"RCE" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"RCE" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"RCE" wrote in message
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I'll never forget my first helicopter assault training ride. I
looked
at the door gunner and said "There's something just not safe about a
helicopter". He grins and says "Yep"...

I never quite knew what he meant. :)

It really is a wacky invention.


For giggles go down to a local, small airport where they have a flight
school for helicopters and try flying one.

I will never fly in anything that has just one engine. That's just
plain stupid.


What's your boat got?

RCE


Did you miss the word "fly"?


Nope.

RCE

Uh oh. If my yacht's single motor dies, I don't fall out of the sky and die.
If I'm trying to deal with insanely nasty weather, maneuvering around big
waves, it **may** be a problem. But, if a plane's single engine dies, so do
the occupants, unless they're still on the ground.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message news:Iu9Wf.5335
Uh oh. If my yacht's single motor dies, I don't fall out of the sky and die.
If I'm trying to deal with insanely nasty weather, maneuvering around big
waves, it **may** be a problem. But, if a plane's single engine dies, so
do the occupants, unless they're still on the ground.

Your logic is flawed?

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
k.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
news:Iu9Wf.5335 Uh oh. If my yacht's single motor dies, I don't fall out
of the sky and die.
If I'm trying to deal with insanely nasty weather, maneuvering around big
waves, it **may** be a problem. But, if a plane's single engine dies, so
do the occupants, unless they're still on the ground.

Your logic is flawed?


How is it flawed? Be sure to go back a few messages so you're clear on what
RCE responded to.

RG wrote:
I thought I was the only one that ever saw that. The puddle-jumper
shuttle flights from San Juan to Ponce, Puerto Rico had the same deal. I
watched with eyes wide as the pilot started the engines, made the sign of
the cross while the co-pilot did the same plus kissed the statue hanging
from a knob on the cockpit panel. At least they could have pulled the
curtain.



Here's a puddle jumper story. On a flight from Miami to Marsh Harbour, I'm
sitting right behind the pilot (some damn 12 year old beat me to the right
seat). As we're approaching the airstrip in Marsh Harbour, the pilot drops
the landing gear. I just happen to notice that he's only got two of the
three lock lights lit. I says to myself, "well, this is an interesting
development". I'm thinking this pilot, who looks to be about 21 years old,
will be doing an instrument scan any moment and will notice the missing lit
bulb. Finally, we're on final approach less than a minute to touchdown, and
the pilot is clueless. I'm thinking, do I deliver him a clue, or just let
it go? Being the gutless wonder that I am, I choose to bring awareness to
the pilot. He's wearing headphones, so I can't just say "excuse me, but
we're all about to die", so I tap him on the right shoulder and point might
finger to the less than complete triad of lights. He utters an "Oh ****",
shoves the throttles to the firewall, and we get about as close to a touch
and go as you get without the touching part. After gaining altitude, he
pushes the test button and all three lights glow, eliminating the
possibility of a burnt out bulb. The next 15 minutes are spent circling the
airport while he studies the procedure manual. His corporate bosses back in
Miami instruct him to do a flyby of the Marsh Harbour tower (well it's sort
of a tower) to see if they can tell if all three gear are down. The tower
says they look down to them, but who knows. His only alternative at that
point is to make as gentle a landing as possible, and hope for the best. As
I recall, the gear in question was under the right wing. This kid make a
beautiful soft landing, first touching down the left gear, then the nose
gear, and finally, like his grandmother was on board, the softest touch
imaginable on the right gear. Turns out the gear was in fact down and
locked, so no big deal. After he parks and cuts the engines, I ask him what
happens next to him and the plane. He says he'll be spending the night on
the island, and a mechanic will be flown in tomorrow, probably to replace a
sensor. A great way to start a vacation in the Bahamas. Rum for everybody!



Imagine all the other passengers, happily looking at the scenery unaware
of what's going on. Guess that's the best way to be sometimes. Show up
in heaven before the devil knows you're dead.

"RCE" wrote in message
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"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
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Uh oh. If my yacht's single motor dies, I don't fall out of the sky and
die. If I'm trying to deal with insanely nasty weather, maneuvering
around big waves, it **may** be a problem. But, if a plane's single
engine dies, so do the occupants, unless they're still on the ground.


Nonsense. Part of flight instruction focuses on engine failures and
landings. Remember, we are talking single engine airplanes now, not a
F-18.

All small planes have an optimum speed that you default to in order to
maximize the glide ratio. As long as you have enough altitude, there's
plenty of time to find a place to land.

I'd rather loose the engine in a Cessna at 5000 feet than lose the engine
in a single engine boat in 6-8 footers.

