Have you taken risks?

[farri]

.

The most dangerous part of your life for survival is the journey down the tubes to the womb!

Hi Skydog,

 

Once we are here the next most dangerous thing we can do is to breath,heavens above,god only knows what evil disease we might catch.

 

Cheers,

 

Frank.

 

 

[Guest Walter Buschor]

Hi Jim,

 

This reply might be a little late but regarding risks it is my policy to NEVER commence a flight unless I'm happy with it . If it dosen't feel good - it probably isn't.

 

There is of course an argument that one needs some challenging situations to gain experiance in adverse condition.

 

Since we fly for fun ( In RA Australia ) I cannot subscribe to this . Everone that I know who had difficulties at some time or other either contributed or worse - caused the problem in the first place.

 

It is far better to say NO to a planned flight and live to fly another day.

 

There are challenges waiting for us ie: gusts , clear air turbulance etc without us having to add our own.

 

safe flying

 

the grey Nomad

 

 

[farri]

Hi Jim,It is far better to say NO to a planned flight and live to fly another day.

 

safe flying

 

the grey Nomad

Hi Walter,

 

Very wise and one of the reasons you`ve been able to become "A Grey Nomad".

 

Cheers,Frank.

 

 

[Yenn]

To me one of the biggest risks is also one of the hard ones to come to grips with. The spur of the moment decision. Something is going wrong and instead of pulling out of the situation and maybe starting again, we make the quick decision to do something different. For example I was landing on the taxiway in front of the hangar at Old Station, my passenger was overweight and it looked as if I would not stop before the fence, so I elected to hop the fence, turn about 30 degrees and land on the strip. Good thinking, no problem and we are on the ground, ready to take my next passenger. Stupid really, as I went over the fence I cut the throttle and started turning, only to find a 600mm high mound of soil in the 900mm high grass. Result a damaged cross member in the Thruster and a damaged ego in the pilot.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Yenn, thats a classic.. And perhaps we could back track a bit further and say the descision to land on the taxyway was the root of it all..lol... mind you, ive taken off from the taxiway at old station before, seemed to be the rage on the day...:thumb_up:

 

 

[Yenn]

Motza.

 

The strip I was using at Old Station was not the main strip, but the back one. Not connected in any way.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Many a good time, and beer's drank at old station...:thumb_up:

 

 

[Guest Walter Buschor]

Taking Risks ?

 

It is time to come clean here ,

 

Since flying RA I have been very cautious - see previous reply - but going back to my late Teens - early twenties - the sky was the limit. All my passengers where of my age and taking risks was the order of the day. I fact some of them would not pay/contribute to the flight if I didn't roll or loop the aircraft - at the very least.

 

( Piper L4 & AS 202 Bravo ). I don't think I ever overstressed one but these days I wonder...! It's often the poor bastard that flies the plane after you who might have a catastophic failure in flight because of some idiocity of someone else....!

 

Later I gained an Aero endorsment in a Decathlon and that was a different story.

 

I still cleaned up the aircraft on several occasions ( spewing pax).

 

Sine then I take the view - the less stress on the plane - the better.

 

safe flying

 

the grey Nomad

 

 

[flying dog]

Kind of sticking my neck out here.....

 

I was flying back from the Snowy Mtns. Sunday. I think it was October. Can't remember exactly.

 

Flying into Sydney (YHOX - when it existed) from YGLB, APN, YHOX.

 

I got to Appin and was tracking north (360) direct YHOX. Daylight was getting scarce too! (Dramatic sound...) :ah_oh:

 

Then: It started to drizzle. Got onto Sydney Radar and checked the situation. They offered Camden if needed, but I said I would *TRY* to continue to YHOX.

 

Alas, then it started to RAIN! thumb_down

 

Oh, poo! "Sydney radar, diverting to Camden." I was just in the right place to join cross wind for the north-ish runway.

 

Switched frequency, joined, landed and all was ok.

 

Ofcourse as soon as I landed, it stopped raining.

 

But I don't regret the decission to divert to Camden.

 

 

[Mazda]

As pilots I don't think we can entirely avoid risk, all we can do is to assess the risks, and manage them as best we can.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Were you in class C??

 

 

[flying dog]

Me?

 

No, Camden had only just closed. So it was not CA. But the guy was still in the tower.

 

And I was at 2000 ft AMSL at the time.

 

 

[flying dog]

So although not saying I have, but the question arises from some of the replies:

 

What about one of these "chandelles" (spelling?) - a 1 G roll?

 

Supposedly nearly any plane can do them.

 

(don't blame me)

 

 

[facthunter]

In What?

 

In What? Don't even think about it. unless you are trained and competent and in a proper aerobatic aircraft. Nev..

