An industry nightmare
" Surviving an Industry Nightmare" (March Pilot) was an interesting reflection on the results of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994. The lawyers have simply refocused on new targets for extortion. Why is someone entitled to become a multimillionaire if there is some sort of tragedy? The result of our legal system is that the cost of flying continues to increase. Lawyer Arthur Wolk believes that "aviation safety can be improved by holding manufacturers accountable." I presume the same theory applies to every provider of aviation products or services. Perhaps safety has improved. My question is, "At what cost?" As a workingman with a family to support, I have been priced out of flying and have been inactive for a few years.
Wolk's dream of aviation safety has been realized. Since I cannot fly, I cannot have an accident.
Brian Behrend AOPA 935624
Everett, Washington
I both enjoyed and was depressed after reading "Surviving an Industry Nightmare." It's a sad affair. However, I was entertained when I got to the part about Arthur Alan Wolk. Was anybody surprised by his comments? After all, he is a lawyer. His belief that the aircraft manufacturers need to be held accountable in order to improve flying safety makes as much sense as telling me that lawyers and doctors are better pilots because they went to school longer.
I'm sure a very small percentage of accidents are a direct result of the airplane's malfunctioning. However I'm also sure that a very large percentage of accidents are caused by the matter that is located directly between the pilot's ears. How about holding the pilots accountable? How about a lawyer saying, "Sorry, the accident was your fault, not the manufacturer's, so it would be unethical for me to sue the builder." There's a new word, ethical.
In February, there was an accident in which a Cessna 210 crashed in Alabama. It ran out of gas. How could Cessna improve the product to keep this aviator from flying 6.5 hours when he only had 5.5 hours of gas? This lawyer/pilot happens to be a friend of mine. To his credit he said, "It was all my fault. A very unprofessional decision." Maybe there is hope. Pilots need to hold themselves accountable, make smart decisions, and think about the consequences. Then the lawyers will go away to find other fish.
Bill Geipel AOPA 1399597
Clear Lake, Wisconsin
More on lawsuits
Would the Carnahan family be suing Ford or General Motors and their suppliers if the crash that night had been in a car (see " Pilot Briefing," February Pilot)? Probably not. No one questions the terrible loss those families have suffered, but spare us all the knee-jerk reaction of suing anyone in sight.
Money does not bring a person back to life. As automobile drivers and airplane pilots, we understand and accept the risks associated with our activities. As pilots we continually train to cope with mechanical failures, but the one factor we can never erase is the human one. We are all fallible, as drivers and as pilots.
The last thing our now-thriving industry needs is another spate of lawsuits to bring it to its knees — yet again. We as a country need to get past the prevailing attitude of blaming others for every mishap, take responsibility for our actions, and get on with life. Save the lawsuits for the big issues. Our insurance premiums would be cheaper.
Rebecca Clark AOPA 909833
Cheney, Washington
About those runways
I recently retired from the FAA after 33 years in air traffic control. I've been flying for 35 years and have owned an aircraft for nearly all of that time. Phil Boyer's comments in " President's Position: It's More Runways, Stupid!" (March Pilot) is the best and most accurate statement on the subject that I have ever seen.
All of the free-flight efforts in the world do little to solve the bunching up at major terminals. Some headway could be made if airlines would work with one another to reduce peak arrival and departure times. However, as long as greed and self-centered interests prevail, this won't happen.
Keep up the good work.
Donovan D. Schardt AOPA 727276
Bayfield, Colorado
I agree with Phil Boyer's assessment of the airline industry's capacity problem. Adding runways seems to be the way to go. My only concern is: What would keep the airlines from overscheduling with the new capacity after a new runway is added?
Initially, there would be less traffic and more on-time departures. But when demand increases, the supply will do the same — and we will find ourselves in the same situation we are in now. This issue needs to be addressed before money and time is spent adding more runways.
