Ballistic Parachute Stories

[Morph]

The sensation of low-level flight is amazing but I am still uncomfortable to just drift along just above the mieles, especially when I have a pax. The cautious oke in me forces me to get higher where I can see safe landing spots easier. It's different along the beaches where if neccessary you just put it down straight ahead onto the sand.

I think people become complacent and with this accidents happen.

WRT turbulance, altitude usually does reduce it, but sometimes dropping down and hugging the ground sometimes helps as well Haven't quite reasoned out why, maybe the termals are still generating and not accelerating upwards at the same pace as say at 500ft.

I don't do this with rotors, where the further you are away the better.

[FAWGie]

A thought

Do you think the more hours one obtains the lower they fly?

I still like to fly pretty high especially when it is turbulent, over ridges etc
but there are many (and yes very good pilots) with high hours that do things I can't imagine ever doing, although still envious at their skills.

So does one become braver and more daring as the hours build up or is a conservatie pilot always conservative ???

I sometimes worry that Ill get that feeling of I know what I'm doing and start taking chances - it just takes one mistake or obstacle at the low height for an accident ???

Just thoughts - maybee some of the guys with the hundreds of hours can comment on what they do and how they feel

Thunderboy, very good question you pose....
There are several schools of thought on this one....

The most common is that most pilots learn and grow rapidly till they get around the 100 hour mark where the confidence level becomes high. This is perceived as a dangerous period, as the pilot might be tempted to push the boundary more than before....for most pilots, one of two bad experiences soon calm them down and they carry on building hours till around the 500 hour mark....

At this point again things get to the point where the pilot feels pretty much in control of everything and bulletproof.....which is why things become dangerous again as boundaries might get pushed, etc....

The pilot then flies till he gets to the 1000 hour mark and at this stage is hugely relieved that he (or she) has come this far unscathed and the safety limits and conservatism starts to set in to lessen the ods of any further accident happening....

So how many hours to make a pilot safe? There is no formula...It depends on the pilot's personality, experience safety adherance....

[Petrodactyl]

I have been very interested to see where this discussion has gone. I have certainly benefitted from the wisdom of the experienced.

Thanks FAWGie for your overview of 'Danger Points' in a pilots career. I have just topped 200 hours, which I was given to believe was when we start to get cocky and do stupid things. I must say that I am starting to struggle with the paradox of getting uncomfortable with observing myself as too comfortable.

An example was the other mornings flight which I described to someone as being so smooth that 'it was like playing a video game.' I must say that I caught myself feeling so totally at home up there that I had lost that little worm of caution in the pit of the guts that has been my constant reminder that I am in a dangerous place, and must monitor potential landing sites, wind direction etc.

So I can appreciate Big D's position that a BRS will only be used in the event that the aircraft could not be flown to the ground . If we are flying cautiously, the need to use it will reduced or completely eliminated. Old addages about 'old pilots and bold pilots, and 'low and slow', taken to heart, are as important as added safety equipment.

petrodactyl

[FAWGie]

I must say that I am starting to struggle with the paradox of getting uncomfortable with observing myself as too comfortable.

Petrodactyl,

Of course, pilot personality plays a huge role and some folk remain cautious, so never pose a threat to themselves.....It's the rest of us that go through these syndromes as we tend to push the boundary and do those spectacular things in the sky....

[Coyote]

Welcome Petrodactyl - this group is definitely left of center but a great bunch. There is alot of combined knowledge here.