Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 16:46:24 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from starling.mail.pas.earthlink.net ([207.217.120.227] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.1) with ESMTP id 413675 for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 16 Sep 2004 12:48:39 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=207.217.120.227; envelope-from=skipslater@earthlink.net Received: from lsanca1-ar17-4-61-194-030.lsanca1.elnk.dsl.genuity.net ([4.61.194.30] helo=skipslater) by starling.mail.pas.earthlink.net with asmtp (Exim 4.34) id 1C7zQX-0000Zf-Po for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 16 Sep 2004 09:48:10 -0700 X-Original-Message-ID: <011101c49c0d$49ce9600$6401a8c0@earthlink.net> Reply-To: "Skip Slater" From: "Skip Slater" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" References: Subject: Re: [LML] Re: Flying a Handfull X-Original-Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 09:30:21 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00A5_01C49BCF.C94515A0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 X-ELNK-Trace: cbee950bdf563876c8ad50643b1069f8239a348a220c26090aae177f08482b251f5d72291c98b36b350badd9bab72f9c350badd9bab72f9c350badd9bab72f9c X-Originating-IP: 4.61.194.30 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00A5_01C49BCF.C94515A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I echo the comments that autopilots are a GOOD thing and reject the = comments that somehow imply it's more MANLY to fly without one.=20 I've been flying airplanes for 32 years now; civilian, military and now = airlines. Some may argue with this, but hand flying an airplane on a = long cross country flight is fatiguing. Hand flying IFR is VERY = fatguing. Most of the accidents we've seen are at the end of flights, = when the cumulative effects of fatigue, even small ones, can combine to = bite you in the form of small judgement errors. Add to that the = inattention to your job at hand when you're juggling charts or approach = plates while trying to hand fly the plane and it takes your eye off the = ball. Add to that a possible problem which diverts your attention while = your altitude and/or airspeed diverge from where you want them to be and = an autopilot becomes an essential tool. If all you ever do is fly day VFR on relatively short legs, the need for = an A/P may be questionable. But I'd guess that the majority of us who = build Lancairs build them to go places and go fast, sometimes at night = and sometimes in the goo. For my money, my autopilot is one of the most = important parts of my plane and I use it all the time. My .02 Skip Slater N540ES =20 ------=_NextPart_000_00A5_01C49BCF.C94515A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I echo the comments that autopilots are = a GOOD=20 thing and reject the comments that somehow imply it's more MANLY = to fly=20 without one.

I've been flying airplanes for 32 years = now;=20 civilian, military and now airlines. Some may argue with this, but hand flying an airplane on a long = cross=20 country flight is fatiguing. Hand flying IFR is VERY = fatguing. Most=20 of the accidents we've seen are at the end of flights, when the = cumulative=20 effects of fatigue, even small ones, can combine to bite you in the form = of=20 small judgement errors. Add to that the inattention to your job at = hand=20 when you're juggling charts or approach plates while trying to hand fly = the=20 plane and it takes your eye off the ball. Add to that a possible = problem=20 which diverts your attention while your altitude and/or airspeed diverge = from=20 where you want them to be and an autopilot becomes an essential=20 tool.

If all you ever do is fly day VFR on = relatively=20 short legs, the need for an A/P may be questionable. But I'd guess = that=20 the majority of us who build Lancairs build them to go places = and go fast,=20 sometimes at night and sometimes in the goo. For my money, my = autopilot is=20 one of the most important parts of my plane and I use it all the=20 time.

My .02

Skip Slater

N540ES

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