3 lives lost

wrote in message
oups.com...

In the interest of effort that probably will not be wasted (you seem to
be listening) , I want to point out that the idea that there was
'something psychologically busted in her brain' misses the most
important point. Most likely there was not; the fact is, we all are
susceptible to the same kind of error. That's the point; that she
*wasn't* different from the rest of us, that the only thing that
separates us from 'them' is a will to choose--and it is a choice--not
to succumb to the same temptations.


Like I said, I understand VFR into IMC, and I can see it happening in the
context of a rational thought process. This specific case I have a much
harder time with. I'm just trying to reconstruct the thought process in my
head that could lead someone to take off in these conditions.

-cwk.

Colin,

I'm just trying to reconstruct the thought process in my
head that could lead someone to take off in these conditions.

Good, that's what I am trying to get people to do.

The reasons are many, but they all fall into the same category: trying
to please somebody. Often its financial pressure (I need the revenue
today); time pressure (we gotta get to work by 8am); social pressures
(they'll think I'm a wimp); need to prove one's self (I'll show them, I
can fly in conditions the rest of these weaklings are afraid of), etc.

Ron Brown is dead because his USAF pilot succumbed to the time
pressure.
JFK Jr is dead because he felt he needed to prove he could do it by
himself.

At the end of Oct we just lost another bizjet in San Diego because they
were in too much of a hurry to take the time to make a phone call and
prefile; instead they did a night VFR takeoff under a 2100 ft overcast,
in a valley surrounded by mountains. The idea was to file in the air
by radio. Their airplane made a big boom and a great flash of light as
it dashed itslef into a zillion pieces against the side of Otay
mountain, 8 nm east of the departure airport. The wreckage was about
3000 feet away from the site where another jet pilot did *exactly* the
same thing, from the same airport, hitting the same mountain, ten years
earlier. In that case it was carrying half of Reba MacEntyre's band.

I'm sure they saved at least 10 to 15 minutes each.

Recommended reading: AC60-22, available online at the faa's website.
Redefining Airmanship, by Tony Kern. Aviation Psychology, ed by
Roscoe. Human Factors in Aviation, ed by Nagel.

"If you think you are late now, just imagine how late you will be when
you are dead."

Gene

wrote:

What are we trying to prove? Can't we re-define 'good pilot' to mean
one that has the guts to tell everyone else to 'put a sock in it, I
a-ain't a-goin'?'

I think most of us have that definition. It's just that good pilots don't get
the publicity.

George Patterson
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

Hi, Gene,

My research has led me into the psychology of
narcissism, and I believe that is a major factor in this seemingly
mysterious penchant some pilots have to go ahead and launch when
prudence would dictate another less risky course of action.


Sam:

These may be of interest to you;

http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/journal66.html
http://malignantselflove.tripod.com/journal70.html

Take care.

Sam

Sam,

I will look at those. Thank you.

Gene

I wrote an article about this that was published in Plane and Pilot ,
called "The Wrong Stuff." It is available to view on my website at
www.genehudson.com if you care to read more about this stuff.

Couldn't find the article there. I found where it was listed with other
articles, and many of those other articles are clickable links which take
you into their content, but "The Wrong Stuff" is not clickable.


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Geoffrey,

If you give me an email address I can send it to you, I still have the
original draft on my computer.

Gene

Gene, how about posting it here?

wrote:
Geoffrey,
If you give me an email address I can send it to you, I still have the
original draft on my computer.

John,

I don't mind posting the article here, as long as the powers that be
are ok with it--but its about 1500 words, a little larger than the
typical post.
If thats ok with the local etiquette, its ok with me.

Gene

My condolences to family and friends of the three who lost their lives.

Many years ago I was about to run into comparable trouble at Rotterdam
Airport: 8 km visibility and temp well above dewpoint at take-off.
Nevertheless, when flying to the East (away from the shore) at 1000 ft I
met severe haze, had scarcely any horizon, fortunately no fogging up!
Within 10 minutes I was back at the airport. So far my experience with
poor visibility coming up in a whiff.

I cannot overestimate how important it is to do at least one IF lesson
at the earlierst useful point in training.

Different subject:
A cross-probing on "wrong stuff" and "gene hudson" in Google yielded the
following:

http://www.misc-transport.com/trucki...ed_220951.html

It may be of some use.

Best regards: Johan E. Mebius (former private pilot)


Geoffrey Barnes wrote:

I wrote an article about this that was published in Plane and Pilot ,
called "The Wrong Stuff." It is available to view on my website at
www.genehudson.com if you care to read more about this stuff.



Couldn't find the article there. I found where it was listed with other
articles, and many of those other articles are clickable links which take
you into their content, but "The Wrong Stuff" is not clickable.


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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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