Posted for "Taylor, David" <dtaylor@crescentpark.com>:

 Jeff,
 
 
 
 Saying pilots should be more responsible is like saying people should be
smarter.  It is a platitude and has no meaning.  And worse, it has no bearing
on reality and only obscures the real problems we have.  Do you honestly know
of any pilot who intentionally flies thru thunderstorms?
 
 
 
 Jeff, I hate to say this but I lay part of the responsibility at the feet of
the training community.  I think they are missing some critical elements in
their curriculum.  Extensive flight training at high angles of attack (low
airspeed) and stall training and stall awareness is one of them.   (Telling us
all not to ever get the airplane slow are more platitudes that have no
relation to the reality of flying.)
 
 
 
 Also as I said before, REGULAR training and practice is mandatory, not a nice
option.  And I mean something like every 4th or 5th flight should be a
training flight.  (What else are you going to do with your time – this is fun
right?)
 
 
 
 These machines aint no 172 and they require a commitment and PRACTICE – but
that’s why I love them!
 
 
 
 So if you want to talk about “responsibility”, that’s fine.  But do it in the
context of useful recommends for our behavior as pilots.
 
 
 
 David T.
 
 Legacy RG