X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from [65.33.163.227] (account marv@lancaironline.net) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro WebUser 4.3c5) with HTTP id 938311 for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 09 May 2005 23:31:03 -0400 From: "Marvin Kaye" Subject: Re: [LML] Shannon's Accident Summarized To: lml X-Mailer: CommuniGate Pro WebUser Interface v.4.3c5 Date: Mon, 09 May 2005 23:31:03 -0400 Message-ID: In-Reply-To: References: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; format="flowed" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Posted for Dan O'Brien : This is not meant to be disrespectful. I corresponded with Shannon while he was building his electrical system and learned a helluva lot. I'm very, very sad about what happened. I would think an oil temperature climbing to and through the redline ought to be considered an absolute emergency, a forecast of imminent engine failure. It says as much in Continental manual. How could it happen that a ship equipped with all the modern marvels, including a GPS with a nearest airport function, would fly past a perfectly suitable landing site when such an emergency presents itself? The standard teaching in such emergencies is 1) control the airplane, and 2) find the nearest suitable landing site. This is practiced every flight review. Are you ready to land at the nearest airport when such an emergency presents itself to you? I'm not sure that you are. Are you conservative with respect to your estimated fuel on board? I'm not sure that you are. Do you recognize that you could be ripped apart by a thunderstorm? I'm not sure that you do. Do you respect the lift penalty imposed by ice on laminar flow wings? I'm not sure that your do. The insurance folks at EAA/Sun-N-Fun told me that a 250 hour instrument rated pilot (me) can't even get liability in a "plastic" plane -- not even in an ES -- because of Lancair's accident record. Is an ES harder to fly than a Bonanza or Mooney? Pilots I talk to say: "no way." Then why am I insurable in a Bonanza or Mooney, but not in an ES? The answer is pretty simple: Lancair pilots make too many errors. We make so many errors, the Columbia is trying like crazy to distance itself from the kit side of the company. We need to do better, lots lots better. If you can't say for sure whether you're ready to land at the nearest airport when you're oil temp goes past redline, or whether you're conservative about fuel on board, or whether you're nervous about thunderstorms, or whether you understand the implications of ice on laminar flow wings, then please get yourself re-oriented with a fresh flight review from an instructor who can provide good advice on these questions. Sorry about the soap box nature of the post. Call it frustration. I have a thick skin. Have at me.