Wow...I read all 14 pages of this post and I loved the way it moved from subject to subject while keeping with the intended purpose...Very rare to have a tread to do that often without drifting into limbo.
I will share my comments with a few bullet points
-first of all...not all acrobatic pilots have a dead wish. Most look at the art of flying and the ability to fly in different attitudes while keeping full control of the aircraft at all times. We want to excell in flying and perform our manuevers very smooth and with art in mind.
- An acrobatic pilot is full aware at all times of the rules and regulations, airspace, etc afecting the typ of flying since his/her airman privileges depend on them. When we fly, we ususally do in our FAA provided practice area. We issue NOTAM"s to make all aware and we talk to ATC...we dont impose onto others, we dont abuse the airspace....We could, but we choose not to because it promotes irresponsible behavior. I in the other hand, have witnessed many ga flyiers flight into airport airpsace completelly unannounced, unaware of the NOTAM and creating a safety issue for us....
- Communicate! Let yourself know where you are if at any airport area.
- Read FAR 91.303. If you depart from the scope of that regulation, you need a waiver issued by the FAA. no if or buts.
- For all of you who attend airshows and like to do flyovers and formation flying over the crowd this does apply to you
http://fsims.faa.gov/wdocs/8900.1/v03 tech admin/chapter 06/03_006_001.pdf Read 2(a) this is where you will get busted by the FAA!!
- You need an FAA form 8710-7 signed or you will be busted by the FAA. Dont get caught with your pants down.
- For IAC sanctioned events, we are not required an 8710-7.
- An acrobatic pilot dont do any unusual attitude flying below 1,500 feet. that's our safety cushion.
- Bill Finigan definition of control flying: You depart control flying when you loose the ability to make the aircraft do what you want. When this happens, you better have airpace below in order to apply your emergency recover tecnique.
- A show pilot that goes down all the way to the deck has a license issued by an ACE and posses a low level flight priviledge after he has shown and proven to his peers and the FAA he can perform safely.
- Yes is is cool to buss the field 6' above the ground at 180 mph pitch up and roll tight and probably very safe to do 9 out of 10 times. But there will be that one day that a downdraft or quick wind shift that will eat that little cushion between you and the ground and kill yourself.
- Fly within your capabilities. You have nothing to prove to no one and if you decide to fly in any unusual attitude, do so with plenty airspace below you the few first times and if possible with someone qualified.
- About Scott and his accident over GA in his Cessna 210. A few thing that should have happen before the flight were overlooked. #1 his IFR license was not current. #2 there is no prove he ever checked the weather (no duats, never talked to a briefer, no printed records, etc...)
- I fly SE aircraft all the time on my business. It does not matter if it is a brand new factory delivery or my Granpa's 1930's aircraft. My attitude towards SE aircraft is always the same...I always fly on an emergency since there is only one screw in the front. When flying my Pitts S2B for fun, this is a great attitude to have since that thing glides like a brick.
- It does not matter who you are or how much seat time you have or what you fly or do in life. If you dont go IN prepared and be ready to back it up when something happens, you will be behind the curved ball before turning that master switch to the "ON" position.
- Thanks to the original author of this tread for making us think!
My .02 cents (sorry about my english and grammar. Still a foreigner!!!!)
