What I have to say about that

[David Lloyd]

From another thread about a Mooney snagging some power lines in the dark, I thought about making a few notes how I have tried to avoid incidents over the years.

I flew from a small, 2800', poorly lit airport 40 years.  Trees at both ends, power line at one end.  At one time the power line was within 25' of the runway.  It was relocated to the other side of a two lane road and lowered slightly and the area of the runway for additional clearance.  Over a 15 year period a number of airplanes hit the line with landing gear and a prop or two.  Several wheel fairings were damaged or torn off.  All these happened in daylight as far as I know.  About 20 years ago, the power line was moved a couple hundred feet further from the runway and ceased to be a problem.  Airplanes started hitting trees.  In the last 6 weeks before the airport closed, two airplanes caught a wingtip in a tree.  An Arrow, the fiberglass tip was completely cleaned off.   Again, daylight.  What that power line or those trees never were able to grab an airplane and fling it hard to the ground is beyond me.

When the wind blew directly from the west, it would cause a pretty substantial sink rate on short final to 17.  That got a number of airplanes too.  A Bonanza hit tail first trying to arrest the sink rate and wrinkled the fuselage.  A Mooney hit hard enough to remove both lower gear doors.  I saw one laying on the runway.  I think the main doors were also bent.  Again, in the daytime.

There were also planes that stalled or otherwise lost control trying to plant it on the numbers. Others over ran the end of the runway after using up 2/3 the distance by flying the approach too fast.  I aimed to plant the wheels firmly 3-400' feet from one end of the runway, 1-200' past the displaced threshold on the other.  Landing on 17, my goal was to land, roll out, turn thru the grass and up the little grade to my hangar.  Then tap the brakes to stop.  2800' is not short for our airplanes, just in our minds.

I flew a lot at night, early morning departures and getting back whenever.  Landing 17 was going into a black hole.  In the dark, I was scared enough of those trees, the power line, the sink hole, the black hole and the relatively short runway that I was determined never to let any of those things happen to me.  Fly the pattern the same every time, same power setting, same airspeeds, same altitudes, same aiming point, adjusting only slightly for landing weight.  Pay attention to what the wind is doing.  Steep approach, never shallow at that airport.  Daylight was hard enough, nighttime, my concentration was always intense.

Not too long after Al invented the internet, NTSB reports became available online.  I read all the incident reports that involved Bonanzas (that's what I was flying then).  What did someone do wrong to bend an airplane? I read all the GA fatal reports.  What did they do?  A few just don't make sense, a few are just unavoidable.  But the majority the reports tell a sad tale of complacentcy, doing something beyond either personal or equipment ability, doing stupid stuff like buzzing the friend's house, VFR into IFR, etc.  All I had to do to be safe was avoid doing all the dangerous stuff.  You don't even need to be especially good or talented, you just need to avoid doing the stuff that bends metal.  

Over the years, sold the Bonanza, built an RV.  Read all the RV incidents the NTSB wrote report on.  Same deal as the Bonanza, except for more hotdogging incidents.  Actually those hotdogging incidents are usually fatal.  Make note here.  Aerobatics gone bad. Seemed to be more engine failures, but otherwise pretty much the same problems are claiming the RV crowd, plus the aero aspect and sporty performance that temps hotdogging.

Now, flying a Mooney, reading those reports, if you covered up the airplane type, Bo or Mooney, you couldn't tell the difference.  Maybe a few more porpoise till the nose gear fails for the Mooney but it can be done in a Bonanza if you try.  Otherwise,  same pilot mistakes for either aircraft for the last 30+ years.  Read the reports.  Then don't do that stuff.

[Hank]

2 hours ago, David Lloyd said:

I aimed to plant the wheels firmly 3-400' feet from one end of the runway, 1-200' past the displaced threshold on the other.  Landing on 17, my goal was to land, roll out, turn thru the grass and up the little grade to my hangar.  Then tap the brakes to stop.  2800' is not short for our airplanes, just in our minds.

I flew a lot at night, early morning departures and getting back whenever.  Landing 17 was going into a black hole.  In the dark, I was scared enough of those trees, the power line, the sink hole, the black hole and the relatively short runway that I was determined never to let any of those things happen to me.  Fly the pattern the same every time, same power setting, same airspeeds, same altitudes, same aiming point, adjusting only slightly for landing weight.  Pay attention to what the wind is doing.  Steep approach, never shallow at that airport.  Daylight was hard enough, nighttime, my concentration was always intense.

