X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:48:01 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from elasmtp-curtail.atl.sa.earthlink.net ([209.86.89.64] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.6) with ESMTP id 3093419 for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:32:41 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=209.86.89.64; envelope-from=douglasbrunner@earthlink.net DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=dk20050327; d=earthlink.net; b=KmMz3yfazQDNRq2s0ka2rYqsZXn2GA2D0ioCJOw6f4CzJrYzVynPK+gEEeDmJqtK; h=Received:Message-ID:From:To:Subject:Date:MIME-Version:Content-Type:X-Priority:X-MSMail-Priority:X-Mailer:X-MimeOLE:X-ELNK-Trace:X-Originating-IP; Received: from [70.119.54.215] (helo=DougsLaptop) by elasmtp-curtail.atl.sa.earthlink.net with esmtpa (Exim 4.67) (envelope-from ) id 1KXlXY-0007dN-Ts for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:32:05 -0400 X-Original-Message-ID: <830D5625966448EE997A414A85ACA751@DougsLaptop> From: "Douglas Brunner" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" Subject: Safety X-Original-Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:32:02 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0053_01C906E9.3FE44180" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Windows Mail 6.0.6001.18000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6001.18049 X-ELNK-Trace: ad85a799c4f5de37c2eb1477c196d22294f5150ab1c16ac08868399773331e30caf88833db1cb3e4dfc951b0fa497da8350badd9bab72f9c350badd9bab72f9c X-Originating-IP: 70.119.54.215 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01C906E9.3FE44180 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Since everyone seems to be commenting on safety, I decided to add my = comments. I don't consider myself to be a safety expert, but here are = my thoughts for what they are worth. As a preface I would like to say that I am probably an average pilot. = I have about 1300 hours, an Instrument rating and most of my experience = in Mooney's. I am not an airline pilot or ex-military like some on this = list. I don't do aerobatics and mostly use my plane for travel. I = would like to believe that I have lightning fast reflexes, superb = judgement and nerves of steel, but honestly that is unlikely. 1) My insurance company required 0 hours of Legacy time before they = would insure me to solo in my plane! Just plain CRAZY! I flew for a couple of days in 99L with Josh = Brungardt, and then for another day with Josh in my plane before I felt = like I could solo. Maybe I am a slow learner but that is what it took = for me. If I ran an insurance company, I would require at least 10 = hours of instruction with a HPAT (or equivalent) instructor before solo. = What are the underwriters at my insurance company smoking ?!? If you think spending several thousand dollars training with HPAT (or = equivalent) instructors in your plane is just a waste of money, what is = the value you put on your life? 2) I installed WSI weather on my plane. (I have Cheltons so I couldn't = use XM) For those of you that use your plane for cross country travel and = particularly in the Midwest, South and East, I think some kind of = uploaded radar (or strike finder) is mandatory. Yes, if you ask the = controllers they will tell you what they see on their scopes, but as = someone else has pointed out, they assume that you have your own weather = avoidance system. Also they do not have complete coverage. Having your = own weather avoidance system is a big plus for safety. Recently on a = trip through S. Carolina (and the remains of Hurrican Fay) a controller = would have vectored me through some level 2 and above echos had I not = objected. 3) I don't do any aerobatic or aggressive maneuvers and I don't screw = around at low altitudes. I have never spun an airplane - and don't want = to. I know, there are those out there who will think I am a "weenie", but I = believe in stall/spin AVOIDANCE. 4) Except when I am flying "around the pattern" or locally for my $100 = hamburger, I always file and fly IFR Flying the airways at MEA or above, always having a controller to talk = to, having other traffic called out to you, is (in my opinion) a big = plus for safety.=20 5) If you fly IFR, practice instrument approaches in your plane with = your instruments. =20 I flew my plane back from Oregon to the East Coast with Josh and we did = at least 3 approaches each day for 3 days. This was extremely valuable. = Know how to use your instruments in IFR! D. Brunner ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01C906E9.3FE44180 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Since everyone seems to = be commenting on=20 safety, I decided to add my comments.  I don't consider myself to = be a=20 safety expert, but here are my thoughts for what they are=20 worth.
 
As a preface I would like to say that I = am probably=20 an average pilot.    I have about 1300 hours, an = Instrument=20 rating and most of my experience in Mooney's.  I am not an airline = pilot or=20 ex-military like some on this list.  I don't do aerobatics and = mostly use=20 my plane for travel.   I would like to believe that I have = lightning=20 fast reflexes, superb judgement and nerves of steel, but honestly that = is=20 unlikely.
 
1)  My insurance company required = 0=20 hours of Legacy time before they would insure me to = solo in my=20 plane!
 
Just plain CRAZY!  I flew for = a couple of=20 days in 99L with Josh Brungardt, and then for another day with = Josh in my=20 plane before I felt like I could solo.  Maybe I am a slow learner = but that=20 is what it took for me.  If I ran an insurance company, I would = require=20 at least 10 hours of instruction with a HPAT (or = equivalent)=20 instructor before solo.  What are the underwriters at my insurance = company=20 smoking ?!?
 
If you think spending several thousand = dollars=20 training with HPAT (or equivalent) instructors in your plane is = just a=20 waste of money, what is the value you put on your life?
 
2)  I installed WSI weather on my = plane. =20 (I have Cheltons so I couldn't use XM)
 
For those of you that use your plane = for cross=20 country travel and particularly in the Midwest, South and East, I = think=20 some kind of uploaded radar (or strike finder) is mandatory.  = Yes, if=20 you ask the controllers they will tell you what they see on their = scopes, but as=20 someone else has pointed out, they assume that you have your own weather = avoidance system.  Also they do not have complete coverage. =  Having=20 your own weather avoidance system is a big plus for safety.  = Recently on a=20 trip through S. Carolina (and the remains of Hurrican Fay) a controller = would=20 have vectored me through some level 2 and above echos had I not=20 objected.
 
3)  I don't do any aerobatic or = aggressive=20 maneuvers and I don't screw around at low altitudes.  I have never = spun an=20 airplane - and don't want to.
 
I know, there are those out there who = will think I=20 am a "weenie", but I believe in stall/spin AVOIDANCE.
 
4)  Except when I am flying = "around the=20 pattern" or locally for my $100 hamburger, I always file and fly=20 IFR
 
Flying the airways at MEA or above, = always having a=20 controller to talk to, having other traffic called out to you, is (in my = opinion) a big plus for safety. 
 
5)  If you fly IFR, practice = instrument=20 approaches in your plane with your instruments. 
 
I flew my plane back from Oregon to the = East Coast=20 with Josh and we did at least 3 approaches each day for 3 days.  = This was=20 extremely valuable.  Know how to use your instruments in = IFR!
 
D. Brunner
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