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Skydo, well, the reason i asked is because camden isn't class C, when tower is manned its GAAP. If you were at 2000 inbound from the south to yhox you weren't in comtrolled airspace at all, so i was curious why you were talking to syd radar?? and why were they offering you camden??.. were you useing flight following??

 

cheers

 

ps, re the chandelles, interestingly they are an approved manouvre in the gazelle flight manual..

 

 

[Mazda]

A chandelle is a climbing turn. A wingover is basically a climbing turn and a descending turn. Not 1G though, and you can be a bit inverted at the top of a wingover. They are not difficult at all, but if you stuff up it could get a bit nasty. Please, as Nev says, please get some proper training before thinking about it.

 

 

[Yenn]

A competent pilot should be able to do a Chandelle, but it will take a bit of practice to do it properly. Been along while since I have done one with anyone watching for faults. The lazy eight would be a good way to start working up to a chandelle.

 

 

[flying dog]

Motzarmerv,

 

I agree I wasn't in C airspace. But I was tracking north to YHOX I think just after Appin-ish.

 

122.5 is the area frequency for Syd Radar so that was on the radio.

 

Yes, I was below C airspace too, but see above.

 

I didn't have too many hours up then, and though I *COULD* have made it back to YHOX, it wasn't worth the risk that when I got there that it could be XXXXing down.

 

I asked Syd Radar for conditions ahead to make a value judgement - if you will.

 

They suggested/offered YSCN (that's the right code?) but it eased off while all this was happening, so I re-assessed the situation - hold that thought - and said I would continue.

 

When it started to rain again, heavier than before, I took that as a warning to NOT tempt fate, so I accepted the Camden offer and they told me the frequency and vector.

 

Now, the situation:

 

I said re-assess. I think it was more a dynamic analasys of what was happening:

 

Clear/overcast getting dark.

 

Slight showers. Check with Radar ahead.

 

Showers clear, I descide to continue.

 

Rain starts so update choice to Camden and commit to that.

 

Though it is a good thing to remain "flexible" with your options you do need a plan and once made, you should stick to it. Otherwise it can getvery complicated very quickly.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Its good you thought on your feet so to speak.. Wedderburn would have been another option...Never allow the door to close behind you...

 

The freq for syd radar in that area is 124.55 not 125.2

 

cheers

 

 

[flying dog]

Ah well I didn't have the charts in front of me.

 

No, wedderburn would have been difficult, as the gates are usually locked and getting out would have been difficult at best.

 

 

[Mazda]

Great advice Mozartmerv!

 

Yes flyingdog, you came through with a solution which is good, although I'm a bit concerned you were in failing light, marginal weather, and without charts in reach. I suppose we all learn from these things, so good on you for posting on here.

 

I bet you always have charts in reach now though. You never know when you might need to divert.

 

 

[flying dog]

Mazda,

 

No, I had the charts and the "weather" came in a bit quicker than the forecast.

 

As I said, I simply contacted Radar for look ahead on what was happening from Appin to YHOX.

 

 

[flying dog]

Ok, there is a bit of confusion.

 

I had the charts (but not IMMEDIATLY handy). And they wouldn't have told me the weather ahead.

 

Usually when flying the flight plan is either beside my left leg, on the "dash", stuck in the ceiling (if flying a fox) or in my hands.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Flying dog.. I fear you have missed a crucial point somewhere.. You said wedburn was no good due to a locked gate??... In deteriating light and weather your number one concern is getting down quickly and safely. Don't let a locked gate influence your descision. Sure it would be a pain in the backside organising it, but considering all things a funeral is much harder to arrange.. If the wx moved into camden then all the doors were shut, and you would have been out of time (light) to do much about it. From your description it seems you really got yourself backed into a corner, and fortunately luck was on your side that day. But just the fact that you were arriving at your destination close to last light without leaving time for the variables ie headwind, weather, unservicable runway ets indicates you may have been planning things a little close to the wire if you know what i mean.

 

Forgive me for the lecture..

 

This of course is all just theory as you got it down safely, but remember this "its very rarely stick and rudder skills (or lack of) that kills pilots. Its the descisions they make."

 

Thanx for the post, we can all learn from things like this...

 

cheers

 

 

[flying dog]

Yes, in hind-sight.... But that is always good.

 

:cool_shades:

 

Don' t worry. I'm not upset about what you say. I said: This was early in the piece so the experiance was a bit low. It is better now.

 

Someone did say that we learn by our mistakes.

 

YSCN was (litterally) JUST to the left. I was probably JUST outside their space.

 

I turned left and on that heading I was crosswind. I don't have the charts handy, so I can't say where Wedderburn was at that time.

 

My main point was that I did "adapt" to the change and diverted to YSCN and didn't press on regardless.