If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
What crashed in front of us today?
My son was taking his inaugural flight today, thanks to a "Chuck Yeager - Young
Eagle" program at Gillespie Field (El Cajon, CA). He was standing on the wing of a sparkling red Grumman Yankee, getting his preflight brief from the owner while various civil and antique a/c came and went on the active, a hundred yards away. I saw a French thing sitting on the numbers, ready to go but taking its time. Looked like a Beaver that had been rear-ended by a Potez... Single engine, shoulder wing, tail of a ... well.. a Potez or Leo - some kind of twin tail that sure looked out of place on the little 4-6 seater. At long last, the thing started making the appropriate amount of racket and took off down the runway. Lex was looking at his pilot - I was looking across the cockpit at him, toward the runway. My eyes followed the a/c; thinking, that sure is a slow takeoff.. I don't think the tail ever came up. Answered a question of Lex's and glanced back - gear is collapsing and its ground looping to the right, as if he aborted the T/O and tried to turn off with too much speed. Fire truck rolled quickly to the scene, luckily no meat wagon was called. After a short wait, the field announced everything was good and Lex and his pilot took off, past the forlorn, wing-down kite. 15 minutes later, they landed (he loved it) and taxied past the French-marked a/c, coming back with a smile. My wife should stop beating me shortly ("YOU SENT HIM UP AFTER THE PLANE IN FRONT OF HIM_CRASHED_?"). I tried to make her understand that mathematically, the chancesOWW Owww OWWW ahem. Anyway - two questions: everyone ok? and what the heck was it? v/r Gordon ====(A+C==== USN SAR Aircrew "Got anything on your radar, SENSO?" "Nothing but my forehead, sir." |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
"Gordon" a écrit dans le message de ... [snip] ahem. Anyway - two questions: everyone ok? and what the heck was it? Hello, Did it look anything like that? : http://caea.free.fr/fr/coll/broussard.html ArVa |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Gordon wrote:
After a short wait, the field announced everything was good and Lex and his pilot took off, past the forlorn, wing-down kite. 15 minutes later, they landed (he loved it) and taxied past the French-marked a/c, coming back with a smile. My wife should stop beating me shortly ("YOU SENT HIM UP AFTER THE PLANE IN FRONT OF HIM_CRASHED_?"). I tried to make her understand that mathematically, the chancesOWW Owww OWWW If it had been my wife there would be only one thing to say to her: "BITCH, BITCH, BITCH !!!!" Of course, I would say it as I was rapidly departing the scene. Congrats on your son's first flight. -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN http://www.mortimerschnerd.com |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
"Gordon" wrote in message ... My son was taking his inaugural flight today, thanks to a "Chuck Yeager - Young Eagle" program at Gillespie Field (El Cajon, CA). He was standing on the wing of a sparkling red Grumman Yankee, getting his preflight brief from the owner while various civil and antique a/c came and went on the active, a hundred yards away. I saw a French thing sitting on the numbers, ready to go but taking its time. Looked like a Beaver that had been rear-ended by a Potez... Single engine, shoulder wing, tail of a ... well.. a Potez or Leo - some kind of twin tail that sure looked out of place on the little 4-6 seater. At long last, the thing started making the appropriate amount of racket and took off down the runway. Lex was looking at his pilot - I was looking across the cockpit at him, toward the runway. My eyes followed the a/c; thinking, that sure is a slow takeoff.. I don't think the tail ever came up. Answered a question of Lex's and glanced back - gear is collapsing and its ground looping to the right, as if he aborted the T/O and tried to turn off with too much speed. Fire truck rolled quickly to the scene, luckily no meat wagon was called. After a short wait, the field announced everything was good and Lex and his pilot took off, past the forlorn, wing-down kite. 15 minutes later, they landed (he loved it) and taxied past the French-marked a/c, coming back with a smile. My wife should stop beating me shortly ("YOU SENT HIM UP AFTER THE PLANE IN FRONT OF HIM_CRASHED_?"). I tried to make her understand that mathematically, the chancesOWW Owww OWWW ahem. Anyway - two questions: everyone ok? and what the heck was it? Small GA is less safe than operating a motorcycle, on the road. (US) What you were doing was never the safest thing. What would she say if you let him go as a passenger on a motorcycle? |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
