Flight to Las Vegas Pirep -- Part I

On 23 Mar 2006 21:01:28 -0800, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Soon, New Mexico -- yesterdays intended destination -- was sliding beneath
us. Santa Fe looked lovely as we droned ever Westward,

Going east to west, New Mexico generally comes before Arizona ;-)

Crap, Ken, I proof-read that thing five times, and never caught that
error!

And I'm the one that's always bitchin' about the lack of geography in
the schools today, too...

It was easier when the rest of the world was all pink.

Don

"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