N9201A

This would certainly make identifying the potential defendants more challenging.

Maybe I’m just too practical, but what would the “miracle on the Hudson” have looked like if every pax was in their birthday suit, standing out on that wing. Some things cannot be unseen... And does actually knowing (instead of imagining) the pax are naked make a new captain’s cabin announcements easier?

They did try Hooter Air too...not quite nekkid but I’m sure there must be something in the FARs prohibiting that, will get right on that research...

Someone tried it: Smokers Express...IIRC it did not even generate enough interest to operate their first revenue flight! And that was nearly 30 years ago, we’ve got fewer smokers today. Since vaping will remain illegal because of the possibility the gizmos start a fire, doubt there would be as much interest today as when they first tried this. That’s one of the problems when your product kills off your customer base.

No need to apologize, no offense taken - by me anyway.

Would it be a great place to mount a camera?

When blocking out of KOAK early and VFR, I try to give the pax on the left side a treat and Approach almost always says yes. Off 30 stay just left of Treasure Island, left abeam Alcatraz and depart Golden Gate heading 210. It seems Bay Approach gets a bad rap, as many big city controllers do. Study up, pay attention, don’t be a “lid” and they’ll respond in kind.

I grew up among chain-smokers without having a choice. Then, as a nonsmoker, l spent years in the military before smoking was frowned upon, again subjected to the cancer-causing pollutants of others. I’ve watched people l car about die from lung cancer; it shouldn’t be on anyone’s list of ways to go. So personally, I feel that if I can track the smoke I’m tasting to someone’s cig after I’ve asked politely to stop, a taste of knuckle sandwich is a very equitable trade—or sole, depends upon how flexible I feel and how much room we are working with.

The basics haven’t changed from the WWII training films (always fun to watch) or, for that matter, even von Richtofen’s Flying Circus. Today, the FAA recognizes specific organizations as evaluators for specific formation accreditation, and competent formators observe those standard procedures and practices. The Caravan doesn’t provide “instruction.” And the designated Caravan safety pilots (of which GSXRPilot is one) definitely don’t charge for coming out to fly with us. Some of our most experienced safeties are not instructors, though many are. But we are a charitable organization and everyone donates their time, gas and expertise. Even though there is no Caravan this year, pilots in each region are still flying formation (and maintaining social distancing by briefing by phone, we are 6’ apart in our planes). Go to the website and make contact with the regional lead nearest you, and they should be able to get you in the loop for local clinics. PM GSXRPilot or me if you don’t make progress, hope to see ya at a clinic.

Doing ANYTHING in chem gear is pretty unpleasant, but beats not having it if you need it.

It’s important to note that the controller not catching an erroneous read-back does NOT absolve the pilot of anything. We can still get violated, even if we read back the instruction wrong and were not corrected. This underscores the importance of using correct phraseology, to lessen the risk of getting the instruction wrong in the first place.

Update: Harley now has a baby brother. Milo is just nine weeks...hasn’t had his first Mooney ride yet.

Yeah, but if you always land clean, you save wear and tear on the flaps!

Nope. Today we have “I take no responsibility.” Sad...

Jack Pelton’s message said his governing authority set three stages, the third of which permitted mass gatherings, but they weren’t at the first yet. So they weren’t close to the benchmarks identified. None of the states have met the benchmarks set by the federal government (which doesn’t bind any state). One of the states “reopening” just hit a new high in deaths. Time will tell what the right plan would have been, and hopefully we will learn from this. We are also again reminded we are stuck with the leadership we elect, and this whole crisis underscores that maybe all the good stuff doesn’t just happen on its own or “run itself.”

Good point and another illustration of why the stress on using the correct terminology. Another example is using “cleared” for anything other than “cleared for take-off/landing”. I’ve lost count how many pilots I’ve heard read back an instruction to “cross runway X” as “cleared across runway X...all while the pilot lined up and waiting on runway X is just waiting to launch upon hearing “cleared.” Mr. Ford is a fantastic ambassador for aviation who’s done countless great things to promote us all. Being even one of Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Rick Deckard, Jack Ryan or Dr. Richard Kimball would generate attention, I can’t imagine the heat from being all of them...and more. Suggest those beating the “he’s missing a step” drum lay off, lest someone starts pulling your tapes and dissecting them. Anyone can have an off day, much less an off moment or few.

I agree that this is not the place for political red meat, as you put it. That said, I’ve determined I’m not willing to sit idly by any more and permit disinformation, cowardice and mean-spiritedness to go unchallenged. So anyone making a “red meat” comment here is fair game for a reply. I do not put your reply to my comment in that category, as you raise an important issue that is nonpartisan: How do we make choices that affect us all? And even more important, what is the goal? If our leadership focused on asking and answering these questions with a focus on executing their sworn duties (instead of getting re-elected, lining their own pockets or their own self-interest), we would all be much better off.

There is a lot to be said for examining what we think we know, and how we actually allocate resources in our system. Too few of us really look at the causes and effects of the myriad allocations of humongous amounts of money to various elements of our complex society. A clue is the fact that highly-paid lobbyists outnumber lawmakers in DC (last I saw was like 2:1 or something). Not a one of those lobbyists is being paid by any of us Joe Citizens...

Forget idiot Patrick, focus on my point: Still waiting for first “people will die anyway” advocate to place himself (for some reason it’s always dudes, why?) first.

Everyone always talks about the people “we will lose anyway”...they never seem to include themselves, their spouses, their parents, their loved ones, in that group. We are ALL going to die, none of us gets out of this alive. That hardly equates to a rationalization of any one person’s easily avoidable death...except for some people. Like TX Lt Gov Dan Patrick, who said he’d die for the younger generation...yet with us he remains, with no apparent progress on his vow. Why don’t those who claim a willingness to sacrifice others show us the way, lead by their courageous example? Even if their business is closed, go to a hot spot and help give those in the front line a break, even if it is only moving bodies or fashioning masks out of nylons and t-shirts. Acts, not words.

There is that landfill in Staten Island, though...

There are plenty of other reasons, but this alone cements Mooney pilot status...at least until the cabinet is emptied, anyway!

+1. Can you send a pic of the whole bird? Was it inspired by the original vintage early M20 paint jobs?

Interesting. I’m looking at one that defines empty weight as including weight of “unusable fuel and full oil.”

Let’s not forget the first M22...