Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Sigh! Another engine out Glide!


> >     Good judgement call. If in doubt, get on the ground, especially if
you
> > are sitting right over an airport! I only hope all of us can be so lucky
> > both in the severity of the problem and he location of the nearest
> airport.
>
> Being over an airport aint luck. It's good planning to put it below you,
and
> good awareness to know where it is when needed. Ed's "fortunate" episode
is
> good training for all of us wannabe test pilots.
>
> Gliding into a fly-in and a free lunch - that's what I call lucky!
>

I must confess, John,  that whenever I am doing a "test" flight after some
change - any change, I have a routine flight plan.  Get as much altitude as
quickly as I can and fly a route that takes me over several airports -- just
in case.  I generally plan any flight such that when I switch gas tanks its
over or near an airport -- just in case {:>).

Planning for contingency is important, in my opinion, and knowing what
action you are going to take ahead of time helps.  Of course, you do have to
modify any plan (in most cases) to deal with the situation at hand - but, at
least having a plan gives you a place to start.


Ed Anderson
RV-6A N494BW Rotary Powered
Matthews, NC
eanderson@carolina.rr.com