309 wrote:

Michael Ash wrote:

I don't mean to denigrate power pilots in any way, I just get the
impression that having your engine quit is a lot more stressful than just
not having one in the first place, and this sort of emergency could easily
put a pilot into a frame of mind where he loses confidence in himself and
just hits the parachute.

Practice opening up the spoilers all the way, at some point beyond
final glide from the airport, lock them there, try and thermal up to
gain the altitude to make it back to the airport ... oh, and make sure
you're flying a 1-26 or a 2-33 or some similar such brick.

I think I'll pass on your experiment, but I see your point.

When the mill quits, suddenly, our intrepid power pilot is flying a
"glider" with less than 6:1 glide ratio. Therefore, the stress is
warranted!!! I'm not sure if you and I are in "violent agreement" on
this one.

Yes, I basically agree. I didn't mean to imply that I thought the stress
was unwarranted. Having not flown very much power at all, I've never had
the engine quit so I don't really know what it's like, but I try to give
the benefit of the doubt to those who do.

Yes, I fly both power and glider (if you call my 1-26 a glider).

Yes, EVERYBODY should be looking out a little more.

Power pilots shoud practice more landings at idle power....

...and glider pilots should practice more stuck spoiler landings!!!

Does it count when you come in so high that they only appear to be stuck?


P.S.: In a more perfect world, I would have added to that list: "The
media should present balanced, factual and intelligent coverage of
events, spectacular or not."

Now you're just going too far.

--
Michael Ash
Rogue Amoeba Software