Night over water

"Michael" wrote in message om...

I doubt that my situation is unique - I know lots of people who have
no problem trusting the instruments.

Actually, what kills a lot of people in my opinion is not "not trusting
instruments" but rather, not realizing it's time to get on the gauges.
I never had any problem flying under the hood in my training.
I remember my first wander into IMC (an instructor was in the right
seat). Just a gentle drift off into the clouds. I was staring off into
the nothingness for several seconds until the instructor prompted me
with something with "don't lose it on me." And then I hunkered down
on the gauges and got to business. I've seen other pilots do the
same thing. I'm fairly convinced this is what got JFKJr. Had he
thought, I'm out over water, I'd better get on the dials, he probably
would be OK, but he was staring out at a non-existent (or false)
horizon until it was too late.

In article ,
"Ron Natalie" wrote:
Actually, what kills a lot of people in my opinion is not "not trusting
instruments" but rather, not realizing it's time to get on the gauges.


Maybe, maybe not. In my experience, everyone seems to be a little
different regarding vertigo, and their reaction when they do encounter
it. During most of my instrument training, I NEVER had vertigo, even
when I was solid IMC and looked away from the panel. My wife, on the
other hand, gets vertigo more easily. I suspect that perhaps the only
ones still living who know best what may have happend to JFKJr are his
former flight instructors. We have no way to make meaningful guesses as
to whether his trouble keeping the shiny side up was a frequent
occurance or an usually rapid onset of fatal mistakes.


JKG

"Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Ron Natalie" wrote:
Actually, what kills a lot of people in my opinion is not "not trusting
instruments" but rather, not realizing it's time to get on the gauges.


Maybe, maybe not. In my experience, everyone seems to be a little
different regarding vertigo, and their reaction when they do encounter
it. During most of my instrument training, I NEVER had vertigo, even
when I was solid IMC and looked away from the panel. My wife, on the
other hand, gets vertigo more easily. I suspect that perhaps the only
ones still living who know best what may have happend to JFKJr are his
former flight instructors. We have no way to make meaningful guesses as
to whether his trouble keeping the shiny side up was a frequent
occurance or an usually rapid onset of fatal mistakes.


JKG

If you are solidly flying on instruments, you should be able to maintain
control even during a spell of disorientation. If you try to tranisition to
the instruements after becoming disoriented, it is more likely to be too
late (not absolutely too late. Just more likely).

-------------------------------
Travis

In article . net,
"Travis Marlatte" wrote:

If you are solidly flying on instruments, you should be able to maintain
control even during a spell of disorientation. If you try to tranisition to
the instruements after becoming disoriented, it is more likely to be too
late (not absolutely too late. Just more likely).


Transitions, especially unexpected ones, are undoubtedly tricky, but if
they're handled properly by a qualified and proficient pilot, they
aren't deadly. They are a necessary part of IFR flying, and they're
done safely every day by qualified and proficient pilots.

In the case of JFRJr, if he was properly qualified and proficient, he
would have been able to recognize the need to transition and
transitioned appropriately. Apparently, that didn't happen.



JKG

Jonathan Goodish wrote in
:

Transitions, especially unexpected ones, are undoubtedly tricky, but
if they're handled properly by a qualified and proficient pilot, they
aren't deadly. They are a necessary part of IFR flying, and they're
done safely every day by qualified and proficient pilots.

That is precisely the subject of the thread. If you plan to fly at night
over water, you had better be qualified and proficient at flying
instruments.

--
Regards,

Stan