Microlighters

Hi Folks,

After reading one or two postings on trike phobia etc, thought that I might send something in on "Airmanship" This covers a broad spectrum of aviation phenomena which I will explain shortly.
My original flying instructor was an ex RAF fighter pilot who went on to fly for various airlines and had accumulated something like 23 000 flying hours at the time that I was doing my PPL. I remember time and time again he drilled the word "Airmanship" into my brain of which I am extemely grateful today. Sadly many flight training institutions do not focus on this anymore...
Good airmanship is that undefinable something that separates the superior airman/woman from the average: it is not a measure of skill or technique, rather it is a measure of a persons awareness of the aircraft and it's environment and his/her own capabilities,combined with wise decision making and a high sense of self discipline.
Airmanship is an integral part of competency in aviation. Competency has been defined as the combination of knowledge, skills and attitude required to perform a task well - or to operate the aircraft in all forseeable situations. A flight operation even in the most basic microlight, is a complex interactive system of pilot, machine, practical physics, traffic, weather elements and risk: and when each and every flight is undertaken, it is not only the aircraft which should be airworthy, the total environment, airframe, engine, pilot, atmosphere and flight planning should be fit for safe, successful conclusion of the flight operation. Poor perception and poor discipline create an incident prone pilot.
Ensuring engine and airframe airworthiness prior to flight is a prime component of airmanship.
Studies show that most aircraft accidents and incidents reveal not a single cause but a series of inter-related events or actions that, being allowed to progress without proper intervention, lead to unplanned consequences.
Good airmanship cannot co-exist with poor discipline: a self evident truth is that a pilot lacking the appropriate self-discipline is an accident waiting to happen.
Airmanship comes into being immediately once a decision is made to fly and continues until you walk away from the completed flight and secured the aircraft.
Airmanship is being a few minutes ahead of the aircraft at all times rather than being a few seconds behind it.

Flying cannot be taught...
But it can be learned. You are a pilot, it is a state of mind as much as a seat in the cockpit. You will not master the art by reading about it or dreaming about it or talking about it. You must train. Then you must go up into the sky and practice it...

Safe flying,
Regards
Bruce

Thanks Bruce for this interesting topic.

I also think that airmanship is more than the just the regs and conforming blindly, or always trying to do the right thing, but is an attitude, which also should include mutual respect and willingness to adapt, and make the effort to understand and co-operate amongst all pilots of all types, including our GA fraternity out there.

In defense of ML pilots, we are readlily and often accused of being undisciplined cowboys with little or no regard for airmanship, safety, rules and regulations, but are never given credit for the huge efforts that are made to try to fit in and conform in the dowdy, uncompromising old world of GA .... that superior look down their noses at these lowly flying armchairs and the like still prevails, so it must mean that all ML pilots are yahoo's, right ..... it really sucks... where is the airmanship in that?

Most microlighters I have met, display far more knowledge of rules and regulations, and the ability to adapt, that shows true airmanship that is hardly ever given credit for. More than a few GA pilots I have "bumped" into have displayed abysmal discipline and airmanship, believing they simply have the "right of way" over anything else and have absolutely no inkling about microlights or the pilots that fly them

Nuf Said

Well said Bruce and i agree wholeheartedly with both yourself and ianrw's comments

Saw a comment once of "do micro-light pilots" feel inferior Not a chance. I think micro-light pilots get to fly more by the "SEAT OF THERE PANTS" than any other pilot and have to rely on instinct and good judgement more than gadgetry. Priciples of flight apply as much to a 747 pilot as what it does to a micro-light pilot or any aviatior for that matter.

I think in some cases its just the size and price of the toy that make some pilots think they are superior And as it's stated in your post everything mentioned there applys to anyone and everyone involved in aviation no matter what they fly. (Yeah yeah i know ive gone off on a tangent again but i feel better all the same)

FROM A PROUD MICRO - LIGHT PILOT

Your's in Flying
CHAZ

Today we flew in (on invitation) to Rand to spend some time at the new EAA auditorium. We all parked together North of threshold to RW 29. Any GA ircraft taxiing to take off on 29 could not have missed us, but still did not have any concern while running up their engines. One or two showed great airmanship by turning away from the ultra light aircraft, but the majority hadn't a clue as to the consequences of their selfish (we've always done it this way) attitude..
Maybe I was lucky in having an instructor that always spoke of airmanship and what it means. Every time we see an example of airmanship, we comment... all around us soon get onto the idea.
But.... dont think GA aircraft are alone. The trike in front of me started up and didnt have a clue that I was holding onto the prop of my TBird. Another trike pilot struggled and pushed his aircraft into a position that nothing would be affected when he started up. So its not a case of them or us... its any of us..
Paul (I think thats his name) the parking marshal summed it up well, he said airmanship starts when the alarm clock goes off on the morning :D

My biggest bugbear is not using radios, especially when you are in the vicinity of an airfield. The biggest culprits are the Police and Military Choppers. The other day a large Military Chopper decided to hover right on long finals to Morning Star. Now it's not that we are on some special freq they might not know about, we are on 124.8. They tried to raise them on the radio, no response. Saturday morning a Trike with a blue and white wing, couldn't get the reg, came cruising straight across Morning Star, through the circuit, there where two guys in circuit that tried to raise the idiot and nothing.

I made this up earlier this year:

AIRMANSHIP

Aviators
Inspire
Respect
Minimising
Accidents &
Noise
Showing
Humility
In
Public

The one piper at Rand was actually a student AND the Instructor - they had absolutely no idea that their run up was directly infront of some trikes. The one trike was just about airbourne before the pilot ran and saved the plane. Paul went to the aircraft in question and tried to get their attention but for some or other reason they didn´t even see him standing by their port wing. Suppose we cannot all be awake that late in the morning