Low Flying - Wave Skimming

[alanmack]

What now seems like a lifetime ago I had a buddy who was a highly successful businessman and happily married Dad. I mention this as the lad was no crackpot, in fact, he was a very reserved yet determined man. His trike was always maintained in perfect condition (and probably better than that) as he was a man with advanced mechanical competence.

I flew a few day-long trips at the coast with him and he would leave my side, every then and again, to either:
- climb way up and then dive bomb from above a small dense pocket of cloud or
- descend to a river mouth, turn, and fly up the river at zero foot minus a few cm. ( Water skiing - if you like).

He did these things for personal pleasure and never did he offer these or other stories when others engaged in hangar talk.

These were his all time cherished moments and when I think of the times that I failed to get him to see fault with these moments of extreme pleasure I can but reflect that it is these moments that have him smiling whilst playing a harp on a cloud for the silly bugger that ended his life in a head on car crash whilst he ambled home on the right side of the road!

Recreational aviation is an extreme sport as is skate boarding, kite surfing and the rest. You can watch videos from the safety of your couch or you can live the edge of sensibility. Whether you are entertaining yourself, or a crowd with an aerobatic display one must be aware that you are at the edge of sensibility and that "thrills" and "adventure" often are more risky than eating your mother-in-law's spiked popcorn on the couch! You can live a contented live working for another or you can go bust 5 times on the road to a dream.

There is no right or wrong other than putting these matters to democratic governance. Individuality needs space to reach its contentment.

Fly safe, have fun and be happy with the decisions that you make.

[Bushveld Blue]

Hey Asterix - don't stress man - I have really enjoyed reading these threads - I hope I can meet up with you sometime Everyone has their point of view, regs considered In the end it resulted in healthy debate, that's what this forum is really about.

[ZUDOD]

Although I seldom agree with Asterix (I do not know him despite having grown up in the same town 12 years ahead of him), I always find his posts, if not controversial and very opinionated, interesting.

As an inexperienced pilot with 80 hours who flies alone in a 100km radius, this forum provides me with information other pilots obtain during "hangar talk".

I have no doubt that this thread was started good heartedly and tongue-in-cheek. It may have gone from amusing and sarcastic, to boring and insulting but has caused many of us to again think about low flying and thus contributed to safe flying. Isn't this what this forum is all about?

[Jean Crous]

I dont fly trikes, but that being said.......flying is flying. To me the lesson has always been : If you see someone doing something with an aeroplane that looks like fun ....DONT try and do it. Rather go and LEARN to do it from someone with the right background and training, and a long track record to boot.
Jean.

[Blue Max]

So far very interesting reading matter.
And also educational.
I will not advise anybody to do low flying at or near a river mouth.! There is always Escom wires crossing the river.
Many years ago,(about 30) I was witness (earwitness) of an aircraft with two adults and two children flying into Escom wires.
There were no survivors. It happened at Kleinemond in the Eastern-cape. I was one of the first persons to arrive at the scene.
Not something one will easily forget.

[John Boucher]

Low flying should not be an impromptu action and the example you refer to BlueMax refers.

An appropriate recce of the flight path. Escom, farmers, kids to name a few, "install" spans of wire or cable overnight or when you least expect it. The thing about if you don't see any poles, you don't worry is a fairy tale... You only see them when it's too late or if you are lucky, wake up in ICU and use the excuse your engine lost power and that given moment!!

Me, I go low sometimes on a known stretch from Dana Bay to Boggoms but that is seldom as I am not in the mood for drama and any way, the salty spray so low really stuffs up so many things on your aeroplane!! I am quite happy up top...

[Bundy]

Seeing as though the positive spirit has returned I'm happy to engage...

I voted 3 because... yes.... there is a time, place, and set of circumstances that does allow for safe and legal low level activity. I believe though that our decisions to go low very rarely occur at that same time, place and set of safe circumstances...

Within the first 50 years of manned flight, we had probably invented every conceivable way to kill ourselves in an airplane. Stalls, CFIT, spins, fire,mid air collision, Low level flying, hypoxia.....the list is longer than I have time now to type! So...without inventing many new ways, we have instead spent the next 50-60 years repeating those same mistakes.

Recreational Aviation...the thorn in the CAA's side. They would probably ground us all tomorrow if they would not have their building burnt down by a mob the next day? We only really have ourselves to blame...we want less regulation and more self responsibility and freedom.... but are unwilling to change our attitude to safe flying? It does not help wanting to fly safely 75% of the time guys...

The Cammeraderie is great, the freedom of flight is indescribable..... but our self discipline levels are pretty damn poor as a whole. If I had to make a list of pilots I would let my young son fly with on a weekend based on their attitude and decision making abilities.... I could count them on one hand I promise you. I don't even include myself on that list yet. .... but I am working on that.

I have seen some pretty reckless things in the air... to be honest I would rather climb in a plane with a pupil on his first solo than fly with some pilots I know and have flown with before.
Wanting to be this fabled "safe pilot" will not stop you from making a mistake that can kill you....but it will certainly give you a much better chance of surviving your flying career than those around you who deliberately choose to fly in high risk enviroments all or even just some of the time. There is a big difference between making a mistake and doing something deliberately.

Mistakes cant be helped and we all make those, but you do have the ability and responsibility to work on the rest...and it's never too late to change a bad habit they say?

Unless you are dead I suppose... YOU choose.

[CVStrong]

Well said Bundy...

I have learned that there are only 2 kinds of pilots, those who have had an accident, and those that are going to...

Having said accident changes the way you look at things...

