Why do you 180?

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 09:50:10 -0500, "BillC85"
wrote:

Good day,

I got caught in some weather the other day and had to 180 outa there.

Punched up goto nearest on the Lowrance, put the Love Boat down, called
wifey for a ride home (three hours by car), and the airplane still sits at
the unscheduled stop waiting to finish the flight, probably tomorrow.

My question is this;

Why do you 180 instead of pressing on? What are your motivations? What goes
through your head?

There are several ways of looking at this:


Here are mine for this particular event in order of priority more or less;

1. I didn't want to embarrass myself by having to put down on a road or
field and causing a big scene.

Some people like attention and sooner or later every one embarrass
them selves any way so you might as well get it over and done.

2. I didn't want to bend the airplane by having to put down on a road or
field.

You need a road or field to do that?

3. I didn't want to die in a CFIT (closely related to the first part of
number 1 above).

You'd rather it was uncontrolled?

4. I didn't want my wife to be without a husband.

Not to worry. Your friends will try to make sure she is comforted till
she finds a new one.

5. I didn't want my dogs to be without a Dad.

Dogs often learn to accept new masters, unless the new master isn't
accepted as the alpha male, then it's a ... well... never mind.

6. I didn't want to inconvenience my wife.

And you still made her drive for three hours to pick you up. I'll
bet you're even going to have her drive you back to get the plane too.


I know there are steely eyed pilots

You mean we have pilots flying with cataracts?

out there who will flame me for having
to come up with so many arguments for the 180 but these are the things that

There is really only one. It makes good sense.

went through my head. You'll notice dying was actually number three.
That's kind of interesting in that it reveals something about my ego. If it
had come right down to the moment however, things probably would have
switched around a bit.

Rarely do you have time to devote to such trivial matters when the
pucker factor goes up. Those who do are the ones who panic and turn
it into a self fulfilling prophecy.


Thoughts?

You done good.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

BillC

To All,

A friend flew me over to pick up the previously abandoned 150 this
afternoon. It was blue skies and a twenty five mph tailwind on the way
home. The Love Boat is back in her hangar and all is well with the world
again.

Blue Skies
BillC



"BillC85" wrote in message
...
Good day,

I got caught in some weather the other day and had to 180 outa there.

Punched up goto nearest on the Lowrance, put the Love Boat down, called
wifey for a ride home (three hours by car), and the airplane still sits at
the unscheduled stop waiting to finish the flight, probably tomorrow.

My question is this;

Why do you 180 instead of pressing on? What are your motivations? What
goes
through your head?

Here are mine for this particular event in order of priority more or less;

1. I didn't want to embarrass myself by having to put down on a road or
field and causing a big scene.
2. I didn't want to bend the airplane by having to put down on a road or
field.
3. I didn't want to die in a CFIT (closely related to the first part of
number 1 above).
4. I didn't want my wife to be without a husband.
5. I didn't want my dogs to be without a Dad.
6. I didn't want to inconvenience my wife.

I know there are steely eyed pilots out there who will flame me for having
to come up with so many arguments for the 180 but these are the things
that
went through my head. You'll notice dying was actually number three.
That's kind of interesting in that it reveals something about my ego. If
it
had come right down to the moment however, things probably would have
switched around a bit.

Thoughts?

BillC

"BillC85" writes:

Why do you 180 instead of pressing on? What are your motivations? What goes
through your head?

I'll answer a different question:

What preparation can I do to make the "180" decision easier?

I think it starts days or weeks ahead of a long trip (into different
weather systems than what you launched with). It starts by allowing
for extra time to get home, so you're not under time pressure to
get-back-home because otherwise I'll miss something important at work
or whatever. You allow extra money to stay at a motel and rent a car
if needed. You allow for yet more time and money to go home without
the plane and retrieve it later.

That doesn't mean that for every overnight trip you take 3 weeks
vacation. It does mean your family and boss and coworker understand
they may get a call saying you're going to be X days late getting
back.

It does not start days or weeks ahead of a long trip...

It starts with day one of your pilot training...

"The wind today is about 10° off the runway heading with a slight quartering
(explain) headwind (explain) and that is well within the limits of the aircraft.
The ceiling is 3500 and has been that way for all day long, and that is well
within our limits. Let's go flying."

"The wind today is about 45° crosswind to the runway and 40 knots, so let's go
sit down and see what that means with respect to 'maximum crosswind component'".

"The ceiling today is a raggedy 1500' and the visbility is stinko. Let's talk
about it."

You have limits at 40 hours.

You have different limits at 400 hours.

You have different limits at 4000 hours.

That's why most accidents happen at 30 hours, 300 hours, and 3000 hours.


Jim



Bob Fry
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-"BillC85" writes:
-
- Why do you 180 instead of pressing on? What are your motivations? What goes
- through your head?
-
-I'll answer a different question:
-
-What preparation can I do to make the "180" decision easier?
-
-I think it starts days or weeks ahead of a long trip

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com