landing gear extended. The witness described the airplane's speed as "moderate" as it passed over the runway at a height of 50 feet above the ground. As the airplane reached the end of the runway it began to climb at a pitch attitude of approximately 10-15 degrees. As the witness began to enter a building, he looked back toward the departure end of the runway and saw the airplane in a rapid descent..."

 

Besides "thrill" purposes, what is the real reason for doing a low altitude, high speed pass? There is none. The thrill benfit is outweighed by the risk . The low altitude record has been set and tied many times. Few live to collect the trophy.

 

As a former A-6 bombardier/ navigator who has more flight time below 500' AGL and above 400 KTAS than many of you have total in your logbook, I can tell you the thrill is real and so is the risk. Not only from hitting the ground, but colliding with unseen wires, collecting bird feathers and the like. Some of you believe the risk is only to yourselves or your passengers, but it is also to others in the pattern flying responsibly and to those on the ground. Please grow up.

 

Jeff Edwards

LIVP 619SJ