I would like to make a brief comment on “Flight Lesson: Cautionary Tale” (March 2012 Flight Training). I thought this story set an excellent example for student pilots and experienced pilots alike. As with any event like this, there were a number of precursors that led up to what in all rights should have been an accident. A few of them were pointed out in the “Lessons Learned” summary, but it would take quite a bit of ink to list all of them. However, the article missed a critically important point that new students (and obviously old) should be aware of. That is the requirements of Part 43 of the FARs, which discuss aircraft maintenance. Without pretending to be an airworthiness inspector, operations inspector, or the NTSB, I believe it would appear that the primary causal factor to this event was the alleged “homemade” fuel shut-off valve “safety device.”
This should serve as a great example that the regulations are written in blood. There are a number of ways this would-be accident could have been prevented. First of all, pay an A&P mechanic to repair the known faulty fuel shut-off valve. Second, teach the aircraft owner not to fabricate unapproved homemade parts to intentionally circumvent fixing the known faulty valve. Third, although gliders don’t make noise, the student/glider pilot should be capable of following a preflight checklist and refusing the flight after finding the faulty fuel shut-off valve. Both of the guys in the story got very lucky that day. They both got to go home and hug their children. Lesson learned? Preflight your airplane and don’t fly it if it doesn’t make the grade 100 percent.
Michael Lessard
Sullivan, Maine
A simulated alternative
I really appreciate your magazine with the great articles. As a member for more than six years, I still get Flight Training even after getting my private pilot certificate. I think it’s great that you encourage use of flight simulators—but as someone that uses a Mac, I’m disappointed that you usually promote Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is Windows-only.
With the end of current development of that program, and the popularity of the iPad in pilot circles, the purchase of Mac computers is also rising, and so you should really promote a cross-platform option for a change. I strongly recommend X-Plane from Laminar Research.
X-Plane is an amazing simulator, offering so many different airplanes—including user-created models, incredible scenery and detail in the outside world, and mobile versions—that you would do your members a great service by mentioning it in your magazine.
George A. Brownfield
Webster, Texas
Which rudder?
Flight Training is a great magazine and I read the articles carefully. In the March story, “Technique: The Steep Turn,” step number three states, “You may need to hold a bit of aileron opposite the direction of turn to correct for overbanking tendency. That control may need to be offset by inside rudder pressure counteracting drag from the lowered aileron.”�The lowered aileron is the inside aileron, pulling the nose into the turn. The offset should therefore be provided by outside rudder pressure.
Bob Bass
Poplarville, Mississippi
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