Damn, am I tired of this B*U*L*L*S*H*I*T......, or what!!
..although the bottom line is that there are more crashes in private planes, and more of them are fatal...
John F. Kennedy, Jr was a spoiled-ass rich kid, who killed himself and those two girls just as sure as if he'd used a gun. Just like his butthead, Uncle Ted - who killed that little girl in Chappaquiddick..!!
No damn excuses for rich idiots..!!
I personally hold a Commercial pilot's license with single and multi-engine (land) ratings. I am instrument qualified and capable, but not FAA rated; and I have over 1000+ hours of flight time. My experience includes a potential nose-gear failure at flight school (a bad switch - no problem), and gear-up landing - which was caused by a combination electrical/mechanical failure brought on by the errors of a (used-to-be) licensed (but incompetent) A&P mechanic.
Damage to my airplane = $11K (peanuts), injuries = 0 (5 people aboard); FAA analysis = A&P lost his license. You have to know what your doing, and be able to handle emergencies. That's what you learn at flight school..!!
JFK, Jr. was 100% AT FAULT - and he paid the ultimate price for his arrogance...!!
Most pilots go through a regulated flight school, or work very closely with a certified flight instructor - and pay attention to what their taught. I.e.: Don't fly at night into crappy weather, unless you can file IFR (Instrument Flight Rules).
Also, I don't know anybody his age, with a lousy 150+/- hours of flight time, that can afford a $1/4-Million dollar high performance bird. Obviously there are some - but, fortunately they are few and far between.
The plane he was flying was like a Lincoln Mark VIII; so well insulated that the pilot doesn't have a clue what's going on outside, unless he can SEE - or bloody well READS THE INSTRUMENTS.
Low time pilots generally fly non-complex Cessna's, Beech's and Pipers with fixed-pitch propellers and a top speed of 140mph until they save up enough hours and money to get an older high performance bird - that the Insurance Company will permit them to have.
The system works that way for a reason..!!
Every pilot would like a shiny new LearJet - if he hit the jackpot at the Monty Hall's Airplane Give-A-Way; but, the insurance companies would generally make even starting the engines too expensive for Mr. Regular Guy.
I wanted to buy an 1956 AeroCommander 500E twin (..kind of an old executive bird..) when I had 600+ hours. As it turned out, I could afford the plane, but I would have had to go to Lloyds of London to insure it ($5K+/year). Hence, no 500E..!! So, I bought a Mooney M20E instead (200mph single engine).
Kennedy had no such financial restrictions (..and probably charged the whole thing off to George or the family kennels, etc..). Hey, bathed in money, he may have paid cash. But, without paying his regular-guy-type dues he got in OVER his head; but, UNDER his ego.
Hate to see anybody buy it, but if you gave a Calloway Corvette to a sixteen-year-old, immature, bonehead - you'd get the same kind of results. A drag race, cross-traffic, a skid, and a mop up.
One of the first lessons you learn in flying is: TRUST YOUR INSTRUMENTS - AND LEARN HOW TO CROSS-CHECK ONE AGAINST THE OTHER FOR VERIFICATION..!!
Sorry folks; but, when you take non-flyers up in an airplane - YOU are Pilot-in-Command, YOU are responsible, and YOU better know exactly what the hell you're doing.
Second Rule: When you get in a jam - get on the radio and get HELP.
A competent senior controller can talk a 10-year-old down; if the kid will listen and do what he's told. Many non-flying wives have landed aircraft, when their husbands had a stroke/coronary - it's do-able if nobody panics.
Now, all the whiny-tush-Hillary-kissers and totally-ignorant, liberal New England media pundits are going to demand Dizzy City to legislate flight recorders into J3 Piper Cubs and try for IFR-only night flights..!!
Ab-freaking-surd..!!
If you happen to be in Minneapolis at the Ice Follies, get out at 9:00pm, and want to fly the 1-1/2 hours home to DesMoines on a nice night - there's no reason in stink to have to file an IFR flight plan. That, incidentally, would clutter up the system for the big Jets - which are flying bricks..!!.
I'm re-joing the AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association) this week, to help fight this stupidity.
It will soon get to the place that no kid can learn to fly, unless his Dad was a Major General in the Air Force - and can get him inserted into the Air Force Academy.
The responsible flyers in this country need to put a stop to this media-driven garbage real quick..!!
This goofy situation just really pushed all my buttons. Because, (..like so many other pilots..) I almost had to hock my soul to get my licenses. And, I grossly resent the pampered, usurpers of pseudo-thrones making a mess of it for everyone else.
Regards,
John :-) |