^^^^  THIS  ^^^^

[carusoam]

Inviting @irishpilot to stop by this thread...

-a-

[MooneyMitch]

3 hours ago, David Lloyd said:

From another thread about a Mooney snagging some power lines in the dark, I thought about making a few notes how I have tried to avoid incidents over the years.

I flew from a small, 2800', poorly lit airport 40 years.  Trees at both ends, power line at one end.  At one time the power line was within 25' of the runway.  It was relocated to the other side of a two lane road and lowered slightly and the area of the runway for additional clearance.  Over a 15 year period a number of airplanes hit the line with landing gear and a prop or two.  Several wheel fairings were damaged or torn off.  All these happened in daylight as far as I know.  About 20 years ago, the power line was moved a couple hundred feet further from the runway and ceased to be a problem.  Airplanes started hitting trees.  In the last 6 weeks before the airport closed, two airplanes caught a wingtip in a tree.  An Arrow, the fiberglass tip was completely cleaned off.   Again, daylight.  What that power line or those trees never were able to grab an airplane and fling it hard to the ground is beyond me.

When the wind blew directly from the west, it would cause a pretty substantial sink rate on short final to 17.  That got a number of airplanes too.  A Bonanza hit tail first trying to arrest the sink rate and wrinkled the fuselage.  A Mooney hit hard enough to remove both lower gear doors.  I saw one laying on the runway.  I think the main doors were also bent.  Again, in the daytime.

There were also planes that stalled or otherwise lost control trying to plant it on the numbers. Others over ran the end of the runway after using up 2/3 the distance by flying the approach too fast.  I aimed to plant the wheels firmly 3-400' feet from one end of the runway, 1-200' past the displaced threshold on the other.  Landing on 17, my goal was to land, roll out, turn thru the grass and up the little grade to my hangar.  Then tap the brakes to stop.  2800' is not short for our airplanes, just in our minds.

I flew a lot at night, early morning departures and getting back whenever.  Landing 17 was going into a black hole.  In the dark, I was scared enough of those trees, the power line, the sink hole, the black hole and the relatively short runway that I was determined never to let any of those things happen to me.  Fly the pattern the same every time, same power setting, same airspeeds, same altitudes, same aiming point, adjusting only slightly for landing weight.  Pay attention to what the wind is doing.  Steep approach, never shallow at that airport.  Daylight was hard enough, nighttime, my concentration was always intense.

Not too long after Al invented the internet, NTSB reports became available online.  I read all the incident reports that involved Bonanzas (that's what I was flying then).  What did someone do wrong to bend an airplane? I read all the GA fatal reports.  What did they do?  A few just don't make sense, a few are just unavoidable.  But the majority the reports tell a sad tale of complacentcy, doing something beyond either personal or equipment ability, doing stupid stuff like buzzing the friend's house, VFR into IFR, etc.  All I had to do to be safe was avoid doing all the dangerous stuff.  You don't even need to be especially good or talented, you just need to avoid doing the stuff that bends metal.  

Over the years, sold the Bonanza, built an RV.  Read all the RV incidents the NTSB wrote report on.  Same deal as the Bonanza, except for more hotdogging incidents.  Actually those hotdogging incidents are usually fatal.  Make note here.  Aerobatics gone bad. Seemed to be more engine failures, but otherwise pretty much the same problems are claiming the RV crowd, plus the aero aspect and sporty performance that temps hotdogging.

Now, flying a Mooney, reading those reports, if you covered up the airplane type, Bo or Mooney, you couldn't tell the difference.  Maybe a few more porpoise till the nose gear fails for the Mooney but it can be done in a Bonanza if you try.  Otherwise,  same pilot mistakes for either aircraft for the last 30+ years.  Read the reports.  Then don't do that stuff.

Like this a lot ........Good common sense wins the prize.

Old bold pilots comes to mind.

[carusoam]

My home drome decided to put the wires underground near the end of the runway...

Underground utilities have been the norm around here (NJ) since somebody invented the ditch witch...

Now... if they could lower the height of the buildings across the street, that would be helpful...

Must have been in the 50year plan for the airport...   

Best regards,

-a-

[MooneyMitch]

2 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Underground utilities have been the norm around here (NJ) since somebody invented the ditch witch...