|
When March came in, so did Zeus the Rain God.
Flying this month has been like riding a bucking
bronco or flying in liquid. That is what flying is all about,
right? Crosswinds gusting to 20 knots, low clouds, which lead to
the granite cloud, a sudden miss of that cell phone tower, all
to make a pilot fly with care. Fly into Liberal, Kansas or Gage,
Oklahoma if you want to test your proficiently in windy
conditions. Being aware of the hazards that are likely to pop up
in close proximity is what makes a good pilot, better.
It is interesting that the folks at FSDO and the flight
instructors work toward the same goal. SAFE FLYING. The
employee’s from FSDO’s everywhere spend countless hours on the
road or in the air going to groups of pilots with projector in
hand. Giving safety talks, putting on the PACE program (to learn
more about PACE, see the ad in this issue). |
|
|
I have no real fact on which to base this
statement, but a wild guess is that FSDO folks in your state
spend 95 percent of their time trying to educate and prevent
accidents and 5 percent in the punishment mode.
Experiencing the Wild West winds, the scud like conditions, will
obviously make any pilot, better. Getting out and flying, with
an instructor if you feel more comfortable, in these Spring
conditions will make you a safer pilot. Fly often to keep sharp.
Safety is every pilot’s goal. Be sure and read
FYI in this issue.
There was a ‘light’ mid-air collision that happened at 6,500
feet over southern Missouri, recently. It is one of those
accidents a pilot sits back and asks, “How could that happen?”
Well, it did happen! Thanks to a quick (but extremely late)
reaction by the instructor on board the Baron, there were no
injuries. FYI is placed
in our magazine, not to embarrass anyone, but to educate those
who might make the same mistakes. The wise pilot will always
learn from the mistakes of others, rather than to learn from
experiencing it first hand.
Spring not only brings wind and rain, but also along comes the
beginning of Fly-In’s and air shows. Get that plane out and head
out to one in your area. Our website,
www.fly-low.com, holds
several links that would keep you informed on matters, which
effect flying…. FSDO, AOPA, EAA, Aero-News Network (an excellent
source of current aviations events), a current events calendar,
and many other sources are available online. If you would like
your organization linked from our website, simply email your
request to
airmail@fly-low.com |
