Why The Hell... (random rant)

"Mxsmanic" wrote ..
Snowbird writes:

That's your opinion then. I can speak from my own experience, I've been
in
that situation a few times and the magnetic compass has been a great
help.

In a jet airliner? (That was the aircraft being discussed.)


I see no reference to jet airliners in the OP's post. On the contrary, since
he referred to his own flightplanning, that likely implies he flies a light
aircraft. An airliner pilot would presumably have the airline's planning
department do these chores for him.


I'll grant that it would be okay in a tiny aircraft with just you as
passenger. It would be as bad as nothing at all in the case of a large
airliner with hundreds of people aboard.


Your opinion again. That airliner captain would have training and experience
in using a magnetic compass, so it certainly would be better than nothing to
him.


Of course without training and practical experience in using the magnetic
compass, its value is limited. But using it happens to be included in the
pilot's license curriculum, and for a reason.

How often do pilots practice flying with just a compass once they've
obtained
their licenses?


There are such things as proficiency check flights, where the examiner may
choose to test the pilot's knowledge on that subject. Pilots obviously want
to pass the checkride. Anyway, it's not a particularly difficult skill.

Snowbird writes:

I see no reference to jet airliners in the OP's post.

It was in the posts preceding mine.

Your opinion again. That airliner captain would have training and experience
in using a magnetic compass, so it certainly would be better than nothing to
him.

It's better than nothing in the sense that hitting dirt is better than hitting
concrete.

There are such things as proficiency check flights, where the examiner may
choose to test the pilot's knowledge on that subject. Pilots obviously want
to pass the checkride. Anyway, it's not a particularly difficult skill.

Okay, how many private pilots are compelled to demonstrate flying with just a
compass alone for proficiency check flights? And how realistic is such a
demonstration; that is, how often are pilots actually in this type of
situation in real life?

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"Mxsmanic" wrote ..

Your opinion again. That airliner captain would have training and
experience
in using a magnetic compass, so it certainly would be better than nothing
to
him.

It's better than nothing

Good, we're making some progress.

in the sense that hitting dirt is better than hitting
concrete.


I don't find that comparison universally valid, so I have to disregard it.
For example, if you have to make a gear-up landing, you are advised to do it
on concrete rather than grass (or dirt). That's what the literature says
anyway.

Snowbird writes:

I don't find that comparison universally valid, so I have to disregard it.
For example, if you have to make a gear-up landing, you are advised to do it
on concrete rather than grass (or dirt). That's what the literature says
anyway.

But both are considered accidents, as opposed to a normal landing with gear,
which is not an accident. Thus, while a landing on one surface may do less
damage than a landing on another surface, that is not a huge consolation to
the pilot who has to land without gear.

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"Mxsmanic" wrote

Okay, how many private pilots are compelled to demonstrate flying with
just a
compass alone for proficiency check flights? And how realistic is such a
demonstration; that is, how often are pilots actually in this type of
situation in real life?

Just about any decent instrument BFR or IPC is going to involve a loss of
the DG or HSI in IMC.

BDS

BDS writes:

Just about any decent instrument BFR or IPC is going to involve a loss of
the DG or HSI in IMC.

But those are only a few of many instruments.

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"Mxsmanic" wrote...
BDS writes:

Just about any decent instrument BFR or IPC is going to involve a loss
of
the DG or HSI in IMC.

But those are only a few of many instruments.

I'm not sure that any of this applies to you since I don't think you ever
simulate failures or simulate flying without the autopilot doing all of the
work. But, just for fun you may want to try shooting a VOR or ILS approach
without your HSI/DG and without the compass (or GPS) and let us know how you
do. You may find it difficult to intercept the final approach course and
track it inbound with no heading reference.

BDS

BDS writes:

I'm not sure that any of this applies to you since I don't think you ever
simulate failures or simulate flying without the autopilot doing all of the
work.

I regularly fly by hand in small aircraft, but only occasionally in large
aircraft, as these practices are realistic.

A sim only produces failures if you request them, and I usually don't, unless
I want to practice something specific, such as engine failure. Practicing
failure scenarios is quite academic in a simulator, and doesn't serve much
purpose unless you intend to fly a real aircraft. It can be interesting for
other reasons, though.

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"Mxsmanic" wrote

Practicing
failure scenarios is quite academic in a simulator, and doesn't serve much
purpose unless you intend to fly a real aircraft. It can be interesting
for
other reasons, though.

Yes, it could show you how useful your compass can be for instance.

BDS

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
BDS writes:

I'm not sure that any of this applies to you since I don't think you ever
simulate failures or simulate flying without the autopilot doing all of
the
work.

I regularly fly by hand in small aircraft, but only occasionally in large
aircraft, as these practices are realistic.

No your don't, you don't fly anything but a desk


A sim only produces failures if you request them, and I usually don't,
unless
I want to practice something specific, such as engine failure. Practicing
failure scenarios is quite academic in a simulator, and doesn't serve much
purpose unless you intend to fly a real aircraft. It can be interesting
for
other reasons, though.


You how did you come to suffer the delusion that you could operate a real
aircraft in IMC.