(Gordon) wrote:
My son was taking his inaugural flight today, thanks to a "Chuck Yeager - Young Eagle" program at Gillespie Field (El Cajon, CA). He was standing on the wing of a sparkling red Grumman Yankee, getting his preflight brief from the owner while various civil and antique a/c came and went on the active, a hundred yards away. I saw a French thing sitting on the numbers, ready to go but taking its time. Looked like a Beaver that had been rear-ended by a Potez... Single engine, shoulder wing, tail of a ... well.. a Potez or Leo - some kind of twin tail that sure looked out of place on the little 4-6 seater. At long last, the thing started making the appropriate amount of racket and took off down the runway. Lex was looking at his pilot - I was looking across the cockpit at him, toward the runway. My eyes followed the a/c; thinking, that sure is a slow takeoff.. I don't think the tail ever came up. Answered a question of Lex's and glanced back - gear is collapsing and its ground looping to the right, as if he aborted the T/O and tried to turn off with too much speed. Fire truck rolled quickly to the scene, luckily no meat wagon was called. After a short wait, the field announced everything was good and Lex and his pilot took off, past the forlorn, wing-down kite. 15 minutes later, they landed (he loved it) and taxied past the French-marked a/c, coming back with a smile. My wife should stop beating me shortly ("YOU SENT HIM UP AFTER THE PLANE IN FRONT OF HIM_CRASHED_?"). I tried to make her understand that mathematically, the chancesOWW Owww OWWW ahem. Anyway - two questions: everyone ok? and what the heck was it? Let's see...your description of the "crashed" airplane: "Looked like a Beaver that had been rear-ended by a Potez... Single engine, shoulder wing, tail of a ... well.. a Potez or Leo - some kind of twin tail that sure looked out of place on the little 4-6 seater." Bellanca Cruiseair w/French markings? Who knows (afraid you haven't given us enuff info to go on). As an aside, the EAA's "Young Eagles" program is a noble endeavor and I'm glad your son enjoyed his FREE inaugeral flight. However, although Yeager is doing a bang up job, Yeager didn't start the Young Eagle's program and the first spokesman was actually Cliff Roberston. In any event, there was no such thang as a "free ride" back in my day (by gawd!) and if I didn't have the moolah to go fly I'd have to EARN it by mowing lawns or something. It astounds me how fantastically rich EAA has gotten over the years largely thanks to 100-percent voluntary, unpaid, aviation enthusiasts (or $uckers?) I suppose Poberenzy has to come up with some way to pay for all his expensive toys (P-51's etc.) and the thousands of gallons of fuel it takes to make 'em work. Don't get me wrong as I've given an untold amount of "pro bono" intro rides to young and "old" folks alike. As a CFI actually trained a few 16-year old kids to the private pilot level (compensated, of course). Young Eagle or no, I'm always willing to take some youngun up for a spin and safely bring him or her back down to momma or papa with big ol' ****-eatin' grin on their cherub little faces. But these days whenever I fly my sleek trike with its "techno-modern" look and *spectacular* performance into an airshow, kids of ALL ages look and start heading my way. Nothing against GA planes and old warbirds, but it's interesting how quickly a modern ultralight trike (in my case, a trike with a relatively powerful 4-cylinder, 4-stroke engine with a bona fide N-number on it!) grabs folks attention away from the usual GA fare. We've all seen 'em before..the usual assortment of vintage trainers such as BT-13's, T-6's, Stearman's, T-28's etc. [yawn] along with the boring, underpowered, hot and cramped Cessnas, Pipers, Beeches et. al. tired old spamcans [even bigger YAWN] Or....that French looking plane that you said could hardly get out of its own way [HO HUM] Now, if you really want to impress your son, ask Poberenzy or some EAA high roller to take your kid up in the EAA Official P-51 that supposedly belongs to all us loyal EAA dues-paying members [ya right] They'd probably look at you as if you're an idiot or something even for asking! ) -Mike (Trikes RULE) Marron EAA#563411Fixed-wing, weightshift Land/Sea Instructor Comm, Multi-engine, Instrument/Land A&P CFII |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Did it look anything like that? : http://caea.free.fr/fr/coll/broussard.html That's it! Hope it wasn't mangled too badly.. Thanks, Arva. As soon as the image loaded, my son said, "That's it!" v/r Gordon |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Small GA is less safe than operating a motorcycle, on the road. (US)
