Help/advice needed on BFR with complications

[motzartmerv]

G'day Josh.

 

First of all, let me commend you on building your own acft, at a young age and completing the task is no mean feat.

 

I pm'd you the other night and offered my help in resolving the situation, to be honest, for one reason. I read your story and thought to myself, this guy doesn't need a flight review, he needs a re education.

 

I will attempt to point out what others have alluded to, while trying not to upset you.

 

I can read into your post's, particularly the first one, on several occasions you made some very "good" decisions. Being under the pump in dire circumstances brings out the best and worsted in any pilot. And to have a succession of these events in a short period of time must have left you wondering what the hell was going on.

 

But, I can also read a few not so good decisions. But perhaps the most telling comment you made was in your first post:

 

"Unfortunately I had the stupidity to

 

a: let people on this forum know I was having a good time enjoying the more fun parts of flying."

 

From what i can gather, and I will reserve comment on your BFR experience, the above quote points to a bit of an attitude problem. Im not commenting on "YOU" as a bloke, just on your flying attitude.

 

The stupidity you refer to was not in telling people, it was DOING it in the first place. I don't know what 'fun aspects' you were referring to, but if its anything like what I was like at your age, then ...well...I will leave this alone..

 

Joshua, I can see many aspects of your attitude are spot on. You did book a refresher, and I cant see anything in what you told about your BFR as being cowboyish. Your self appraisal and honesty is the key to you living a long happy life in aviation. There is an old saying you have no doubt heard before, but I will say it again. There are old pilots and bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots.

 

When I was young, my instructor was an excellent bloke, the nicest guy you could meet. And fly like the wind blows. Unfortunately, he had an attitude problem. The problem was, that he thought aircraft design limits were a grey area. He believed that the manufacturer would build in a safety margain, so as to allow guys to temporarily push the aircraft through the design limit.

 

So after solo, some of my training consisted of a few loops, some spins etc. In a skyfox.

 

Now, to get a skyfox to loop properly you would have to speed up to 110 kts (in a dive) and then pull right through the vertical and reduce power in the dive out so as not to go too quick .

 

My questioning to my instructor at the time regarding the airspeed indicator going THROUGH the red line at 93 kts was answered with." Well thats the published limits, they test these things to much higher limits then that"

 

So, while being the most excellent bloke in the world, his flying attitude was lacking.

 

Unfortunately, he paid the price for this "problem" with his life. And his wife and daughter buried him next to his 19 year old son (who also paid the price) 1 month before christmas. A families lives destroyed in a moment of "fun" that removed the wing from the aircraft.

 

Now, all the sad stuff aside, I can see lots of hope for you. You made a comment "Since I didn't want to depend on power for a go-round, I came in as slow as I could. And at 10 feet above the ground I was all on track nicely. But then the wind"

 

While this comment does point to a Flying issue (approaches in gusty winds should be made at a higher speed) you did admit that it was probably YOU who caused this accident. This part of your attitude is good. A good pilot doesn't bullsh!t himself, and is constantly appraising his performance, ability's etc, especially after an incident. I would like to hear more of this from you. What could I have done that day that would have made the approach safer etc. But the best thing you could tell yourself is that "i shouldn't have been there in the first place". You MUST know your limitations. You MUST know your aicrafts limitations. and you MUST always operate inside both of these. As experience grows obviously your limitations will change, but ALL pilots have limitations. Even matt hall ;).

 

My offer to help you out still stands. You know where I am.

 

Cheers mate, and good luck.

 

 

 

[octave]

I was taught by this CFI and earlier this year I did my BFR with him, I have always found him thorough and fair. It is a great responsibility for a CFI to sign off on the BFR, it would not be good for a CFI to sign off a pilot who went on to be involved in incidents or poor behaviour or worse still a serious accident due to lack of skills or attitude. Perhaps this CFI would be much tougher the next time this pilot presented himself for a BFR.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

CFIcare, that was captain Piccard... ;)

 

 

[octave]

OMG motzartmerv your a trekkie

 

 

[farri]

Motz,I quite offten get a laugh from the forum and I`m laughing as I type.

 

Frank.

 

 

[XP503]

Motzartmerv you are spot on, I hope this bigglesworth listens to you. And where does it say that "cheetahs" can't roll over in a crash? What a stupid way of thinking, I just hope there is no passenger on board when you prove that theory wrong..........grrrrrr pilots like this cause the rest of us a whole world of trouble now pull ya head in, an aeroplane and rules of the air should be shown more respect.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

an old trekkie from way back....

