Message-ID: <3A9F9AAD.D6F317ED@regandesigns.com>
Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2001 05:05:49 -0800
From: "Hamid A. Wasti" <hamid@regandesigns.com>
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Subject: Re: Re First Flight Questions
References: <5.0.2.1.2.20010301101815.043f21c0@olsusa.com>
Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Mime-Version: 1.0

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>
          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>
"dave morss (by way of Marvin Kaye )" wrote:

> You hit the nail on the head. The reason I won't instruct in an
> aircraft after I do a test flight and before the test period is over is
> if anything happens its me that gets the sanction.

"Thou shall not instruct during phase I", is a pretty clear cut commandment.
However, at the risk of sounding former-president-like, how do you define
"instruct?"

The FARs are pretty clear that the pilot flying must keep most of his attention
outside the airplane and not buried in the instruments.  In any flight, if the
pilot needs to do any in-flight debugging of a system, its is not only prudent,
but could even be considered required, that the pilot bring along a second
person so that one pilot can fly while the other person does the debugging.  At
the very least it would be helpful and from the practical stand point it would
be required that the second person be a pilot and one who is reasonably
familiar with the airplane in question.

The way many people are interpreting FAA regs, the FAA is telling us that we
should go with a buddy who is not a pilot or who happens to have 1000 hours in
his Cesna 172 and none in a Lancair but happens to have the qualification of
NOT being a CFI?  Is that the only way that one can bring along a required
second crew member without running afoul of the FAA's "no instructing"
requirements?

Now that we are past the initial debugging with the help of our C172 buddy and
all systems appear to be working properly, there is still a high likelihood of
something failing during the first few hours of the flight, hence the need for
the Phase I flight restrictions.  A properly rated and qualified, yet
inexperienced, pilot would be operating the plane pretty close to his abilities
and can get easily overwhelmed by a problem. Would it not be a good idea to
bring along an experienced pilot to bail out the inexperienced pilot in case
something does go wrong?  Even a pilot not qualified in the plane can be
helpful in looking for a place to land after an engine problem, handle the
radios and navigation while the pilot concentrates on flying,  keeping the
wings level while the pilot figures out how to bring the gear down....  Logic
tells me that the more experienced this safety pilot, the safer things would
be.  The reality of life is that these experienced pilots come with a CFI
rating.  Once again, is the FAA telling us to pass on the CFI and look for a
pilot who happens to have the qualification of NOT being a CFI?  Will that
really enhance the safety of the flight?

Hamid


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
LML website:   http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html
LML Builders' Bookstore:   http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair

Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>