Bluevalley

I'm sure glad I retired to the ranch. My only wish is that I could have been born 10 years earlier and probably wouldn't have had to put up with any of this mess!

When the "politicians" gave the drug companies immunity from liability that was a major red flag! Long term side effects are an unknown. Does it really work, unknown. Do I trust the govt? Certain agencies over time have gained credibility, but that doesn't mean I trust the politicians running this mess! To me at this point it's like loading up an airplane to fly across the ocean at night without checking the weather or the shape of the airplane or fuel load because some politician says "trust me" it will be fine! They're asking for an awful lot of trust that they have not earned. I know there are no guarantees in life, but as pilots we learn to manage risk, and at this point for me the risk is just to great...... Just my two cents.

The cockpit seats in a 747 are not 6' apart. Sorry.

I'm not against vaccines, I was vaccinated as a child in the early 50's. Nothing since. I've never had a flu shot either (wife did and she damn near died)! At my age I'm going to pass on this one also. I've been around this world more times than I can count and only had a couple of head colds. Growing up on a ranch and currently ranching, maybe I've developed "heard immunity" LOL. Oh well, I'm glad I'm retired! "Beijing Uses Anal Swabs To Detect COVID-19 Strains" Have fun boys and girls.

When I went through AB training at Lufthansa in Frankfurt years ago, I told the sim instructor to "turn all the flight computers off". He argued with me and said a failure of that kind could never happen (famous last words). Once I had direct control (laws off) it felt more like an airplane. You could actually develop some kind of feel for it. I do agree I think the AB is certified to close to its limits. Mountain wave over the rockies taught me that real quick! Oh, and don't forget to have your feet off the rudder pedals when the F/O switches to APU power on taxi in! If not, you'll think you just hit a concrete barrier. But I did like the tray. Makes it easier to fill out those NASA forms. LOL

It was in a 727 and was not about exceeding the limits, I was referring to the rate of pitch change. I don't know if the laws in the bus would have allowed a rapid enough pitch up to save the day. We'll never know. It's good you like you're airplane, just not my cup of tea. Enjoy it as much as you can before you're all replaced with computers!

How about flying the arrival into LAX on a cavu day and without any warning a Cessna 210 fills the windshield! Jerking the nose up put the flight attendants on the floor but thankfully no one was hurt. I don't know how we missed him but we did obviously. The guy had on a red baseball cap and that was the last thing we saw of him as he passed under the nose! About the same time ATC calls "traffic 2 oclock less than a mile, he's not talking to us". I would rather be lucky than good any day!

To be honest I can't recall, been to many years. What I do recall is trying to make a good landing in a stiff X wind. When crossing the threshold and taking out the crab, lowering the wing into the wind and rudder input for alignment, there was nothing left for pitch! The thing would "plant itself " and no amount of up stick input would raise the nose! After a couple of "carrier landings" I called engineering to find out what was happening. They said they had no idea, and I was the first to report it (we had just started using the Airbus). They said they would find out and get back to me. About a week later they called and said they had to call AB in France to track down an answer. I was told I was giving it too many large flight control inputs at once and the FCC couldn't handle it!! The solution was to set up a crab a few seconds early so the computer can take a "snapshot" of the approach and this would then allow pitch input! It worked. I'm sure they reprogrammed the "pilot", sorry, I mean autopilot since then. After that it was back to Boeing!

Ok i'll bite. Having flown both, why do you think the "buss" is a much better place to work?

That I didn't know (but then I don't know anything about boats!).......Thanks

We picked up a very strong ELT one night mid pacific around the equator. Lasted about 2 minutes. No land mass for hundreds of miles. Called it in, and I can only imagine........

Welcome! There are many current and retired airline pilots here who are also flyers of the finest general aviation aircraft man ever built! The fact that it's built in Texas is a bonus!!! (but then i'm biased)

Really little ones and really really BIG ones!

I agree 100%! ATC is no longer there to control but to advise and help. You never never never give up PIC authority! Remember you'll be the first to the scene of the accident. It does'nt matter if you are alone in you're homebuilt, or sitting in the front of a '47 with 400 souls on board! The buck stops with YOU!!! Most pilots will never have to declare an emergency in there entire flying career (private or comercial). I only had to once in a B757 after almost 50 years of flying! The controllers were great and never tried to override my requests. Just remember, after it's over, CYA! You will find the FAA is not you're friend! (especially their lawyers)

Guilty as charged!