Letters

Concentrate on common factors

What an excellent article on the proposed changes to the FAA's medical regulations (" The Case Against Tougher Medical Standards," February Pilot). Ian B. Fries deserves our most sincere appreciation for presenting the arguments so cogently and completely.

I agree completely with Fries that all FAA rulemaking resources should be applied to the more common factors — the 98 percent of the 19,925 general aviation of accidents per decade that have no medical factor.

If FAA insists on tackling the average of 38 accidents per year that are tagged with a medical factor, let them reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents/incidents. At 26 per year, they are more than two-thirds of the annual total of the medical-causal accidents. Solve the alcohol problem and we can all feel we're a little safer in the sky.

Laurence Leroy Jackson AOPA 1228882
McLean, Virginia

The "let's pass a law and we will all feel better about it" crowd are at it again with the proposed changes in medical requirements. I am delighted to see that AOPA is pursuing the raw data upon which the Johns Hopkins University recommendations are based. Hysterical talk of "ticking time bombs" from doctors who sound as though they would like us all to have spare hearts implanted next to perfectly healthy ones before we fly single pilot is a sure prelude to more ham-handed government intervention in our lives.

I submit that if you are not being paid to fly, your medical requirements in obtaining and keeping a license to fly should be no more onerous than to drive an automobile. Since no one is going to leave this planet alive, we are all in a very real sense "ticking time bombs" regardless of EKGs, cholesterol, or blood pressure levels.

William J. Quinn AOPA 173001
West Chester, Pennsylvania

Fries' article speaks about "in-flight incapacitation or impairment" as a means to toughen medical standards for pilots. If this is really necessary to save lives, then it would also be fair for some additional requirements...let's require the existing medical examination process plus the proposed electrocardiograms and cholesterol screenings for general auto use in addition to general aviation use. The chances of injury or death due to heart failure from a fellow driver far outweigh the chances of such an incident involving a fellow pilot.

If the same stringent standards would be applied to driving, then we would all be happy. General aviation would be grounded from flying, and the proposed rulemakers would be grounded from driving — unable to get to work to continue their fine recommendations.

Phil Koch AOPA 1066839
Manchester, Missouri

Fries made a convincing case against tougher medical standards for pilots. He supported his case with impressive anecdotal and statistical evidence. In the same issue there was a letter from John Hastings, M.D. (" Letters"), stating his personal belief that an annual examination is "not unreasonable" beyond age 70.

As a professor of diagnostic radiology, I've always discouraged use of phrases such as "not unreasonable" and "not consistent with." Why? Because they're so vague; they give the user an undeserved escape hatch in case he's mistaken.

Since the proper cost/benefit ratio of medical procedures is a matter of opinion rather than objective fact, I've determined that requiring annual exams for those of us over 70 years of age is wholly, totally, and flat-out unreasonable. Got it?

Louis H. Frische, M.D. AOPA 174852
Tubac, Arizona

Why does the FAA not recognize modern aviation technology and modern medical technology? It should also note that its address is on Independence Avenue.

Robert M. Nady AOPA 378117
Nevada, Iowa

Winter dreaming

I am writing to compliment Stephen Coonts (" Winter Dreams," February Pilot). I found his article to be a very beautiful piece of literature which was very expressive of a man's passion for the unique experience of flight. Most articles written tend to be of the technical nature and do not express what a person can feel about flying. Coonts has expressed it well — and I wanted to thank him for sharing it with us.

Roberta L. Gibeau AOPA 1238479
Scotia, New York

Sunday was a warm, sunny day here in Houston, quite springlike for the dead of winter. So I got up into the middle of the sky and paid homage to the season god. "Let the winter end for Coonts," I intoned. "The sky affects his moods as it does mine."

I always knew that writers can fly. I was heartened to find that a flier can write. No disrespect intended to all the great writers who keep me up to date on the FARs, airworthiness directives, and the latest products from the aircraft manufacturers. I read their articles thoroughly; I read anything about flying. Finding in print a somewhat more reflective story among the techno-stuff was a treat for me.

