whiskytango

I made a landing on a road after an engine failure on my previous K model. It turned out OK with no injuries to anyone, and damage limited to my left wingtip and the A-pillar of a car that didn’t quite get out of my way. I would never do it again. Due to wires across my intended flight path, I had to change to a much more dangerous landing spot than I had originally intended. The outcome could easily have been tragic with the slightest of changes in conditions (my touchdown and ground roll took me through a intersection with a green light!). Faced with similar conditions (no fields or other open surfaces within range), I will mush into trees and hope for the best rather than subject innocent bystanders to a situation that is potentially life-threatening, with little they can do to affect the outcome.

The FAA will put you on Double Secret Probation.

I used GATTS and was very happy with the training I received, in fact it was probably the best training I have had in all of my flying. I don't know if they still use this technique (I got my IR about 20 years ago, when vacuum gyros were prevalent), but they covered the Attitude Indicator for the entire training, so pitch information came from the Altimeter, and roll information came from the Turn Coordinator. All practice approaches and the full Checkride were flown with partial panel. It really gave you confidence that you could safely handle real partial panel if needed. They also used simplified methods for Procedure Turns. All of their training methods were about simplification and safety. Another thing that impressed me is that the CFIIs were not kids building hours toward an ATP and airline job, but were very experienced and effective instructors who enjoyed instructing. I went back to GATTS to get my Commercial ticket.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This. I was once asked by ATC to do a short approach for high speed traffic on extended final. Flying the mighty C-150, abeam the numbers I dropped all 40 degrees of manual flaps, turned base, dove at max flap speed and did a forward slip rolling out on final. On a draggy plane like a C-150 it is amazing how fast you can get on the ground. ATC appreciated it.

I will add to the "improve it until it is worse than before" discussion with my beef about ECMs (Electronically Commutated Motors). These are the replacement for PSC (Permanent Split Capacitor) motors used in HVAC systems, and can operate as variable speed, constant CFM or constant torque fan motors. ECM motors do save energy by matching motor output to actual load. The problem is that the integral module that controls the motor seems to have a very short lifespan (at least in my case). I installed a new HVAC system in 2018. The air handling unit fan ECM motor module failed in 2021. I replaced it, and it is now failing again in 2023 (2 months after the end of the warranty, of course). The motors are ridiculously expensive compared to PSC motors, so people are now replacing failed ECM motors with "inferior" PSC motors. ECM motors are supposed to last for 10 years, versus 8 years for PSC. That has not been my experience.

Your experience with Lucas Electrics was different from my Austin-Healy. Like many others, I referred to Lucas as the Prince of Darkness.

An electrical engineer buddy once told me that electrical systems are like oil burners: You adjust them for minimum smoke.

I am surprised that YouTube does not block posts by content creators who used YouTube to monetize activities that resulted in criminal behavior. Like @ArtVandelay, I certainly will not give him any clicks.

I have gotten into the habit of renting a Tesla whenever I am on a business trip. I really enjoy driving the car, and the engineer in me likes converting kinetic energy to battery capacity with regenerative braking, rather than waste heat in the brake pads and rotors. The rental company (Hertz) has been pricing the rental rate for a Tesla less than a comparable ICE car. If I have time I will stop at a Supercharger to put a charge on the battery, but even if I don't I haven't seen a line item in the final bill for battery charging.

I agree with @GeeBee that attempting to land at night with no runway lighting is a really bad idea. A long time ago I regularly flew into KEZF in Virginia to visit my girlfriend. On one flight the weather was closing down rapidly, I was low on fuel, and was not instrument rated. I keyed the mic to turn on the PCL and nothing happened. After repeating this several times with no effect, I decided that I "knew" where I was, and would line up with the runway approach end. Suddenly the runway lights came on and I realized I would have hit a maintenance hangar on the heading I was holding. I went around. After I landed and pulled off the runway a truck raced up, and a guy (the airport manager) with a gun pointed at me started screaming that the airport had been NOTAMed closed for night landings due to drug traffickers using it as a transfer point. He had seen that I was about to crash into the hangar and turned the lights on. I made a major mistake in failing to read the NOTAM, and then compounded it by attempting to land on a runway with no lighting in a rural area. Never again.

I don't know anything about GAMI either, but it would be interesting to know how the testing they conducted to get the STC compares with the "real world" experience of UND with UL94. I would think that the producers that GAMI would sell the rights to produce their fuel to would want to be reassured that there are no unpleasant surprises ahead. For that reason GAMI may want to duplicate the UND operational program, assuming that they haven't done so already.

I am already at 75, gusting to 76, and just got a quote for renewal. There was a 10% premium increase, which I attribute more to the current hard market than my age, and no additional requirements other than the Flight Review every 2 years and valid 3rd class medical. I did not see any increase other than inflation when turned 75. I have been with USAIG for about 15 years. YMMV.

But there's this: "The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error." HAL never promised that he would always be rational.

I think I see the TV set in there too.

Before cataract surgery my uncorrected vision was 20/450. After surgery my uncorrected vision tested at 20/20, but I had really poor close vision. I have been using "bifocal" readers (clear glass on top) but would like to avoid the head movement needed to focus on close objects. It sounds like Shamir progressives are worth a try.