Why do you 180?

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 09:50:10 -0500, "BillC85"
wrote:

Good day,

I got caught in some weather the other day and had to 180 outa there.

Punched up goto nearest on the Lowrance, put the Love Boat down, called
wifey for a ride home (three hours by car), and the airplane still sits at
the unscheduled stop waiting to finish the flight, probably tomorrow.

My question is this;

Why do you 180 instead of pressing on? What are your motivations? What goes
through your head?

There are several ways of looking at this:


Here are mine for this particular event in order of priority more or less;

1. I didn't want to embarrass myself by having to put down on a road or
field and causing a big scene.

Some people like attention and sooner or later every one embarrass
them selves any way so you might as well get it over and done.

2. I didn't want to bend the airplane by having to put down on a road or
field.

You need a road or field to do that?

3. I didn't want to die in a CFIT (closely related to the first part of
number 1 above).

You'd rather it was uncontrolled?

4. I didn't want my wife to be without a husband.

Not to worry. Your friends will try to make sure she is comforted till
she finds a new one.

5. I didn't want my dogs to be without a Dad.

Dogs often learn to accept new masters, unless the new master isn't
accepted as the alpha male, then it's a ... well... never mind.

6. I didn't want to inconvenience my wife.

And you still made her drive for three hours to pick you up. I'll
bet you're even going to have her drive you back to get the plane too.


I know there are steely eyed pilots

You mean we have pilots flying with cataracts?

out there who will flame me for having
to come up with so many arguments for the 180 but these are the things that

There is really only one. It makes good sense.

went through my head. You'll notice dying was actually number three.
That's kind of interesting in that it reveals something about my ego. If it
had come right down to the moment however, things probably would have
switched around a bit.

Rarely do you have time to devote to such trivial matters when the
pucker factor goes up. Those who do are the ones who panic and turn
it into a self fulfilling prophecy.


Thoughts?

You done good.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

BillC