I'm a sky captive, too ... a serious weather junkie, cloud inhaler, meteorological mood swinger. It begins on Monday with speculation as to how fast that California front is moving, then constant checking on into Wednesday. Thirty-six-hour forecasts begin to have meaning mid-week. If I have enough positive thoughts on Thursday, I can mentally stall the front or pull it on through, conjuring up a flyable weekend. Houston obliges me so often I've begun to trust my abilities. If Saturday dawns foggy or windy, I go to the launch field anyway, using the power of my will to lift the clouds and temper the breeze.

I can stretch the euphoria of a single flight into three or four weeks if I have to, but a whole winter would be hard to bear. So, Mr. Coonts, I curse the dark skies, sleet, and snow that keep you on the ground this time of year up there in Colorado and invite you to buy another house in Houston. The view is not what you're used to, but the sky is incredible.

Debbie Romero AOPA 1224290
The Woodlands, Texas

Independent FAA

I heartily agree with Phil Boyer's remarks (" President's Position: Independent FAA," February Pilot), and Senator Barry Goldwater's remarks from 1975.

I would like to give you my two cents' worth by suggesting another change: have the administrator of the FAA elected by the aviation community instead of being appointed. My definition of the aviation community is the aircraft owners, pilots (active and non-active), air traffic controllers, and people who are connected to aviation and are somewhat knowledgeable about the problems and needs of aviation. (Peers is a nice word.)

Paul Wiley AOPA 497033
Alliance, Ohio

I come from a European aviation background, being originally from the United Kingdom, and can attest from personal experience to the sorry state of general aviation in Europe — and in countries elsewhere in the world that follow Europe's lead — due in large part to the attitude of the regulatory authorities and the lack of effective representation.

Those governments that have already privatized their ATC services could justifiably claim some success in the venture, depending on your perspective. They can rightly claim to have reduced the general tax burden by replacing government funding with self-funding through charges on ATC users, but that should not have been very hard to achieve in a monopoly situation anyway. From a GA perspective, however, their success has stifled activity with a succession of charges: ATC handling charges, charges for the use of approach aids, landing fees, touch-and-go fees, airport handling charges — the list goes on.

It would be a very sad day indeed to see that happen here. The United States has, without a doubt, the very best-constituted and -managed aerospace system in the world, despite the present failings of the FAA. Being also the largest single system, the most complex, and the busiest in the world further proves that all we need to learn from Europe is this: We don't want any of their ideas put into practice here.

U.S. flag airlines combined operate a fleet of more than 3,000 jet aircraft, compared with a combined European fleet of perhaps 1,500. European GA aircraft are hardly worth mentioning; their numbers are so small they would probably be dwarfed by the number of registered GA aircraft in this state of Alabama alone.

The FAA and DOT seem to spend an inordinate amount of time "harmonizing" with the International Civil Aviation Organization; to me, that is rather like the tail wagging the dog. I shudder to think of the implications of the U.S. going too far in accommodating ICAO (read, European) ideas on how to manage an aerospace system.

Norman Birchall AOPA 1131605
Enterprise, Alabama

Robinson response 'disturbing'

As a fixed-wing pilot with low time in helicopters, I am troubled that Robinson Helicopter blames pilots like me, including those "on joy rides," for a spate of accidents involving their aircraft (" Design Defect?" February Pilot).

Several things are disturbing. First, some of the low-time pilots involved in these accidents aren't alive to defend themselves. Second, isn't the Robinson R22 intended for flight training and use by low-time pilots? (Who else would use a two-seat piston helicopter?) Why isn't it more resistant to the common errors of new pilots? Third, an association between inexperience and accidents does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. This is important, considering the NTSB view that accidents occur even when the helicopter is flown within its approved envelope.

Robinson's response ignores the fact that experienced pilots were involved in some accidents. Mast bumping occurs in other two-bladed helicopters, but that does not mean that fuselage or tail boom contact occurs. In-flight breakup of older Hiller and Bell helicopters does not seem to be occurring.

Finally, reliable data on relative accident rates of different helicopters are hard to obtain. Accident data are kept by the NTSB, while hours flown are tracked by the FAA. As recently as a few years ago, the FAA data had to be hand-copied from record books, and a clerk told me they were uncertain about hours flown by some of the older helicopters.