Ricardo Nasser AOPA 1413066
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Flying for a cause
Thanks for your excellent, informative article " Compassion in Action" (March Pilot). Pilot Ernie Hoch, like nearly 6,000 other pilots nationwide, has availed himself of one of the best opportunities for volunteering in America today. The experience afforded by pubic-benefit flying is almost unique as a charitable endeavor because, unlike so many ways of giving, the pilot/donor not only sees firsthand how crucial a helping hand is, but has the satisfaction of knowing that every cent of charitable donation, time, and energy went precisely where it was intended to go. Where else could you get so much by giving of the gift that aviation has been to you?
These folks who have come to rely on general aviation to get them to urgently needed medical care are people who have fallen through a hole in the country's health care net. Tom Goodwin of AirLifeLine was the first of many to recognize the special ability of general aviation to grant access to quality health care to all of us across America. Thanks again for helping spread the word and the invitation to participate.
Bill Worden AOPA 818304
Venice, California
I was pleased to hear that pilots like me have donated their time and resources to help people who are not as fortunate as we are. I plan to forward my application to AirLifeLine and become a volunteer pilot. Thanks for such an uplifting article.
Joseph A. Hinkle
Wenatchee, Washington
"Compassion in Action" was a tremendous article. Another organization doing basically the same type of flying is Angel Flight. We are now affiliated nationwide, and I participate with Angel Flight West. As Ernie Hoch relates, it is some of the most satisfying flying any of us has ever done. The looks on the face of the patient, and the parent or help-giver who rides along, makes it worthwhile. Hopefully articles such as yours will get more pilots interested in providing service to the community.
R.J. "Bob" Van Horn AOPA 904219
Long Beach, California
Meridian's match?
I have read " Turbine Pilot: Primed to Go — Fast" (March Pilot) on the New Piper Meridian with a lot of interest. However, I was quite disappointed to read that the Meridian "comes in at more than $1 million cheaper than its next closest competitor, the Socata TBM 700. The TBM 700 is about 20 knots faster in normal cruise and has a slight payload advantage — but it does so with 200 more shp and the accompanying fuel burn."
In terms of price, you will need to make sure that you compare apples to apples. The price difference is much less than $1 million. The list price of the TBM is currently at $2,468,180 and includes many more sophisticated systems than are in the Piper Meridian. The TBM 700 is in a different class of aircraft. The TBM's range extends to a practical 1,200 nm (with NBAA IFR reserves) at maximum speed (300 KTAS), or 1,550 nm at a fast 243 KTAS long-range speed.
Are we talking about the same class of aircraft?
Nicolas Chabbert AOPA 1345422
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Chabbert is senior vice president of Socata Aircraft — Ed.
Going to the dogs
I just read Thomas B. Haines' " Waypoints: Going to the Dogs" (March Pilot). My hat is off to him. I myself have a wonderful Border collie that means the world to me. If I had to choose between my dog and my pilot certificate, I would miss flying a great deal. Haines may not be the first per-son to use an airplane to help a dog, but his article was the first I'd read about such an act of kindness. I hope that the article inspires more pilots to do the same.
Travis Rogers AOPA 2875769
Fort Collins, Colorado
Expect ice
After reading " Never Again: Trust Your Briefer" (March Pilot), I had to write. Thomas Kline fell into a trap that has killed many pilots.
Several years ago, while flying through Virginia, I overheard controllers giving vectors to a Cherokee that was picking up ice. Our cockpit turned silent as we listened to the event unfold and wondered, "Why would he try to fly in this mess?" We were handed off to another controller and never heard the outcome. I thought of that pilot the rest of the day and prayed that he made it down safely.
I was always taught to expect ice at 5 degrees Celsius (and below) and visible moisture. In the aircraft I now fly, the anti-ice equipment is activated at 10 degrees and visible moisture. If you know a publication in which this rule of thumb is written, it would be worth printing. It could save someone from learning a deadly lesson.
Paul Munn AOPA 965217
Harrisburg, North Carolina
Erratum
Two photos in "Ready to Go Direct?" (March Pilot) were incorrectly captioned. In the photographs shown on page 73 are a traffic management advisor plan view (top) and TMA timeline display of arrivals to Dallas-Fort Worth.
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