RCE


Hopefully, you have no dreams of becoming the next Jimmy the Greek. You'd be
lousy at laying odds on much of anything. Seriously.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"RCE" wrote in message
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"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...


Uh oh. If my yacht's single motor dies, I don't fall out of the sky and
die. If I'm trying to deal with insanely nasty weather, maneuvering
around big waves, it **may** be a problem. But, if a plane's single
engine dies, so do the occupants, unless they're still on the ground.


Nonsense. Part of flight instruction focuses on engine failures and
landings. Remember, we are talking single engine airplanes now, not a
F-18.

All small planes have an optimum speed that you default to in order to
maximize the glide ratio. As long as you have enough altitude, there's
plenty of time to find a place to land.

I'd rather loose the engine in a Cessna at 5000 feet than lose the engine
in a single engine boat in 6-8 footers.

RCE


Hopefully, you have no dreams of becoming the next Jimmy the Greek. You'd
be lousy at laying odds on much of anything. Seriously.

Really? Ummm... I think my luck has been pretty good, quite frankly.

RCE

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
k.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
news:Iu9Wf.5335 Uh oh. If my yacht's single motor dies, I don't fall out
of the sky and die.
If I'm trying to deal with insanely nasty weather, maneuvering around
big waves, it **may** be a problem. But, if a plane's single engine
dies, so do the occupants, unless they're still on the ground.

Your logic is flawed?


How is it flawed? Be sure to go back a few messages so you're clear on
what RCE responded to.

I'm sorry. I thought your statement was meant to stand on it's own. What am
I missing?
You can't depend on a boat without power to be able to be steered to a soft
landing on a sandy beach. On the other hand a powerless plane can still be
controlled in many cases.
Jim

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
k.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
news:Iu9Wf.5335 Uh oh. If my yacht's single motor dies, I don't fall
out of the sky and die.
If I'm trying to deal with insanely nasty weather, maneuvering around
big waves, it **may** be a problem. But, if a plane's single engine
dies, so do the occupants, unless they're still on the ground.

Your logic is flawed?


How is it flawed? Be sure to go back a few messages so you're clear on
what RCE responded to.

I'm sorry. I thought your statement was meant to stand on it's own. What
am I missing?
You can't depend on a boat without power to be able to be steered to a
soft landing on a sandy beach. On the other hand a powerless plane can
still be controlled in many cases.
Jim



We're talking about probability here, Jim. I see crippled boats towed into
the bay here all the time. I do not see ambulances waiting for the
occupants. You are right - if you're in hideous seas and you lose power, you
may be in deep ****. And, it *is* possible to land a crippled plane safely,
but the word "possible" is far from the word "likely".

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
k.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
news:Iu9Wf.5335 Uh oh. If my yacht's single motor dies, I don't fall
out of the sky and die.
If I'm trying to deal with insanely nasty weather, maneuvering around
big waves, it **may** be a problem. But, if a plane's single engine
dies, so do the occupants, unless they're still on the ground.

Your logic is flawed?


How is it flawed? Be sure to go back a few messages so you're clear on
what RCE responded to.

I'm sorry. I thought your statement was meant to stand on it's own. What
am I missing?
You can't depend on a boat without power to be able to be steered to a
soft landing on a sandy beach. On the other hand a powerless plane can
still be controlled in many cases.
Jim



We're talking about probability here, Jim. I see crippled boats towed into
the bay here all the time. I do not see ambulances waiting for the
occupants. You are right - if you're in hideous seas and you lose power,
you may be in deep ****. And, it *is* possible to land a crippled plane
safely, but the word "possible" is far from the word "likely".

Now you are being more reasonable.
Jim

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
link.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
k.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
news:Iu9Wf.5335 Uh oh. If my yacht's single motor dies, I don't fall
out of the sky and die.
If I'm trying to deal with insanely nasty weather, maneuvering around
big waves, it **may** be a problem. But, if a plane's single engine
dies, so do the occupants, unless they're still on the ground.

Your logic is flawed?


How is it flawed? Be sure to go back a few messages so you're clear on
what RCE responded to.

I'm sorry. I thought your statement was meant to stand on it's own. What
am I missing?
You can't depend on a boat without power to be able to be steered to a
soft landing on a sandy beach. On the other hand a powerless plane can
still be controlled in many cases.
Jim



We're talking about probability here, Jim. I see crippled boats towed
into the bay here all the time. I do not see ambulances waiting for the
occupants. You are right - if you're in hideous seas and you lose power,
you may be in deep ****. And, it *is* possible to land a crippled plane
safely, but the word "possible" is far from the word "likely".

Now you are being more reasonable.
Jim


I was reasonable right from the get-go. You were claiming that surviving a
plane crash was a common occurrence. It is not.