I am still of the firm belief that if you take an educated decision to fly in a high risk manner, that is your own choice, and if you dont see it as high risk as I do, then so be it... But, and I know but normally negates what was said before, although in this case not, make sure that you do it either on your own, or with a pax that genuinely understands the risks involved, and wherever possible out of the public eye, as someone who does not understand flying will generally perceive what is considered a standard procedure by some a reckless behaviour, and then all microlight pilots are tarred with the same brush...

Much like a couple I met this morning who were at the Secunda airshow yesterday now think that all airshows are dangerous...

Just a few thoughts...

Craig

[John Boucher]

Much like a couple I met this morning who were at the Secunda airshow yesterday now think that all airshows are dangerous...

Having traveled there is also dangerous... crossing an intersection when the robot is green for you is dangerous! We are surrounded by so many various dangerous factors.

In aviation, how we manage or perceive these dangers are really up to the individual to take in what and how experienced pilots shares information. You will get the percentage of personalities (of which I have had direct and indirect drama with) that will turn around and toss it all back in your face. There are those that will of course sit down and really take to heart what you say.... Disseminating what Asterix had to say is two fold - he does have a point in highlighting certain issues. Is it illegal to fly low? No it isn't but it does become a contravention of the regs when you you move beyond the parameter. The point where said pilot was skimming the waves (hopefully 1st or 2nd breaker ) I don't have a problem with, the rest I do.

Recently I received a call from S&R iro a "trike" that had apparently crashed in the sea off Ballito. NSRI and everyone was looking for a pilot and it turned out to be a windsurfing wing that had been observed. I don't know if the person was found (if there was a person that drowned etc.) or if he was safe on the beach sipping Cuppacinos and "bitching" because he lost his wing or board. The problem is that once someone goes in the "drink" a whole lot of things start happening and in the end, other people unselfishly puts their own lives at risk to "save" this lost soul!

I was taught to fly the plan (this already decided upon before take off). I mentioned to someone this morning that I am a "banggat pilot" and prefer not to push the limits merely because I want to be able to fly again tomorrow. This does not mean I cannot enjoy myself. Each to there own I suppose

[CVStrong]

Much like a couple I met this morning who were at the Secunda airshow yesterday now think that all airshows are dangerous...

Having traveled there is also dangerous... crossing an intersection when the robot is green for you is dangerous! We are surrounded by so many various dangerous factors.

Hi John,

You almost quoted my response to the couple mentioned verbatim... The reason I mentioned it was to illustrate the point that events and actions of others will have a direct effect on the perception of our sport...

I know a commercial helicopter pilot, that has little or no exposure at all to trikes, and due to the actions of one trike pilot a few years ago, he is convinced we are all lawless hooligans who flaunt the rules at every opportunity, never communicate on the radio and are on the whole unsafe... Now imagine his surprise, when he has flown with me in choppers, knows my standards etc, and I tell him I am flying trikes... The conversation change went along the lines of "well I know you don't do that, but trike pilots are" so we have to convince these people that we are not all hooligans or dangerous...

People doing what the public perceive as dangerous, in the public eye, do untold damage to the reputation of our sport... Hence my comment earlier of trying to minimize exposure when doing what other may perceive as reckless or dangerous... at the end of the day it effects us all...

Just look at the thread on avcom relating to the R44 landing at the fuel bay at Lanseria... a fixed wing pilot, not understanding the SOPs of helicopters caused a hectic issue, merely by not understanding what actually took place... And then things deteriorated from there as they do on avcom...

Lets hope we can keep the level of camaraderie here on Microlighters such that we do not succumb to that sort of attack... it would be a sad day indeed...

Cheers

Craig

[John Boucher]

Lets hope we can keep the level of camaraderie here on Microlighters such that we do not succumb to that sort of attack... it would be a sad day indeed...

Posts on microlighters has been immune to moderation for ages with only the persistent bloody spammers doing their bit to keep us "busy". We are all passionate about aviation, some more than others... I am sure that the air has cleared, heads are thinking straight again and are focused on the topic at hand as that is what "teaches" young and old of this wonderful sport. Name calling, finger pointing etc just does not have a place for it, irrelevant from where it originated... the deletion and locking just checked the system and doubt that it will be needed again in the near future.

Let's learn...
Keep it topical...
Add value...
We are all entitled to opinions, agree to disagree, but kindly do it in a gentlemanly fashion. If you feel so strong about it, then a PM is the way to go

[CVStrong]

Here here John, well Said

[Turbo]

Well said Bundy...

I have learned that there are only 2 kinds of pilots, those who have had an accident, and those that are going to...

Craig

Man thats what i call half empty glass -- id prefer to look at it as half full and maintain that the multi billion dollar industry is worth as much as it is, purely because of the safety precautions, reliable engines, planes etc are in service -- i believe that the as long you obide by the rules, and do pre-flights, services, maintenance etc etc etc etc why should you have an accident?

recklessness and cowboy antics, blatant disregard for rules, regulations, precautions, etc will only get you into trouble. Fatalities are NOT always caused by the accident itself, just watch the video of the crash at secunda and you will see how long it took for the medics to first of all get to the crash and then some doos still forgot his jacket in the truck and took more than 30 seconds to get to it -- while the fire got bigger and bigger and by the time the idiot got his jacket out the fire had grown so large that it was too late to rush in and pull th body from the plane -- sustaining 3rd degree burns to his body -- could this have saved his life if he wasnt burnt? is it possible???

just saying i was shocked -- i personally have responded to MVA accident scenes when operating as a reservist and there is no way our team took our time in emergency siutations even if it meant putting your own life at potential risk! It SEEMED like for ever for the medics/fire engine staff to GET TO the crash!

sad but true!

[Asterix]

.

[Bundy]

recklessness and cowboy antics, blatant disregard for rules, regulations, precautions, etc will only get you into trouble.

I agree with that part.