Robinson's credibility would be enhanced by simply admitting they are studying the mast-bumping problem (I assume they are) and stating that further safety enhancements will be made.

John S. Gallagher, M.D. AOPA 925664
Sarasota, Florida

As a longtime helicopter pilot and operator, I find your story " Proving Grounds" (February Pilot) to be assumptive and technically insulting. It would seem that the story best serves Robinson Helicopter Company, unfortunately at the expense of your missed opportunity to properly enlighten your readers.

Ken Squires AOPA 1165510
Jeanerette, Louisiana

Robinson should consider requiring its pilots and mechanics to complete the safety clothing and gear requirements with Nomex flight gloves and leather boots. The bare hands and tennis shoes pictured in the article speak volumes about safety.

Charles R. Rayl AOPA 1155129
Strong City, Kansas

November weather

I read with keen interest " Wx Watch: A Bad Day in November" (February Pilot). In that article you described the extreme IFR conditions that existed over the Southeast on Sunday, November 27. I can give firsthand testimony that your article is accurate.

My family of four had been visiting my parents in Beaufort, South Carolina, that Thanksgiving weekend. On Sunday, it was time to climb into our Piper Turbo Lance and head home to Atlanta. I base out of Cobb County- McCollum Field, which is just a few miles north of the Fulton County airport where you described the crash of the Beech Baron.

When I called weather, I could not believe what I was hearing. The briefer described what were essentially zero-zero conditions all around the Atlanta area, except for Fulton County. The pressure to "get home" so that the children would not miss school was tremendous. And then there were several pilots in Beaufort pressuring me to go. "You'll make it. What do you think you have your IFR ticket for?" But something did not sound right to me. How could all the reporting stations in Atlanta have zero- zero while Fulton County had 300 feet?

Over the years, I have become more cautious in flying — not less. I tried to look objectively at the situation, but I must admit that my judgment was in danger of being clouded. Finally, about 2 p.m., I decided to borrow a car. We opted for the six-hour drive home, knowing full well that I would have to drive back to pick up my airplane and return the car.

I remember murmuring and complaining part of the way home — "Flying sure has saved me a lot of time on this trip." And the weather? It was VFR all the way to Macon, Georgia. Then, it looked as if someone had turned on the fog machine. Quite literally, a wall of fog appeared on the horizon that went down to ground level. It was hard to drive in the stuff, much less land an aircraft. I proudly informed the family that we had made the right decision.

That night, as I watched the news, I felt sick when I heard about the pilot who crashed at Fulton County. Though I did not know the gentleman, I grieved for him. I thought to myself, "that could have been me." Even good pilots can make bad judgments — and in some cases, it can be fatal. The sad thing is that the Baron could have flown about 30 minutes south and found a VFR landing site.

Jason R. Peebles AOPA 830742
Marietta, Georgia

The lesson of 'Never Again'

After my December 1994 "Never Again: Little Things Mean A Lot," a young commercial pilot questioned my snowy takeoff and says he has "a hard time accepting the analysis" (" Letters," February Pilot).

The analysis states the problems and what I should have done about them; specifically, I should have shut the engines down and sorted out the problems the next morning. The closing lesson for all readers was that good judgment comes from experience — but, alas, experience frequently comes from bad judgment. By the way, the date of that flight (edited out of my text) was 27 years ago.

Two years ago, I wrote another pilot critical of a different author's "Never Again" lesson: "The pilots who write these articles are saying to the rest of us, 'Here is what I did. I learned a valuable and life-saving lesson from the poor judgment and pilot errors of this flight. I want to help you to be a safer pilot by profiting from my experience.'"

Jack L. Parnell AOPA 134542
Collegedale, Tennessee

Colored lights were used

Barry Schiff's information on blue refueling lights was correct (" Letters," February Pilot), but the procedure is no longer in use.

I flew KC-97s for four years and KC-135s eight years. The blue rendezvous lights were applicable to the KC-97 operation. Different colored rendezvous lenses were inserted by the boom operator to identify a tanker's position in five-ship cells. We remembered the color coding by the following ditty: "Girls are willing but reluctant." Number one aircraft of the cell was green, followed in sequence by amber, white, blue, and red.

These procedures were never applicable to KC-135 operations.