[sfGnome]

Can I ask a question about BFR's? I was told by my CFI that a BFR is not a flight test, it is a review. When I queried what he meant, he said that in a test, he has to sit and watch what the aspiring pilot does and pass or fail her/him, whereas in a BFR, he can (and should) discuss the issues and help to correct them there and then, and that the successful completion of the BFR is based not on whether the pilot did every thing right, but on whether the CFI thinks that he/she has 'got it' and will be doing things right in the future. Question to all you instructors is, have I got that right? (I hope I'm not hijacking the thread - it seems applicable to the current discussion :) ).

 

 

[Bigglesworth]

@ Mozartmerv I appreciate the offer, and if I was closer I would take you up on it. In fact, BFR or not, I'll be in Nowra over holidays, could we catch up for a chat somewhere?

 

As to your comments, don't think I'm defending myself and saying I'm perfect, because I'm not.

 

But for clarification:

 

As for point a: (posting on the forums), thats me being a bit cynical. If you dig out the archives, you'll see why when you see the replies. Mind you, stories are told in the accent on the interesting, but I had copped a fair bit of flak for being near a cloud when it turns out (as I knew all along) it was legal (and safe) etc.

 

My stories are actually not very interesting when compared to some others in the clubhouse, but the others don't try them out here.

 

Basically I meant that even when remaining inside the specs, I still got branded as a rouge.

 

the 2nd forced landing was a short strip (hence the earlier incidents). Either push it to the limit on final and risk windshear, or force it on the ground to brake or risk the trees at the end.

 

I'm sure a better pilot could have succeeded where I failed, and as soon as I've got my licence back, I will really enjoy giving myself a seriously long (like 6 hours min) set of circuits until I depend on myself a bit better.

 

My attitude that people complain about has always included to try to be as good as possible BEFORE attempting anything requiring any skill.

 

NB I have also done (INSTRUCTED) wing overs in a Gazelle. Mind you, we kept the speed below 83kts (IIRC, I know they dropped the VNE of a gazelle about that time.) Haven't done anything above 60 degrees in the Cheetah.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Good to hear Josh.

 

Your always welcome to come out for a chat, and a beer (after flying of course)

 

 

[Bigglesworth]

It seems you originally ignored Micks request for a flight review, its not his job to get you flying again

I can't argue that, but if Mick thinks that he can have a 10 minute chat to me after I just got off an all night bus ride with 2 forced landings spinning in my head (and other things) and expect me to remember it exactly, well, sorry to dissapoint.

 

I kind of recall him saying he would get to me about it since he might be in the area soon or something and I was waiting for a letter or something.

 

After a year one tends to forget. I did a review anyway. Was with a GA instructor and I never told Mick about it.

 

 

[Bigglesworth]

Motzartmerv you are spot on, I hope this bigglesworth listens to you. And where does it say that "cheetahs" can't roll over in a crash? What a stupid way of thinking, I just hope there is no passenger on board when you prove that theory wrong..........grrrrrr pilots like this cause the rest of us a whole world of trouble now pull ya head in, an aeroplane and rules of the air should be shown more respect.

It never says they CAN'T. But as far as I know they never have. Is it really stupid assess the safety-in-a-crash before you buy a plane?

 

Can you imagine a high wing, snub nose plane landing on a beach with very soft sand and crosswise dunes?

 

 

[farri]

whereas in a BFR, he can (and should) discuss the issues and help to correct them there and then, and that the successful completion of the BFR is based not on whether the pilot did every thing right, but on whether the CFI thinks that he/she has 'got it' and will be doing things right in the future. Question to all you instructors is, have I got that right? ( :) ).

In my opinion it`s right, regardles......Instructors are paid for their services and are there to teach and create better pilots,they have a duty and responsibility to do so.

 

if an instructor simply can`t (for whatever reason) get on with or communicate effectivly with a pilot doing a BFR, they have the right to politely tell them to go somewhere else.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Guest burbles1]

an old trekkie from way back....

When are you going to change your aircraft rego to NCC-1701 then?

 

 

[motzartmerv]

i tried, but they reckon the rego's already taken...;)

 

 

[Admin]

i tried, but they reckon the rego's already taken...;)

 

[Alpi]

Well done Motz, I think a chat is a good idea, he young enough to be impressionable.

 

Success is not going somewhere in a $60 000 airplane and back in a $200 000 bus

 

Good luck Josh