T. Peterson

We will just agree to disagree. Varied opinions make life interesting. Have a wonderful evening!

I am very blessed as in my 64 years I have not had any of the negative experiences which you have listed. However if I had I would have gone after the perpetrators as they were demonstrably and directly at fault. You alluded to the notion that if people would live responsibly we would not need litigation, but then you retreat to an emotional argument citing the OP’s loss. If you would encourage the OP to sue an innocent party are you not condoning the very behavior on one hand that you decry on the other? It is truly lamentable that the OP lost his airplane, but two wrongs don’t make a right. I am well aware that tons of suits are decided on just this sort of emotional appeal. Right and wrong are decided not on the facts but rather on whether one party has the means with which to pay, actual culpability notwithstanding. The problem with this legal muddle headedness is once established leaves everyone of us on shaky ground. It matters not how responsibly or honestly we live, we are a single frivolous lawsuit away from being plunged into financial ruin at the whims of an emotional driven court. I am certainly not advocating for dismissing real and harmful negligence, but that should be the driving factor, not the loss of the airplane no matter how it tugs on our heart strings.

“and I’m not a lawyer to boot, just someone who has managed tens of millions in litigation and have been in litigation since I was a puppy)…” Is it fair to ask if you have a vested interest in litigation?

I am truly sorry about your airplane and I am even more grateful that your family is safe, but in my opinion EAA is not responsible for your loss. No organization can possibly imagine or prevent every type of accident. Oshkosh crams thousands of airplanes into tight quarters and this is inherently risky. You chose to participate indicating you were okay with the risk until something bad happened to you and now you feel you are owed. I simply disagree. This mindset has shut down many potential wonderful events because organizers will not risk the potential litigation. The abuses of tort law have also significantly contributed to the rising costs of GA. Accidents happen and even if I am a totally innocent victim, that alone does not grant me the right to go after someone else making them an innocent victim. That is not to say there are not cases of gross negligence in which someone ought to be sued, but I don’t see that here.

I don’t know, but I certainly hope that they cannot sue. I am fed up with this litigious society. Bad things happen to good people, but that doesn’t mean the unfortunate are automatically owed financial compensation.

“Just watch me.”

Wow, what a headache! I bought my plane through Jimmy G., and when it comes time to sell I will sell through him. Seems to me the commission is well worth the aggravation!!

I have not flown in there, but like you I avoid big busy airports. I find that ForeFlight is a wonderful tool to find airports with rental cars, fuel etc. It’s always better if someone has personal experience, but you can ferret out a good airport on your own with the right tools.

Excellent point. I will do some thinking about that. I think you have put your finger on the pulse.

Proficiency provides the calmness required to correctly use the equipment. Using an autopilot in actual IMC is a great contributor to safety, but as Andy also points out is no substitute for proficiency. Once terror or panic sets in all bets are off. Both of you are making valid assertions, and neither of you is actually contradictory to the other. I think instrument scan is vital and unfortunately perishable if not constantly practiced. Make your eyeballs move. Scan, scan scan. Do it as a matter of course on every flight. You don’t need a hood or a safety pilot to make your eyeballs move!

I highly discourage anyone from using Buccee’s ethanol free 91 octane in their airplane. It can prove very dangerous to your health. I don’t know if my back will ever recover from toting and pouring all those 5 gallon buckets!

I have been with USAA since being a young Lieutenant in the early 80’s. I have no plans to leave, but to me the decrease in knowledge and competence is stark.

Buccee’s has ethanol free…

So what’s the problem??

Good morning, In what part of Texas is Brian Kendrick? What is the name of his shop? Thanks, Torrey

If I was wealthy enough to self insure, I would consider it if insurance rates became onerous. There are probably plenty of owners that are in that category, I am just not one of them. Of course there could be a lot said as to the wisdom of such a decision given our litigious culture, but everyone has different risk tolerances. @A64Pilot was merely pointing out the fact that insurance is not mandatory from a regulatory standpoint. He did not advocate one way or the other.

I am late to this, but I have had almost the exact scenario. In almost 25 years at my airline I have never lied to the passengers, but have been accused of it. They have no concept that just because it is not raining at grandmas right now that the airspace around grandma can be restricted due to weather 100 miles away, therefore I am a liar. I also work with many wonderful flight attendants and pilots. Some very few have not been so good but eventually get weeded out. There are also self absorbed, entitlement oriented and rude passengers. People are people and I try to extend grace because some days I need it extended to me.

You should never have to pay for a hotel room!

You sir, are a fountain of interesting information! Here I am in the cockpit of a 320 to fly almost 4 hours to DFW, and now I can appreciate the marvelous efficiency of this bird in a new way!

Fascinating.

Wow! That was very informative and interesting. Thank you!

I am not fully convinced, but I will certainly grant the benefit of the doubt.

Any reason to fly is a good reason!

You guys are hilarious! Let’s just think about the context of Ned’s instructor. He is an instrument instructor that has just signed off or is in the process of signing off an IFR newbie. Is it remotely possible his point is that in the IFR environment a pilot must be always situationally aware, knowing where he is going and why? Of course I may be wrong. Maybe he really did mean you always had to have a centered needle because even though he was an instructor he may have never heard of a radar vector? I have postulated, you decide.

Not exactly what I was thinking, but close enough. Thank you!