Jim-RST Enginering
I've had a number of engine or mechanical failures that caused me to
make an unscheduled landing in both airplanes and helicopters. The
problems could not have been found short of a tear-down inspection. The
fact that I got the machine back on the ground without further damage
was how much luck and how much pilot skill? To be sure, in ag
operations the vast majority of pilots fly "cocked and locked" for an
immediate response to an emergency or malfunction. Now, having said
that, with 40 years of crop dusting behind me, and at least 13,000
hours in the lowest reaches of the airspace system, and having had more
scares and frights in a year than most pilots will ever experience in a
lifetime.... I think too many lesser experienced pilots here tend to
limit their views to that narrow range of their experience. Well, that
is to be expected. It is their fault if they don't pick the diamonds of
wisdom to add to their pilot bag of tricks to help them out if the sh*&
hits the fan and they have to react to salvage the ensuing mess.
In 50 years of flying as PIC, I've experienced 18 maydays, have had at
least 5 actual autorotations with mechanical failures or fuel
exhaustion, I've hit 18 wires that were carefully logged, have killed
literally hundreds of birds in mid-air collisions aka bird strikes,
have many times come back in to the base with pine needles or leaves
stuck someplace on the aircraft. Now I ask you, does this put me into
the Bad pilot catagory? Does it put me into the LUCKY pilot catagory?
Is it a combination of lucky, poor/good/bozo?
Doesn't really matter to me since I am still here and able to pass
along my mistakes and observations to those who may one day be faced
with similar problems. Those who choose to slam me are free to do so. I
invite them to fly with me under challenging circumstances and see what
THEY can do to cope. Finger pointing doesn't accomplish much.
Now I'll take a step back with my big stick and see what happens next.
Cheers
Rocky aka Ol Shy & Bashful