Some of the best "Right Stuff" I have ever seen
08-03-2010, 03:35 PM
#227
RE: Some of the best
Some of you guys have written some "interesting" and revealing stuff.
Paul Bonhomme (top Red Bull Air Race pilot and BA 747 capt) wries in "Loop" ( a UK GA magzine) on the incidents in the recent Red Bull race in Windsor: Pilot Matt Hall touched the water in his machine, (rather like the Pampa incident !) touching both wingtips and leaving a wheel spat in the water. THAT pilot was given a one race ban. Another pilot, Hannes Arch hit a pylon and Paul comments that they were both trying TOO hard, and Hannes, too, should have been red carded. Paul comments that after these incidents the Air Race scene "grew up" that weekend .
Paul advocates ruthless imposition of the red card to miscreant pilots and says that the following races were well flown after regular briefings were given empahasising safe flying and not pushing too hard, helped by the presence of numerous FAA inspectors.
The conclusion was that the final race was flown in a disciplined and safe manner.
If this approach to safety and discipline is being taken by Red Bull pilots, some of the very best in the world, should we not be following their example , and not just taking the view that "S... happens" and carrying on as before ?
Regards,
David Gladwin.
Paul Bonhomme (top Red Bull Air Race pilot and BA 747 capt) wries in "Loop" ( a UK GA magzine) on the incidents in the recent Red Bull race in Windsor: Pilot Matt Hall touched the water in his machine, (rather like the Pampa incident !) touching both wingtips and leaving a wheel spat in the water. THAT pilot was given a one race ban. Another pilot, Hannes Arch hit a pylon and Paul comments that they were both trying TOO hard, and Hannes, too, should have been red carded. Paul comments that after these incidents the Air Race scene "grew up" that weekend .
Paul advocates ruthless imposition of the red card to miscreant pilots and says that the following races were well flown after regular briefings were given empahasising safe flying and not pushing too hard, helped by the presence of numerous FAA inspectors.
The conclusion was that the final race was flown in a disciplined and safe manner.
If this approach to safety and discipline is being taken by Red Bull pilots, some of the very best in the world, should we not be following their example , and not just taking the view that "S... happens" and carrying on as before ?
Regards,
David Gladwin.
08-03-2010, 04:11 PM
#228
My Feedback: (10)
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Las Vegas,
NV
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Some of the best
Sounds like BS to me...The whole point of racing is to push it, otherwise it would just be some jokers flying around. If I was a competitor I would bulk big time....
08-03-2010, 05:22 PM
#229
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Rogate, UNITED KINGDOM
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Some of the best
Hey! You made it! I was beginning to worry. You're 7 pages late!
ORIGINAL: David Gladwin
Now we seem to be getting back to having a serious debate about a serious issue, the question of rules has been /is being raised may I say something as seen through the eyes of a professional pilot ?
It would seem to me that THE most fundamental rule of any aviation (and I have flown and instructed on many types from sailplanes, still do, to heavy jets, professionally for almost 40 years ) a pilot must NEVER, EVER, put his aircraft into a situation where there is NO room for even the tiniest error, regardless of how skilled the pilot may be. Airmanship rule no 1 !
Deliberately flying THAT close to the ground, in what I am told, I was not there, was a strongish crosswind, seems to have been just a situation.
There is a very good saying : '' The superior pilot uses his superior judgement to avoid situations which might require the use of his superior skill.''
I also hear that there was another incident which COULD have been very serious last weekend I understand that a jet crashed at the LMA meeting last week, causing a fire which caused the closure of the M11 due to the smoke, ( a major UK motorway) resulting in 6 mile tailbacks.
We ALL have a collective responsibility to protect our hobby, we just don't need incidents such as these, if we are to continue, as we are almost without regulation.
Now, please discuss in a sensible, mature and objective manner.
Regards,
David Gladwin.
Now we seem to be getting back to having a serious debate about a serious issue, the question of rules has been /is being raised may I say something as seen through the eyes of a professional pilot ?
It would seem to me that THE most fundamental rule of any aviation (and I have flown and instructed on many types from sailplanes, still do, to heavy jets, professionally for almost 40 years ) a pilot must NEVER, EVER, put his aircraft into a situation where there is NO room for even the tiniest error, regardless of how skilled the pilot may be. Airmanship rule no 1 !
Deliberately flying THAT close to the ground, in what I am told, I was not there, was a strongish crosswind, seems to have been just a situation.
There is a very good saying : '' The superior pilot uses his superior judgement to avoid situations which might require the use of his superior skill.''
I also hear that there was another incident which COULD have been very serious last weekend I understand that a jet crashed at the LMA meeting last week, causing a fire which caused the closure of the M11 due to the smoke, ( a major UK motorway) resulting in 6 mile tailbacks.
We ALL have a collective responsibility to protect our hobby, we just don't need incidents such as these, if we are to continue, as we are almost without regulation.
Now, please discuss in a sensible, mature and objective manner.
Regards,
David Gladwin.
