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Topic: Wife wants an airplane

Paul Mayer
Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under!

Posts: 3836
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 10-14-2012 05:38 PM

Heh heh, my first experience in light twins progressed thusly: Piper PA-23 Apache, Piper PA-34-200 Seneca I (what I took my check ride in), Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II, Piper PA-44-180 Seminole, Beech 95 Travel Air, Beech 76 Duchess, then later on the Cessna 402B and the Piper PA-601 Aerostar. All of these Part 23 planes (possibly excepting the Seneca II and the bigger twins) pretty much fit the ol' "other engine gets you to the crash site" description. Part 23 does not require that a twin-engine aircraft demonstrate single-engine climb capability in order to be certified. Just as in a single, you fly those with an eye towards where you'd put it down if one engine quits, especially if you're in "hot and high" conditions.

'Vegas is 2200' above sea level and of course most everyone knows what our summer temperatures are like. IIRC the single-engine service ceiling on the Seneca I and the Seminole was around 4000' - most days in 'Vegas the density altitude is well above that. Losing an engine on takeoff means staying on, or coming right back down onto, the runway even if you end up rolling off the end and into the dirt.

One of the pleasures of checking out in the Twin-Otter was the power you had available with it's PT-6 turbine engines (about 700hp per side)! Instead of the rapid "identify, verify, feather" engine-out routine of a light twin, the drill is "don't touch anything until you reach 1000' above the ground", then run the engine failure checklist. Much more refreshing. Much less exciting! [Smile]

I'm sorry... back to Randy's thread. "Resume normal navigation."

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David M. Leugers
Film Handler

Posts: 43
From: Fairfield, Ohio, united States of America
Registered: Jan 2005

posted 10-15-2012 12:48 AM

Randy I hope you understand I was not inferring anything about your wife. I'm betting she will be a good safe PILOT, not just someone who can operate the controls of a plane. I have known people who killed themselves in planes thinking because they could fly, they were real pilots. Three such individuals I predicted they would crash. Two died in stall/spin accidents on approach during clear VFR weather, the other was seriously injured crashing short of the runway while practicing instrument approaches. They had no problems driving a car... you are correct in that it takes effort and a proper mindset to be a good pilot. Like riding a motorcycle, flying can be a lot of fun and very rewarding. Good luck and happy flying!

Paul, very good evaluation about most light twins. When I was just starting to go for multi-engine training before the money ran out, I was treated to flying an Apache with the left engine feathered on a summer day. No way I could maintain 2,000 ASL
and stay above single engine control speed. Quite a sobering eye-opener. My instructor friend stayed within the pattern of the private airport in case the engine wouldn't restart.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-15-2012 01:55 AM

No worries. I understand what you were talking about and I agree.

A few years ago, I watched a salvage crew tow the wreckage of a twin engine Beechcraft off the end of the runway. The guy piled it in before he even made it over the fence. Two aboard killed.

Melanie's father gave up his pilot's license because two of his buddies bought the farm. One, the engine conked out and he couldn't put it down in time. On the other, the prop self-destructed on takeoff. Her father decided that he was getting too old to fly, anyway. Best not to take chances.

I keep a radio scanner on the shelf near my computer. I figure, living so close to the airport (250 yards from runway 24) we might need to know if something is going on.

There have been two incidents (besides the crashed Beechcraft) in the ten years that we have lived here. Both were passenger airliners.

One couldn't get his noseweel down and locked. Turned out the landing gear was locked. Somehow, the "gear down" indicator had failed.

The other couldn't get his wing flaps fully extended. He had to land it hot. I watched him come in. He ended up greasing it but there was a bit of "Woah, camel!" at the end.

Both planes came in safely but there was a lot of commotion from the emergency response teams. They roll the airport trucks and two local fire stations. Plus nearly every "blue light" in the county.

It's fun to listen in on the air traffic controllers. Sometimes, I go outside to watch and listen to planes take off and land.

Yeah, we know about the risks in flying.

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