Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 12:19:22 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from remt21.cluster1.charter.net ([209.225.8.31] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.1.3) with ESMTP id 2587867 for lml@lancaironline.net; Sun, 21 Sep 2003 11:23:08 -0400 Received: from [68.186.243.158] (HELO erics1200mhz) by remt21.cluster1.charter.net (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.0.6) with SMTP id 166215098 for lml@lancaironline.net; Sun, 21 Sep 2003 11:22:17 -0400 X-Original-Message-ID: <006201c38054$da7dedc0$0300a8c0@erics1200mhz> From: "Eric M. Jones" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" References: Subject: Re: Mud Daubber Wasps and Pitot Tubes X-Original-Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 11:27:22 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_005F_01C38033.53525D20" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1158 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_005F_01C38033.53525D20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable My co-pilot and I argued about leaving the C172 on the ground or flying = out before the BLACK sandstorm enveloped us and everything in Furnace = Creek, Death Valley, CA. Finally the park ranger said the two-day = forecast was very very bad and I shouted "We're outa here!". Pack up the = plane, do the once-around, load three passengers, seatbelts, clear, = crank and go. While accelerating northward I could see the edge of the = sandstorm gobble the end of the runway ahead of us and come roaring down = the runway towards us. I checked my airspeed.....zero. Let the airplane fly itself off....up...up...BOOM into the blackness = (really amazing!) lights on, eyes on the panel, scan, scan, scan, 30 = degree left turn to get out of the sandstorm quickly. After about 10 = seconds we were in clear air and headed south. Passengers white (Oh...We = do this ALL the time!"), mud-wasp-in-pitot-tube very angry. Landing was more of a problem that I expected. I knew I could depend on = the Cessna stall horn but my co-pilot keep having hallucinations about = airspeed. I landed a but fast and floated 1/4 way down the runway. = Anyway we got down fine. Yes, I know, not the best piloting and maybe = get-home-itis at work, but you had to be there.... ----I have always though the single pitot tube was an accident waiting = to happen. Something to consider in my own airplane project. There are = many other ways to get this velocity information that are more rugged = and less likely to fail. Best regards, Eric ------=_NextPart_000_005F_01C38033.53525D20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
My co-pilot and I argued about leaving = the C172 on=20 the ground or flying out before the BLACK sandstorm enveloped us = and=20 everything in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, CA. Finally the park ranger = said the=20 two-day forecast was very very bad and I shouted "We're outa here!". = Pack up the=20 plane, do the once-around, load three passengers, seatbelts, clear, = crank and=20 go. While accelerating northward I could see the edge of the sandstorm = gobble=20 the end of the runway ahead of us and come roaring down the runway = towards us. I=20 checked my airspeed.....zero.
 
Let the airplane fly itself = off....up...up...BOOM=20 into the blackness (really amazing!) lights on, eyes on the panel, = scan,=20 scan, scan,  30 degree left turn to get out of the sandstorm = quickly. After=20 about 10 seconds we were in clear air and headed south. Passengers white = (Oh...We do this ALL the time!"), mud-wasp-in-pitot-tube very=20 angry.
 
Landing was more of a problem that I = expected. I=20 knew I could depend on the Cessna stall horn but my co-pilot keep having = hallucinations about airspeed. I landed a but fast and floated 1/4 way = down the=20 runway. Anyway we got down fine.  Yes, I know, not the best = piloting=20 and maybe get-home-itis at work, but you had to be = there....
 
----I have always though the single = pitot tube was=20 an accident waiting to happen. Something to consider in my = own airplane=20 project. There are many other ways to get this velocity information that = are=20 more rugged and less likely to fail.
 
Best regards,
Eric 
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