Aerobatics

[ChairmanoftheBORED]

I''m not saying that I fly like you all talk but it sure sounds like a case of masturbation around here. By that I mean ... all of us have done it but will never admit to it. Its lovely to read all the preaching that is going on to the converted.
As was said. It should be of little influence on the aircraft if done without G loading or Negative G.
Not much call for it usually thou....

 

[cap]

Well, Chairman, I have in fact did it and did it a lot. Do it practically everyday for 26 months to save your 'butt' and you quickly find the joy of it 'ebbing from your body'. I now enjoy flights that are so boring that even the engineer falls alseep. A helicopter will do many things that an F-18 or a Citabria cannot do......but aerobatics ain't one of them. Newton's Third Law of Motion sets those limits.....not any of us pilots. Oh and I forgot something.....that engineer standing over there with that 13" crescent wrench ain't 'a happy camper' about it either.


My first point was based on experience. My second point was based on the Laws of Physics. My last point was based on fear. All of these points cause things to 'skrink' and it becomes very difficult to put a marshmellow in a piggy-bank.

 

[downwash]

Yeah, you nailed it, cap. We did plenty of it in ''green'' (and I''m not sad mine wasn''t dodging the hot stuff), and we learned enough respect for everything and everyone to play it a tad cooler turnin'' rotors for dollars.

For both you and MagSeal, though, it''s long past due when tools abusing commercial equipment paid an appropriate price. There ARE companies out there that maintain the kind of standards we''re talking about. 407 speaks of one and I''m pretty pleased where I am. Don''t make excuses for the lax and negligent. Nail their loser asses!

 

[CTD]

Go get ''em, Sir.

 

[downwash]

CTD, does that mean, as the man said, "If it''s going to be, it''s up to me"? Anyway, I do carry that can - I just think that EVERYONE serious about reducing accidents has got to be diligent about supporting EVERYONE in observing limits, using good judgement, and obeying the rules (or, if they''re wrong, getting them changed).

Another expression that comes to mind is, "If we keep on doing what we''ve always done, we''ll keep on getting what we''ve always got." Is there greater proof of that one than this industry?

 

[CTD]

Sir: I was just supporting your "Nail their loser asses" remark. I fully agree there should be no tolerance for such crap, and support you in every way.

When admonished for being a little sporty with the machine, there are those who say, and have said, "Well, you used to do it, who are you to talk to me..."

My answer to that is "I used to shiit my pants as well, but I don't do it anymore". Well, much anyway.

 

[Big Duke 6]

Downwash, I couldn''t agree more with your approach. There are many company''s out there that are taking the appropriate steps to elimanate both pilots and engineers that don''t observe safe practices. 407 mentioned one, and the company I fly for has the same philosophy. However, we as crew need to enforce these safe practices in the field by confronting indivduals observed f@$#&@#$ around and let them know our pax''s, wifes, and kids don''t appreciate ther antics.

 

[cap]

This industry and MOT have one very reliable enforcement agent out in the field at all times......the engineer. If he perceives that you are causing him more work and/or tearing his 'machine' apart, one can expect things to 'come to a head' quickly. The older he gets, the more 'crusty' he gets. It's because of engineers like that, that I am alive today. I've learned more and been 'straightened out' more by these guys than any Operations Department ever did. It's very difficult many times for one pilot to try to correct the actions of another in any way. It's an area that few are comfortable with doing. Put that same pilot in a proper situation with a 'crusty' engineer that isn't impressed at all that he has 35 types on his license and 105,000 hours and 9 times out of 10, the pilot will 'cease and desist'.

 

[downwash]

Cap, that''s exactly the "If you always do what you''ve always done, you''ll always get what you''ve always got" type of problem thinking I referred to. I agree 100% that good wrenches have straightened out lots of errant drivers, and still do but, obviously, that''s simply not enough. We need to change that precise attitude you refer to, where "few are comfortable." Comfortable, be damned! Get professional. Self-preservation means self-policing, and the more it''s done, the less we''ll have of people paying for the sins of others.