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I like the metaphor of being "ahead of the jet." as a term for mastery. I know that feeling exactly sometimes.
Same pilot, different anecdote, "how slow can it go?" http://tailspinstales.blogspot.com/2010/01/slowest-blackbird...
I like the metaphor of being "ahead of the jet." as a term for mastery. I know that feeling exactly sometimes.
It gets this name because it's a single engine plane, which attracts wealthy hobbyist pilots (like doctors) but it's fast. Much much faster than what these hobbyist pilots are used to. This causes "the plane to get in front of them", and for them to crash.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
And another (includes OPs story): http://gizmodo.com/5511236/the-thrill-of-flying-the-sr+71-bl... His book Sled Driver is selling for ~$2500 USD on amazon, and The Untouchables (which I haven't heard about) is here: http://amzn.com/0929823125
Woah. $2500 is a lot of money. Is it out of print?
I like the metaphor of being "ahead of the jet." as a term for mastery. I know that feeling exactly sometimes.
There is a plane called a Beech Bonanza that is nicknamed "The doctor killer." It gets this name because it's a single engine plane, which attracts wealthy hobbyist pilots (like doctors) but it's fast . Much much faster than what these hobbyist pilots are used to. This causes "the plane to get in front of them", and for them to crash.
Another airplane with the killer epithet because of its on average high power to wisdom of pilot ratio is the Piper Malibu and its later brother the Mirage. Again, a beautiful, fast, well-designed plane that gets out in front of you if you let it.
Growing up, my father flew thousands of hours in both of these planes with me in the right seat, and he was always careful to warn me about having respect for the plane's power lest it get away from you. In a way, I think he was reminding himself as much as me.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There is a plane called a Beech Bonanza that is nicknamed "The doctor killer." It gets this name because it's a single engine plane, which attracts wealthy hobbyist pilots (like doctors) but it's fast . Much much faster than what these hobbyist pilots are used to. This causes "the plane to get in front of them", and for them to crash.
In fairness, the other part of the killer reputation has to do with apparent design instabilities as a result of the V-tail on the x35 models. Both these and the x36 models really are beautiful planes. Another airplane with the killer epithet because of its on average high power to wisdom of pilot ratio is the Piper Malibu and its later brother the Mirage. Again, a beautiful, fast, well-designed plane that gets out i…
I worries me a little, but we're not doing anything nuts in the thing.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There is a plane called a Beech Bonanza that is nicknamed "The doctor killer." It gets this name because it's a single engine plane, which attracts wealthy hobbyist pilots (like doctors) but it's fast . Much much faster than what these hobbyist pilots are used to. This causes "the plane to get in front of them", and for them to crash.
In fairness, the other part of the killer reputation has to do with apparent design instabilities as a result of the V-tail on the x35 models. Both these and the x36 models really are beautiful planes. Another airplane with the killer epithet because of its on average high power to wisdom of pilot ratio is the Piper Malibu and its later brother the Mirage. Again, a beautiful, fast, well-designed plane that gets out i…
I like the metaphor of being "ahead of the jet." as a term for mastery. I know that feeling exactly sometimes.
"Really?"
"Yep. You're so far behind the plane that you won't show up to the accident until ten minutes after it happens"
Ouch.
It's a great phrase. I think flying is absolutely the best hobby anybody can have. I could read stories like OP all day long.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
In fairness, the other part of the killer reputation has to do with apparent design instabilities as a result of the V-tail on the x35 models. Both these and the x36 models really are beautiful planes. Another airplane with the killer epithet because of its on average high power to wisdom of pilot ratio is the Piper Malibu and its later brother the Mirage. Again, a beautiful, fast, well-designed plane that gets out i…
Would you please explain what is meant by "get out in front of you"? I have very limited flying experience and am not familiar with what this means, in pilot terms: i.e. what would you experience as a pilot, and what would be happening to the airplane. Google didn't help in this matter.
There are a number of things you need to process as you fly, from radios to maps to situational awareness. For less experienced pilots, or when you have passengers than are pointing out all sorts of shit, this can take time. During all this time the aircraft is moving and the condition is changing.
You need to not only know where you are now, but where you will be in the future. If you lose this, you find the aircraft getting to places faster than you can prepare for, and that can be nasty.
To relate, it's very similar to driving a car for the first time. There seems to be so much more to check, from mirrors to gauges to the road. The reaction for new drivers is to slow down to give yourself time to catch up.
Another analogy would be sports. If you play a team sport with those that have played for years, you can find yourself reacting to things after they have happened. This isn't because you don't know what to do, but more so because by the time you've figured it out and acted, the event has already occurred.