Good morning all...
Paul you are absolutely right, a general aviation aviator with limited hours and no instrument rating, night rating and a few more endorsements is better off:
Sitting down here
Wishing he was up there
Rather than up there
Wishing he was down here
When I flew Bush Aircraft during the summer I had to help look for several aircraft that had gone down in Northern Canada...they were never found.
When I flew in the military I was with Air Transport Command and we assisted our Search and Rescue Squadrons during a search for aircraft, summer and winter.
When I flew commercial many times we deviated because my number one picked up a ELT signal in the north.
Most of it stupidity, lack of experience and training was what we saw when looking for a downed aircraft.
It does not happen as much now but the odd time I hear of an aviator getting themselves into troubles.
What bothered me the most was if we saw the wreck and could land, we hiked there and picking the children up if there were any made me think of my children at home.
Most times there were no survivors and it made many of us wonder what the parents must have been thinking to push the weather.
Many times the aircraft were never found and when the snowmobiles came into use by the general public these folks would often find missing wrecks that were rolled into aluminum balls against the side of a tree.
I have over half of a century and three Log Books full of escapades but now when I see nasty black puffy wuffies unless I have a good aircraft and an instructor with me I am just like you Paul. ;)
Sorry Stephane for getting so long winded on your post....
Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug
by Daube » Fri Jul 09, 2010 4:37 pm 
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