Unicom

Your article Pin Placement [Accident Probe, November] questions the pilot/owners non-compliance with a Beech service bulletin.

One of my former jobs was as an engineer at a major airline. One of my tasks was to review the steady stream of service bulletins that came in from the aircraft manufacturer and evaluate whether to comply fully, partially, or not at all with a particular bulletin.

Most of these bulletins had the word Mandatory across the top in red letters. My office was run by a stickler for safety who would stand up to any airline management for something that had a true safety impact.

We complied with relatively few of the mandatory service bulletins that came in. Th…

Contrary to Bill Kights view expressed in Facing Formations [Airmanship, October], the leaders of the Mooney Caravan believe that our loose in-trail arrangement combines inclusiveness and safety by providing spacing in the most crucial phase of flight – landing. This years experience, with multiple changes in runway assignments and strong crosswind conditions was a case in point.

Flying into Oshkosh with a group of like-minded pilots is a high point in the year for those of us participating in the Mooney Caravan. We have worked hard over the last few years to develop procedures that allow pilots of varying degrees of training to safely participate in this unique experience.

In my…

As an AME, I read with interest Les Ruthvens article Pass on Pills [Medical Matters, September] relating to depression and stress. While I certainly agree with much of his article, I wish to remind readers that clinical trails have also demonstrated the benefit of pharmacologic therapy and that this treatment can be life saving in the case of major depression.

In addition, the medical and psychological models of depression are not mutually exclusive and often these approaches can be complimentary. On a number of occasions I have had a clinical psychologist refer a patient back to me for institution of medical treatment to supplement the psychological therapy.

I do wish to take issu…

All right, you finally scared me. After years of reading your excellent articles as a low time pilot and thinking Ill never do that, you sent me one on spatial disorientation that I probably would have done: launch into a dark, moonless, featureless night without anything even remotely resembling an instrument rating [What If?, February].

Perhaps Ive been lulled into a false sense of confidence by instructors who tell me my instrument skills are pretty good for a non-rated pilot. Perhaps its because there are almost always lights around to provide a ground reference in Northeastern New Jersey. Maybe because most of my 12 hours per year are flown at night and that I periodically spen…

Couldnt resist commenting on Milovan Brenloves Gasping for Gas [Airmanship, February]. His example of the private pilot who believed he had 26.5 gallons per tank in his 150 only to discover in reality the airplane carried 22.5 gallons per tank wouldnt have been saved the embarrassment of running out of gas even had he plugged in the 45 gallon stats.

According to an old manual I have for a 74 150, usable fuel for the little trainer totals 22.5 gallons. Thats both tanks, not in each. The optional long range tanks in the 150s prior to 65 provided only 35 gallons; 38 gallons through 77; the 152 long range upped the ante to a total of 39 gallons usable.

To quote the article, Misin…

I really like Aviation Safety, but after I read Climb and Maintain What? [Risk Management, December] I wondered how it got there. Then I thought it might have really been a plant to get readers to write on this topic.

I agree that the hemispherical rule has its problems, exactly as outlined. To address these, I was taught during my primary instruction to fudge a bit on the altitude. Therefore I might cruise at 4400, or 5650, within 250 ft of the xx,500 ft levels during VFR. In fact, my instructor never wanted us at an even height of x,500 or x,000, even when too low for the hemispherical rule, and I stay away from those altitudes still. In 500 hours, I have had 3 near-misses, sepa…

Debate with the Devil [Learning Experiences, March] offered a very interesting insiders look at a fuel exhaustion accident that didnt happen. A full-blown accident investigation wouldnt have provided the details, considerations and actions that the pilot offered in his contrite and articulate description of his flight, from planning to touchdown. His debate with the devil was a good dose of get-home-itis.

The thing that stands out to me is the need for continuing training to reduce or eliminate fuel-related accidents. The perfect format is the mandatory flight review or the Wings Program. All that needs to be done is make a mandatory training syllabus. The writers lessons learne…

Thanks for the usual informative issue of Aviation Safety.

No-Fly Zones [April, Weather Tactics] was of special interest, as I fly in and about the Sierra Nevada Mountains most of the time, with home base at Reno Stead Airport.

There is one small addition that I would like to make to Ms. Lambs article. We should spend some time talking to our friends without engines, as they must pay attention to the air movements over the mountains.

At least some reading of the good books on that subject would be of benefit.

The accident over Independence Pass Lamb mentioned could have been avoided by using ridge lift to help.

A couple of years ago I stopped at Aspen for fuel in my old…

This letter is in response to Milovan Brenloves thought-provoking article on general aviation safety [Reality Check, June]. There is a fine line between disseminating information on the mistakes of others with the goal of improving aviation safety and keeping a pilot alive by scaring him or her out of the sky. I believe that with this article, that line may have been crossed.

Where the article failed was not in pointing out that general aviation is riskier than automobile travel – it clearly is – but rather for neglecting to point out more reasons why it is, and what can be done about it. In Avram Goldsteins book entitled Flying Out of Danger, he performs a similar comparison of aviat…

I enjoyed Paul Berges article on preflights [Systems Check, May]. Its good to see someone else concerned about taxiing out over the chocks, etc. Also, having recently bought a PA-12 after not flying a lot of stick controlled airplanes in recent years, the reminder about items obstructing the rear stick was timely for me.

I also often used the CIGARS check list, especially during flight reviews with pilots in their planes, but, I didnt realize the variations in meaning of the letters. I have used, Controls, Instruments, Gas, Attitude, Runup, and Safety. A pilot can elaborate to include fuel pump as well as quantity and tank selection under Gas, flap along with trim under Attitude, belts…