Flight to Las Vegas Pirep -- Part I

I would think that when you are flying IFR and you are worried that the IFR
rated pilot is about to be incapacitated and the co-pilot is VFR only, it's
time to call it a day. Breaking the landing gear is just confirmation that
this flight should have been cancelled earlier.

After Hutchinson, we were flying IFR in VFR conditions. We had a $20K,
altitude holding, S-tec autopilot, and, as a 1000+ hour pilot, I've been
very close to taking my instrument check-ride. I'm confident that, had the
pilot keeled over, I would have been able to land the Aztec. I was keeping a
close eye on conditions -- as should any co-pilot -- but that turned out to
be unnecessary -- Jim never skipped a beat.

There was no bad judgment here, and to imply otherwise is a misreading of
the situation. Had Jim felt like he was in any danger of becoming
incapacitated, we would not have departed Hutchinson. There were three
pilots on that airplane, and we all got back in that plane at Hutchinson
without a second thought. If any of us had felt threatened or endangered,
we would have spoken up.

Should we have spent the night in HUT? With 20/20 hindsight, sure -- but
for comfort reasons, not aviation safety reasons. Conditions were severe
clear VFR, and we knew we could stop at any of half a dozen airports along
the way -- but none of us knew that the turbulence would be unrelenting.
The fact that the wind came up higher than predicted was just bad luck, and
Jim's skill salvaged what might have been a far worse situation.

We would do that flight again today, under the identical conditions. Mary
and I have analyzed the flight from every angle, and at every step of the
way Jim's flight planning and decision-making process was sound. At no
point was there an obvious "no-go" condition that we missed, nor was there
any pressure to actually get anywhere in particular that day -- a fact I
think I made clear. "Get-there-itis" was NOT a factor at all.

It was just an exciting flight, which is something that occasionally happens
if you actually use GA aircraft for long cross-country flights.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

It was just an exciting flight, which is something that occasionally happens
if you actually use GA aircraft for long cross-country flights.

I'm not judging; I wasn't there and wouldn't presume.

However, some time ago you posted about some "idiot" who landed at your
airport in a snowstorm after what must have also been an exciting
flight. There was no end to the reaming he got here. He himself however
thought he did fine, and demonstrated superior skill.

Suppose that somebody =else= (who's stomach and ability were unproven to
you) were making this flight, and posting as he went. You read leg one,
leg two, leg three, and then you read about it in the newspapers. I
don't think he would get much of a defense here.

You are right, if you fly enough you =are= going to have exiting
flights. Maybe that's all this was. But the writeup suggests it could
have been much more.

Jose
--
Nothing takes longer than a shortcut.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

In article qIzUf.879212$xm3.440468@attbi_s21,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

We would do that flight again today, under the identical conditions. Mary
and I have analyzed the flight from every angle, and at every step of the
way Jim's flight planning and decision-making process was sound. At no
point was there an obvious "no-go" condition that we missed, nor was there
any pressure to actually get anywhere in particular that day -- a fact I
think I made clear. "Get-there-itis" was NOT a factor at all.

Not having looked at the winds aloft for your trip, I would be courious
to know what altitude was selected and why? Was an altitude change
condsidered to find smoother air?

So after your 1st go around, why didn't you divert to an airport with less
severe crosswinds?

Mike Schumann

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:qIzUf.879212$xm3.440468@attbi_s21...
I would think that when you are flying IFR and you are worried that the
IFR rated pilot is about to be incapacitated and the co-pilot is VFR
only, it's time to call it a day. Breaking the landing gear is just
confirmation that this flight should have been cancelled earlier.

After Hutchinson, we were flying IFR in VFR conditions. We had a $20K,
altitude holding, S-tec autopilot, and, as a 1000+ hour pilot, I've been
very close to taking my instrument check-ride. I'm confident that, had
the pilot keeled over, I would have been able to land the Aztec. I was
keeping a close eye on conditions -- as should any co-pilot -- but that
turned out to be unnecessary -- Jim never skipped a beat.

There was no bad judgment here, and to imply otherwise is a misreading of
the situation. Had Jim felt like he was in any danger of becoming
incapacitated, we would not have departed Hutchinson. There were three
pilots on that airplane, and we all got back in that plane at Hutchinson
without a second thought. If any of us had felt threatened or endangered,
we would have spoken up.

Should we have spent the night in HUT? With 20/20 hindsight, sure -- but
for comfort reasons, not aviation safety reasons. Conditions were severe
clear VFR, and we knew we could stop at any of half a dozen airports along
the way -- but none of us knew that the turbulence would be unrelenting.
The fact that the wind came up higher than predicted was just bad luck,
and Jim's skill salvaged what might have been a far worse situation.

We would do that flight again today, under the identical conditions. Mary
and I have analyzed the flight from every angle, and at every step of the
way Jim's flight planning and decision-making process was sound. At no
point was there an obvious "no-go" condition that we missed, nor was there
any pressure to actually get anywhere in particular that day -- a fact I
think I made clear. "Get-there-itis" was NOT a factor at all.

It was just an exciting flight, which is something that occasionally
happens if you actually use GA aircraft for long cross-country flights.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

My initial comment:

Don't take this personally but it has the sound of a narrative that
could have ended in multiple fatalities.

I suppose -- but you can say that about every flight.

Jim truly won the "Iron Man" award for this flight. Through it all he
never skipped a beat, never missed a radio call -- and got us down safely in
a friggin' "inland hurricane". His professionalism and skill in the face
of truly awful conditions got us through a bad situation safely, and Mary
and I would fly that trip -- with our kids -- with him again tomorrow.
--
Jay Honeck

Jay, I will add that it was not my intent to flame you. All I could
do with one reading is look at it from my perspective and note that I
would not have made that flight. Several reasons: Not instrument
rated (signed off for exam but have not taken it); I have no interest
in rough as heck IMC conditions or anything that approaches bad
convective activity; I hate severe turbulence; None of the above are
worth it for Las Vegas (been there once).

This morning I was to go to Carlsbad NM to go to the caves. Someone
asked why I was going on a beautiful day instead of when it was worse
weather. My reply: "Because I am a wuss."

Cancelled the trip due to a rough running engine but the flight should
have been the opposite of yours: Clear skies, no projected turbulence
and light forecasted winds at the destination. I still plan on
getting there and make a PIREP.posting on it but it will neither be as
"interesting" a flight nor as eloquent prose.

Ron Lee

Shoot, Jay. I sold my boat, and was re-re-re-visiting the idea of hopping
back into the C-150 trainer. Then I read your story. :-)

(Great story though. You guys obviously really, really, really must love
flying to want to endure this. I guess that's what people think about me
when we go out skiing in wind chills of -30F, though. Glad it turned out
well.)

Thats a nice looking FBO at Dalhart.

Too bad about the Grand Canyon...I've had better views of it from the
air flying commercial!

John

Cumulomammatus cloud.
Indicates potential hail activity resulting from vertical up/down-drafts.
Sometimes greenish-gray in appearance.

Cumulomammatus cloud.
Indicates potential hail activity resulting from vertical up/down-drafts.
Sometimes greenish-gray in appearance.

Are you referring to this pictu

http://makeashorterlink.com/?V36B648DC

??
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Cumulomammatus cloud.
Indicates potential hail activity resulting from vertical up/down-drafts.
Sometimes greenish-gray in appearance.

Are you referring to this pictu
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V36B648DC
??

That's the one!