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I think Hamid's response
to Dave's comment on thunderstorms was extreme and not based upon
reality. There are a lot of flying experiences that we like to
think we should be able to avoid, but for numerous reasons,
mistakes, carelessness, bad luck, etc. don't manage to do. Stalls, spins,
no flap landings and flying in thunderstorms are just a few that come
to mind.
I don't believe Lancairs
are any more susceptible to breakup in a thunderstorm than other light aircraft
and I think it's important to know that, though with lightning things are
different. However, like every aspect of flying
Lancairs, one has to know what he or she is doing. It is
important to avoid T-storms, but as we learn almost daily on this list, things
often don't go as planned, and those who know what they are getting into and
what the plane is capable of, will more often get out of it. In my
opinion, there are people flying these planes that are in way over thier
heads.
I think as the Very Light
Jets come to the market, and the cost of entry depends on one's checkbook and
not thier ability, we'll see a rash of accidents, some which mimic ones we read
of here.
Peter Van Arsdale
Naples, FL
(239) 253-8246
Hamid
Thunderstorms vary greatly. Certainly the chance of surviving a severe
storm is nil. Do you recommend not doing anything positive if you
inadvertently fly into a storm? Listen to what I'm saying. If you get into one
of these things you must fly the airplane. You must be ready to keep the
airplane somewhat level to hell with the altitude. You can tear off the wings
by going way too fast and we know what these things do when they stall. So you
have to be ready for power changes. Not the right time to worry about shocking
the engine. I spent most of my airline career flying the Southeast and the
Midwest. We avoided thunderstorms like the plague. At the beginning of my
career, airborne weather radar was not very good. We'd get into some pretty
bad stuff every once in a while but survived. Sure, the storm that hits the
P-3 with grapefruit sized hail is the storm our little planes wouldn't
survive. Do what you want with the information and experience I've related but
please spare me the irresponsible, ignorance and asinine statements.
Dave
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