Posted for "John Barrett" <2thman@olympus.net>:

Ron,

I think your willingness to share your thoughts and experience at a time
like this is courageous.  I applaud and thank you.  Never having been in the
situation you were in I have to say I don't know how I would have dealt with
it.  Like you, I've thought of all the ways you've suggested that I could
save the situation, but unlike you, I've never needed to deal with that
problem in a split second as you did, so I can't say I'd do any different.

I had no airspeed indication in a Navy  F-8 once but, luckily it was a
section takeoff and my wingman could tell me when I had liftoff speed.

Thanks to you, I now know that if I EVER obstruct the pitot tube for ANY
reason, I will need to put a red flag on the thing to make sure it's obvious
when I'm ready to fly.

Thanks for sharing.

John Barrett