From: "Marvin Kaye" <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [LML] Re: Legacy accident
To: lml
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2003 17:07:53 -0400
Message-ID: <web-2587076@logan.com>
In-Reply-To: <628A7A50-EB2B-11D7-AB05-00039367208C@cableone.net>
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Posted for Don Morris <dmorris@cableone.net>:

Ron,

Sorry for your loss.

Amen, to the below email.

Once in the Air Force years ago I lost airspeed and altimeter while taking off 
in an F-4 at night in very heavy rain.  Water had gotten into the pitot static 
system.  You have to know your airplane so when systems fail you have a feel 
for airspeed etc.  I fortunately knew what power setting it took to hold a 
certain speed.  I also had AOA to help.  When another airplane joined on me I 
was two knots slow of 300kts, 
which was join up speed.

According, to an FAA study more pilots get hurt by aborting a perfectly 
flyable airplane while trying to stop.  It is human nature to want to stop 
when a problem occurs.  It takes discipline and "what am I going to do 
if......... thinking" to be prepared when things don't go as planned. Airline 
pilots do a takeoff briefing before every takeoff to cover "what-ifs" so the 
procedures are fresh in their minds.  I have never seen an airplane that 
wouldn't fly with the air flowing over the wing and zero on the airspeed 
indicator.  The airplane doesn't care what the airspeed reads on the 
indicator---it does, however, care greatly about the speed of the air flowing 
over the wing.

One more comment then I will get of my soap box.  When I wash my 360, I put 
tape over the static ports ( A GREAT BIG PIECE WITH ABOUT A YARD OF TAPE 
HANGING DOWN so I won't forget to see it.

You must feel sick about losing a great airplane.  The fact you survived says 
a lot about your flying ability and the strength of the airplane.  Thank you 
for having the courage to let us all know what you did.  Learning from an 
error is very important, thanks.

Respectfully,

Don Morris
N24KB

> What a heartbreak!  You have my deepest sympathies
> Do you ever practice flying without an airspeed gauge?