Seriously? I've seen a heck of a lot more downed motorcycles than GA a/c. What you were doing was never the safest thing. I'm supposed to raise him, not keep him in a bubble. For years he's stood by the runway, watching me step out of various aircraft with a giant-sized s-eating grin on my face, telling him, "Sorry, you aren't tall enough for this ride." Under the tutetage of a 7,000-hour TWA Captain in his personal aircraft, meticulously maintained since he purchased it in 1976, it seemed a more responsible than handing him to a leather-clad biker on a Ninja. What would she say if you let him go as a passenger on a motorcycle? My son and I have a deal - he never gets on a motorcycle while I am alive, and in return, I will never break his legs. The worst moment of my life has been telling parents that their son was killed on his bike (hit by dozens of cars at the I-5/I-8 interchange). I can't protect him from life, but I couldn't take re-living that particular moment from other side of the desk. Gordon |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Congrats on
your son's first flight. Thanks, Mort. He isn't the personality sort that will ever be comfortable doing a rotor-over from the safety of the doorway of a Seasprite, but at least he can share some great moments with his friends at school tomorrow. v/r Gordon |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
RIP Alexander Bagtas, PO3 USN. Not a name I'll ever forget, even though I
never met him. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
"Gordon" wrote in message ... Small GA is less safe than operating a motorcycle, on the road. (US) Seriously? I've seen a heck of a lot more downed motorcycles than GA a/c. I believe the small GA pilots association has the accident rate on their website. Perhaps coinicidentally, the number killed last year was lower in a trend began with FAA allowing EAA to exercise some exception to the Aircraft Certification Office, as long as their was some MIDO inspection. What you were doing was never the safest thing. I'm supposed to raise him, not keep him in a bubble. For years he's stood by the runway, watching me step out of various aircraft with a giant-sized s-eating grin on my face, telling him, "Sorry, you aren't tall enough for this ride." Under the tutetage of a 7,000-hour TWA Captain in his personal aircraft, meticulously maintained since he purchased it in 1976, it seemed a more responsible than handing him to a leather-clad biker on a Ninja. From a probability of death occuring the biker was the safer choice. What would she say if you let him go as a passenger on a motorcycle? My son and I have a deal - he never gets on a motorcycle while I am alive, and in return, I will never break his legs. The worst moment of my life has been telling parents that their son was killed on his bike (hit by dozens of cars at the I-5/I-8 interchange). I can't protect him from life, but I couldn't take re-living that particular moment from other side of the desk. I believe the realization that small GA is less safe than people expected is a contributing factor in the trend down from 3000 deaths per annum to 526 last year. There is also the lawsuit factor, for which small GA tends to bankrupt manuracturers; mostly based on a spouses' unrealistic expectations. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Two accidents at Lakeland SNF today. Anyone know anything more? One fatal, maybe both. | Tedstriker | Home Built | 1 | April 19th 04 01:06 AM |
FW: Report from the front | Yeff | Military Aviation | 1 | September 26th 03 04:06 PM |
Thunderbird crash today | John Doe | Military Aviation | 12 | September 16th 03 05:56 AM |
"Target for Today" & "Thunderbolt" WWII Double Feature at Zeno'sDrive-In | Zeno | Aerobatics | 0 | August 2nd 03 07:31 PM |
"Target for Today" & "Thunderbolt": An Awesome WWII DoubleFeature at Zeno's Drive-In | zeno | Military Aviation | 0 | July 14th 03 07:31 PM |