On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 13:19:25 -0400, "Peter Dohm"
wrote:
"Bela P. Havasreti" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 18:20:02 -0400, "Peter Dohm"
wrote:
"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
nk.net...
"Bob Moore" wrote in message
. 121...
Mark Hickey wrote
I suspect you're picturing the pilot staring continually at the
video
screen while taxiing... that's not at all what I'd imagine.
Doesn't sound as if Dudley has spent much time driving an automobile
with an in-dash GPS. :-)
Bob Moore
Nope, not much I'm afraid; but on the other hand, a bit more than a few
hours in tailwheel fighter planes if that counts for anything :-)
DH
Being something of a tech guy, I'm a long time fan of cocpit video
displays
for some purposes. I've even come around to the idea that they may be
good
for some of the promary instruments--for instance there's a lot of really
informative stuff to overlay with an HSI...
However, Dudley has me convinced on this one. Swinging the nose from
side
to side and watching outside is most probably the only way, unless all
traces of authenticity are abandonned and the panel is completely
modernized.
At the risk of seeming callous, this appears to be a really uncommon type
of
accident and we really could take the position that "stuff happens." It
is
a really scary way to meet one's demise; but everyone will be alert to
the
hazard for several years, and, even if we do nothing at all, there will
not
be a wave of similar accidents.
OTOH, It could be usefull to know who's on your six, andCessna 150s had
rear
view mirrors as do most modern fighters. Pictures I've seen of WWII
fighters suggest that a lot of P51Ds and P38s may have had them in
service
as well. The 150s had the mirror at glareshield level, while the
fighters
all had/have their mirrors mounted as high as practical.
Peter
Sweltering in four layers of Nomex :-)
FWIW, I've seen another TBM (at Arlington / KAWO) *almost* do the same
thing (taxi into the airplane in front of him). By the time the pilot
realized why everyone was waving their arms / yelling & screaming it
was nearly too late (he locked the brakes and skidded a short distance
on the taxiway and the tail swung to one side).
If anything, this Oshkosh incident has taught me not to get in a big
line of aircraft with a large (warbird, whatever) taildragger behind
me. I'd opt for waiting like the Lancair pilot did (mentioned in the
NTSB prelim).
Bela P. Havasreti
The truth is that I've been thinking exactly the same thing--especially
since reading the prelim--and have been advocating the same to my fellow
chapter members.
I am fairly certain that one of the greatest fears of the big warbird pilots
is the possiblity of taxiing into something, and I really doubt that any are
regecting any solution that they really think will help. Nevertheless,
accidents occasionally happen. I have a video of a Fury taxiing straight
into a parked car (fortunately unoccupied) and, if I could recall where I
got it I would post the link.
The mirror idea, whether fixed or removable, is just to provide a possible
"ace in the hole" to possibly notice a changing situation on your six.
Peter
Here's a video clip of an North American NA-50 / P-64 replica (based
on a T-6 airframe) taxiing into a parked car. Someone posted on
usenet awhile ago the particulars of what happened, and as I recall,
someone in charge at the military base (where the air show was taking
place) made the warbirds taxi down a skinny taxiway that didn't have
enough room for S-turns. The military guy in charge reportedly parked
his staff car in the way of the airplanes and the result is viewable
he
http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photoga...s_into_car.mpg
As I recall, the military (Navy?) paid for the engine tear-down /
inspection + repairs to the P-64 replica.
Bela P. Havasreti