Frederick Pennell AOPA 441341
San Antonio, Texas

Hoping for high prices

Steven T. Hanley states that he hopes Howard Van Bortel is "dead wrong" in his statement regarding the price of Cessna's new 172s (" Letters," February Pilot).

First, Hanley's comparison of the Jaguar automobile to the 172 is like comparing apples to oranges. Secondly, the product liability issue aside and speaking for myself as the owner/pilot of a 1981 172P, I feel my airplane would be worth much less than its current value if Cessna prices its new 172 at $60,000.

Hanley should be made aware that his opinion is not shared by all pilots, particularly this owner of a used 172.

Michael W. McRoberts AOPA 946016
High Springs, Florida

The great escape

I can tune to Thomas B. Haines' column (" Waypoints: Pressure Relief Valve," February Pilot). I like to visit my daughter and granddaughter in Mankato, Minnesota, at least three or four times a year. If I were to go by commercial air, I would have to get up at 4 a.m. and drive 56 miles to catch a commuter flight at Gunnison, Colorado. I would have to change airplanes at Denver to get to Minneapolis, and there change to a commuter flight for Mankato. If lucky with my connections, I would get there about 9 p.m. Also, commuter lines don't handle people in wheelchairs at all well.

By my airplane I still have to make that drive to the airport. After filing a flight plan and preflighting, I pull my wheelchair into the back seat of my Comanche, strap it down, and take off. Four hours later I'll land at Mankato.

This Saturday I'm flying to Death Valley to have lunch with some other wheelchair aviators. This trip is not possible by commercial carrier.

I average 300 hours a year. My airplane is a most convenient means of transportation. I enjoy it, and I too consider it a "pressure relief valve."

Donald L. Rodewald AOPA 428016
Lake City, Colorado

ELT enlightenment

Your answer to "Test Pilot" question 15 (February Pilot) was correct, but incomplete. The "new" (Class C) ELT/EPIRB transmits on 406 MHz. The 406 MHz transmission is only a short burst. The ELT/EPIRB is also transmitting on 121.5 MHz, which is used to allow for fixing the signal's position. (The satellites that pick up the 406 transmission are geostationary weather satellites, whereas orbiting satellites use a doppler effect to track and fix the position of 121.5 signals.)

The 406 MHz is only transmitting that unit's specific hexadecimal code. This code is programed by the manufacturer. When the unit is sold, it includes the registration card. The owner must fill this out and send it in to be registered. This information is stored at the NOAA Mission Control Center (MCC) in Suitland, Maryland. MCC cross references the signal's hex code with the registered owner and passes the information along to the cognizant search and rescue coordinator. Having the owner's name and phone number allows for quick resolution of false alarms, saving thousands of dollars in search costs.

Mathew Giltner AOPA 1216764
Whitehouse Station, New Jersey

Before weeping wings

Thomas A. Horne's " Weeping Wings for Singles" (February Pilot) brought back a vivid memory. About 20 years ago, when I was editor of Pilot, I'd heard of a prominent refrigeration engineer who had invented a deicing system for his Piper Tri-Pacer. A close friend of his had been killed in a Tri-Pacer that got caught in ice.

This engineer was with the Kelvinator company, which in those days was making refrigerators that cooled by somehow reversing the heating cycle. I found this gentleman and he showed me his own experimentally equipped Tri-Pacer. I'm no engineer, so I can only recall a few details.

He'd welded small "stoves" filled with the liquid used in his refrigerator to the exhaust pipes of the Lycoming engine. When the engine ran it would heat the liquid, which would expand and flow out through a thin piping system in the wings and tail. It also fed a vertical VHF antenna on top of the fuselage; I burned my fingers when I touched it.

I can find no trace of this man's identity in my files. No one in Kelvinator's engineering department remembers the project. But I was so impressed I wrote Piper, Beech, and Cessna about it; the reply was a dull silence. If someone remembered this project, we might have a deicing system for smaller airplanes that doesn't need tanks and pumps.

Max Karant AOPA 000018
Bethesda, Maryland

We welcome your comments. Address your letters to: Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701. Include your full name, address, and AOPA number on all correspondence. Letters will be edited for style and length.