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2005-05-14 Home Front: WoT

DC Cessna pilot disoriented; student saved them from being shot down

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Posted by rkb 2005-05-14 06:22|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 God protects children, fools, preachers, and student pilots. This student was one lucky guy, having his head on straight when he needed it most.

The basic thing that everyone should learn when learning to fly are three words, in order of importance:

Aviate--fly the plane, keep it under control.
Navigate--know where you are going.
Communicate---talk on the radio.

Knowing the seriousness of violating airspace, when the two found that they were lost, they needed to:
1. Fly the plane in a triangular pattern or circle or something to show that they were under control and not heading intentionally to restricted space.
2. They needed to declare an emergency. Get on the universal emergency frequency of 121.5 on their radio and ask for help.

Wallowing along lost in such sensitive areas and not declaring an emergency almost cost these guys their lives. ***shutters***

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2005-05-14 11:24|| 2005-05-14 11:24|| Front Page Top

#2 Good presence of mind on the part of the student, to take over when his instructor lost it. The kid'll do fine.

Posted by Mike 2005-05-14 11:42|| 2005-05-14 11:42|| Front Page Top

#3 It almost sounds like the instructor had unknowingly been on some sort of drug that caused disorientation.

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-05-14 11:53|| http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com]">[http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-05-14 11:53|| Front Page Top

#4 Stroke?

Posted by Shipman 2005-05-14 14:43|| 2005-05-14 14:43|| Front Page Top

#5 loss of bowel control after the choppers and F16's with flares, I bet

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2005-05-14 15:58|| 2005-05-14 15:58|| Front Page Top

#6 Appropriate punishment. You sit left seat, logged as the PIC, its your ass.

You have to wonder what the hell this guy was doing - didn't navigate, didnt get the WX/METAR for his travel, didn't check NOTAMs, didnt file a proper flight plan, wasn't monitoring the radio, didnt switch immediately to guard freq when he saw the military aircraft that close... World of mistakes there.

One thing you CANNOT do ever when flying is to freeze at the controls like that. The guy deserves to have his ticket pulled. If it werent for his sudent pilot, he'd be in a smoking hole in the Maryland countryside.

Posted by OldSpook 2005-05-14 19:18|| 2005-05-14 19:18|| Front Page Top

#7 Right-o OldSpook. Sounds like absolutely NO flight preparation other than checking out oil and gas.

Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance (Principle of the Seven P's).

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2005-05-14 20:01|| 2005-05-14 20:01|| Front Page Top

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