If yiu didn't fight in WW II.....

The bottom line is that not only would I put the IFR skills and
knowledge of a check flying freight dog up against any "big iron"
pilot, but I'd also put the motor skills, sheer "seat-of-the-pants"
flying skills and lightning quick reflexes of a good trike pilot up
against any "fast jet" pilot.

But I would also think that a trike pilot and a fast mover pilot are going to
have two different skill sets to bring to the table. I can see both types of
flying as requiring fast skills and frequent flying in order to maintain
proficiency so one doesnt mort oneself.

You can have lightning fast reflexes in a type of plane, and really screw it up
in another, much like the Navy fighter pilot who was doing a go around in a
single engine cessna just above the runway, and did exactly like he was
supposed to in the fighter.

Left hand forward, right hand back.

Its just that unfortunately unlike in the fighter, his left hand was on the
yoke and right hand was on the throttle.


Ron
Tanker 65, C-54E (DC-4)

(Ron) wrote:
Mike Marron wrote:

The bottom line is that not only would I put the IFR skills and
knowledge of a check flying freight dog up against any "big iron"
pilot, but I'd also put the motor skills, sheer "seat-of-the-pants"
flying skills and lightning quick reflexes of a good trike pilot up
against any "fast jet" pilot.

But I would also think that a trike pilot and a fast mover pilot are going to
have two different skill sets to bring to the table. I can see both types of
flying as requiring fast skills and frequent flying in order to maintain
proficiency so one doesnt mort oneself.

True. The main difference is that the fast mover pilot needs to
multi-task between the flying and switchology parts whereas the
trike pilot simply needs to concentrate of the flying part.

But because trikes are so light, they're infinitely more susceptible
to turbulence and wind and if you happen to get caught out while on a
cross country, just getting back down on the ground in one piece often
leaves you both physically and mentally exhausted.

Of course, in calm air your 90--year old grandmother can fly a trike,
but that's what makes them so dangerous (i.e: the "Jekyll and Hyde"
aspect).

The winds were kicking up pretty good the day "Witch" died (the
former F-15 pilot), but he also made the fatal error of attempting
a dead-stick landing in inclement weather with his engine
*intentionally* shut down!

When a honking gust of wind grabbed the wing he became a mere
passenger, helplessly going along for the ride. Had he not shut
down the engine, he probably could havepowered out of the situation
as that's one of the reasons trikes areequipped with a foot throttle
(like an accelerator on a car) so that you can instantaneously make
power adjustments while simultaneously using both arms to wrestle
the beast down.

You can have lightning fast reflexes in a type of plane, and really screw it up
in another, much like the Navy fighter pilot who was doing a go around in a
single engine cessna just above the runway, and did exactly like he was
supposed to in the fighter.

Left hand forward, right hand back.

Its just that unfortunately unlike in the fighter, his left hand was on the
yoke and right hand was on the throttle.

Yep. I remember that incident (IIRC, it was discussed on this NG
some time ago).