Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 18:13:04 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from hawk.mail.pas.earthlink.net ([207.217.120.22] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.1) with ESMTP id 412405 for lml@lancaironline.net; Wed, 15 Sep 2004 15:47:41 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=207.217.120.22; envelope-from=petervana@earthlink.net Received: from fl-69-34-82-174.dyn.sprint-hsd.net ([69.34.82.174] helo=Peter) by hawk.mail.pas.earthlink.net with esmtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 1C7fkE-00050v-00 for lml@lancaironline.net; Wed, 15 Sep 2004 12:47:10 -0700 From: "Peter Van Arsdale" X-Original-To: Subject: Accidents X-Original-Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 15:47:02 -0400 X-Original-Message-ID: <001e01c49b5c$c60ace70$6402a8c0@Peter> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_001F_01C49B3B.3EF92E70" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.4510 Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_001F_01C49B3B.3EF92E70 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I'm not a Lancair owner or operator but have been a fan and wannabee for = the past ten years, and like all on the list, am bothered by the steady = stream of Lancair accidents. I'm inclined to think that many of the accidents = are the result of high performance, unforgiving aircraft becoming more = available and affordable. This trend will most likely escalate with the = introduction of the Eclipse, Mustang, and others coming in the near future, where the only real barrier to entry is the capacity of one's checkbook. =20 Plain and simple, flying a Lancair is akin to flying a fighter jet or an airliner. The margin for error is significantly less than it is for our Piper Cubs and C-150's, and not everyone is qualified to fly one. With airliners and fighters, most often one washes out if they demonstrate = that they can't cut the mustard. Many who fail have the ratings, lots of = time and experience, but can't keep up with the airplane and all that goes on = in it. There is no such winnowing out process with Lancairs, and it's my = guess that this is the reason for many of the accidents. I don't have any solutions to this problem other than to suggest that anyone who wants to have a long career as a Lancair pilot, find an accurate way to have = his/her abilities evaluated along with a very high level of training. Being a = very safe pilot is probably not enough. =20 Also inherent in the Lancair bunch is the curiosity to see how things = work. I could never understand the discussion that went on about understanding what happens when the plane stalls. When I learned to fly bigger = planes, we were taught to not let the airplane fly slow enough to stall. In = training we would slow down to a mild buffet, apply power and be instructed that = that was a place we didn't want to go. There are lots of things that we = don't want to do in an airplane that we need to practice to the extreme to = avoid. =20 Peter Van Arsdale Naples, FL (239) 253-8246 =20 ------=_NextPart_000_001F_01C49B3B.3EF92E70 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message
I'm = not a Lancair=20 owner or operator but have been a fan and wannabee for the past ten = years, and=20 like all on the list, am bothered by the steady stream of Lancair=20 accidents.  I'm inclined to think that many of the accidents are = the result=20 of high performance, unforgiving aircraft becoming more available = and=20 affordable.  This trend will most likely escalate with the = introduction of=20 the Eclipse, Mustang, and others coming in the near future, where = the only=20 real barrier to entry is the capacity of one's = checkbook.
 
Plain = and=20 simple, flying a Lancair is akin to flying a fighter jet or an = airliner.  The margin for error is significantly less than = it is for=20 our Piper Cubs and C-150's, and not everyone is qualified to fly = one.  With=20 airliners and fighters, most often one washes out if they demonstrate = that they=20 can't cut the mustard.  Many who fail have the ratings, lots of = time and=20 experience, but can't keep up with the airplane and all that goes on in=20 it.  There is no such winnowing out process with Lancairs, and it's = my=20 guess that this is the reason for many of the accidents.  I = don't have=20 any solutions to this problem other than to suggest that anyone who = wants to=20 have a long career as a Lancair pilot, find an accurate way to have = his/her=20 abilities evaluated along with a very high level of = training.  Being a=20 very safe pilot is probably not enough.
 
Also = inherent in the=20 Lancair bunch is the curiosity to see how things work.  I could = never=20 understand the discussion that went on = about understanding what=20 happens when the plane stalls.  When I learned to fly bigger = planes, we=20 were taught to not let the airplane fly slow enough to stall.  In = training=20 we would slow down to a mild buffet, apply power and be instructed that = that was=20 a place we didn't want to go.  There are lots of things=20 that we don't want to do in an airplane that we need=20 to practice to the extreme to avoid.
 
Peter Van = Arsdale
Naples, FL
(239) = 253-8246
 
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