Why settle for an emergency when you can make a catastrophe?

[Colonel]

It is quite possible that not a single private pilot that got their certificate in 2024 in North America could correctly answer the question,

"Why does a carburetor get cold when the engine is running?"

I think I can guarantee that not one of them could answer,

"And what effect does that have on the power of the engine?"

In this place called the 20th century, systems knowledge and stick and rudder skill were taught. No more.

In the 21st century, pilots don't look outside. They stare at their glass panels and are prepared to die if they go blank.

Fuck me. I had a private pilot actually tell me that he didn't expect to experience black hole effect - takeoff at night without visual reference - because of this.

[Colonel]

I don't think you guys up north understand how bad it is.

Over the summer, I was in the pattern at my home airport, which has a "big" 5500 foot (jet) runway and a parallel 2600 foot runway. The pilot of an inbound Extra 300, a very docile and easy-to-land certified light single, told Tower that he was unable to land on the 2600 foot runway, and that he had to land on the 5500 foot runway.

Fuck me. I've flown an Extra 300, and it lands like a Decathlon. I'm not much of a pilot compared to you Canadians, but I approach at over 200 mph and throttle back and touch down on the short runway and make the turnoff at the halfway point, 1300 feet. