Comments on: A lesson to learn from USAir 1549 http://www.aroundthepattern.com/aviation-news/a-lesson-from-usair-1549/ Ramblings about flying for fun and profit. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:39:33 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tracy http://www.aroundthepattern.com/aviation-news/a-lesson-from-usair-1549/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Tracy Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:25:50 +0000 http://www.aroundthepattern.com/?p=708#comment-71 John, True, you can't look out the window and see where you are when in IMC conditions, but that doesn't mean you can't be aware of what is around you. Lack of situational awareness has killed many an IFR pilot, even those flying the new glass cockpits. I just read a report about a couple of guys departing an airport in the western US at night in a G-1000 equipped Cessna with the terrain awareness feature. They hit a mountain because they didn't keep track of where they were. Birds and airplanes certainly don't mix well. Sounds like that one was a direct hit. So far my encounters have all be glancing blows that only resulted in minor damage to the planes. The base where I went through military pilot training was near a migratory area for Sand Hill Cranes. They would pass through the area twice a year and at up to 11 lbs and with a 7' wingspan they would cause major problems for the traffic patterns. Tracy John,
True, you can’t look out the window and see where you are when in IMC conditions, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be aware of what is around you. Lack of situational awareness has killed many an IFR pilot, even those flying the new glass cockpits. I just read a report about a couple of guys departing an airport in the western US at night in a G-1000 equipped Cessna with the terrain awareness feature. They hit a mountain because they didn’t keep track of where they were.
Birds and airplanes certainly don’t mix well. Sounds like that one was a direct hit. So far my encounters have all be glancing blows that only resulted in minor damage to the planes. The base where I went through military pilot training was near a migratory area for Sand Hill Cranes. They would pass through the area twice a year and at up to 11 lbs and with a 7′ wingspan they would cause major problems for the traffic patterns.

Tracy

]]> By: JetAviator7 (John) http://www.aroundthepattern.com/aviation-news/a-lesson-from-usair-1549/comment-page-1/#comment-70 JetAviator7 (John) Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:07:18 +0000 http://www.aroundthepattern.com/?p=708#comment-70 I was in the aviation insurance business for over 30 years and am also an active pilot. I remember when I learned to fly in Texas the instructor kept a rolled up newspaper just behind my head and if I stopped looking he would give me a wack and say "Keep your eyes out of the cockpit and make sure you know where you are at all times". Doesn't work well when I fly IFR, but sill a good idea. I insured a Citation that struck a goose on takeoff and it put a dimple in the leading edge of the aircraft the size of a basketball - and being a wet wing it leaked fuel too! Fortunately they had enough room to get back on the runway and no one got hurt. I was in the aviation insurance business for over 30 years and am also an active pilot. I remember when I learned to fly in Texas the instructor kept a rolled up newspaper just behind my head and if I stopped looking he would give me a wack and say “Keep your eyes out of the cockpit and make sure you know where you are at all times”. Doesn’t work well when I fly IFR, but sill a good idea.

I insured a Citation that struck a goose on takeoff and it put a dimple in the leading edge of the aircraft the size of a basketball – and being a wet wing it leaked fuel too! Fortunately they had enough room to get back on the runway and no one got hurt.

]]> By: JetAviator7 (John) http://www.aroundthepattern.com/aviation-news/a-lesson-from-usair-1549/comment-page-1/#comment-354 JetAviator7 (John) Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:07:18 +0000 http://www.aroundthepattern.com/?p=708#comment-354 I was in the aviation insurance business for over 30 years and am also an active pilot. I remember when I learned to fly in Texas the instructor kept a rolled up newspaper just behind my head and if I stopped looking he would give me a wack and say "Keep your eyes out of the cockpit and make sure you know where you are at all times". Doesn't work well when I fly IFR, but sill a good idea. I insured a Citation that struck a goose on takeoff and it put a dimple in the leading edge of the aircraft the size of a basketball - and being a wet wing it leaked fuel too! Fortunately they had enough room to get back on the runway and no one got hurt. I was in the aviation insurance business for over 30 years and am also an active pilot. I remember when I learned to fly in Texas the instructor kept a rolled up newspaper just behind my head and if I stopped looking he would give me a wack and say “Keep your eyes out of the cockpit and make sure you know where you are at all times”. Doesn’t work well when I fly IFR, but sill a good idea.

I insured a Citation that struck a goose on takeoff and it put a dimple in the leading edge of the aircraft the size of a basketball – and being a wet wing it leaked fuel too! Fortunately they had enough room to get back on the runway and no one got hurt.

]]> By: JetAviator7 (John) http://www.aroundthepattern.com/aviation-news/a-lesson-from-usair-1549/comment-page-1/#comment-355 JetAviator7 (John) Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:07:18 +0000 http://www.aroundthepattern.com/?p=708#comment-355 I was in the aviation insurance business for over 30 years and am also an active pilot. I remember when I learned to fly in Texas the instructor kept a rolled up newspaper just behind my head and if I stopped looking he would give me a wack and say "Keep your eyes out of the cockpit and make sure you know where you are at all times". Doesn't work well when I fly IFR, but sill a good idea. I insured a Citation that struck a goose on takeoff and it put a dimple in the leading edge of the aircraft the size of a basketball - and being a wet wing it leaked fuel too! Fortunately they had enough room to get back on the runway and no one got hurt. I was in the aviation insurance business for over 30 years and am also an active pilot. I remember when I learned to fly in Texas the instructor kept a rolled up newspaper just behind my head and if I stopped looking he would give me a wack and say “Keep your eyes out of the cockpit and make sure you know where you are at all times”. Doesn’t work well when I fly IFR, but sill a good idea.

I insured a Citation that struck a goose on takeoff and it put a dimple in the leading edge of the aircraft the size of a basketball – and being a wet wing it leaked fuel too! Fortunately they had enough room to get back on the runway and no one got hurt.

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