Idiots of the year......................

[KAG]

regardless of right or wrong...I hate to be that poor groomer

[Cat Driver]

For the record I have been at this for 20 years. And yes, I have done lots of "real" flying all over this and other continents. No desire to go back to the bad old days, that's all.

The " Bad old days".

What was bad about twenty years ago that is good today?

[Phlyer]

NWONT made a reference to bush flying and how some pilots won't fly with "a snowflake" on their planes. I was referring to the bad old days when I flew Navajos and turbines and the boss would hand a spray bottle and a broom for deicing but "only if we really needed it." This guy would come in ranting and raving about any bill for deicing and frankly that was BS. I deice when the plane needs it.
I can see this descending into a bitter pissing match and that's why I rarely post here anymore - I haven't done aerial photography in many years but did not bother to change my username.
No offence intended to anyone - I see that Antonov being abused and personally would not treat a plane that way.
You would? The plane is built for it you say? Enjoy - by all means.
I'm done.

[NWONT]

Anytime you get into any airplane and fly it through the air there is a risk. What goes up must come down...eventually. The onus is on the man in charge to minimalize the risk. It's impossible to remove it completely. Aircraft are tested and certified in ideal conditions. Perfect wings, boots, props, engines producing the horsepower they were designed to produce when installed in new condition. If you taxi out to the runway on a day that it is snowing you will have snow on the wings when you get to the take off zone, will you return to the hanger to again clean the wings or use the knowledge you are supposed to have to figure out if it will blow off or is it adhereing to the wings. We all know of a case or two where the aircraft should have been returned but if it is totally unsafe to fly with a little snow (you should know what is acceptable here) then maybe no flying should be permitted on days it is snowing. When the zero tolerance rules came out I saw many, many aircraft with the slightest bit of rime on the leading edges being de-iced. Totally unnecessary in my opinion. Airport managers were in an uproar as all this fluid was being tracked into the terminals. The ramps were just a sea of slush. Snow that would have easily blown of was now turned to slush and getting into the flight controls and heater inlets which was causing smoke in the cabins during flight. Pilots would say, how can I know my exact stall speed, vmc, etc, if there is a trace of ice on my wings. Well my boy you can't, it's changed slightly. Use your knowledge and experience and adjust. Are your engines and props in perfect condition? Probably not, adjust. If you have to shut one down, will the remaining engine give you the power the book says its supposed to? Probably not, adjust. Did you use standard weights for all your passengers? Are there some fat bastards back there? I bet there are, adjust. Flying is a calculated risk, you are expected to understand the risks and minimalize them. There are many airports that less than desirable, at times there is no airport at all. To operate in these conditions aircraft are either designed to withstand the forces brought against them or they are modified to deal with it. I fly an aircraft that could fall into this area and I feel very confidant that the aircraft is capable or I wouldn't do it. I like Russian airplanes. They are built strong and tough. Many are so ugly that they're beautiful. I've met a few Russian pilots also. They too are strong and tough but damned great guys. There is flying in this world that is very challenging and the risks are increased considerably. This type of work isn't for everybody but just because you have never attempted this type of necessary higher risk operations don't be so quick to thumb your nose at those who do. By the way, I've been at this for over 40 years and Cat's way ahead of me.

[Cat Driver]

You have explained it quite well NWONT flying is all about mitigating risk so as to be able to complete every flight.

There is no one rule fits all, we learn risk management through experience.

My motto is still the same.....The most difficult thing about flying is knowing when to say no.

I often think about all the different risks I managed to find my way through and I guess the most difficult was flying in the Harmattan season in the Sahara.

[spaner]

Hell yea, you know what I'm talk'en bout;

09, Dec 3, landed buttonville airport, 0423z, MEDEVAC, ALL POWDER...36" powder on the rwy;
Freezing Rain, after the "front". Waited the one-hour for the "pediatric care", got the "box". on board...everything good.
Then taxied out, NO SERVICE, no equipment, I'm OK, BOSS, MU2...took off in the powder; 36" 100% covered, but, dry powder...
MY CALL...
BLASTED, OUT'A THERE...
Little boy to YYZ, hey, it's all good. Made it happen, done.

Gott'a "management blast" the next day, via E-Mail, TOO OVER THE LINE...
Not proper, not good...
Hey, "my call";

Week later, I don't like the forcast into YMO, ZR++;
Too fracken bad, why didn't you complete that flight???
Pop & chips...

What the frack man, do it yourself...

This is what we're talk'en about;
Who is in charge?
ME, that's who...
Who says what goes, and when?
ME, that's who.
Any questions?
Then I no longer work here. AND, that's all...

Why, do I train so hard?
Why, do I study so hard?
Why, do I understand the weather conditions, and the flight risk...
Just so management can give me shite?
Frackyou, shove it up your A-hole,
I'm the boss, or it don't GO...

PERIOD...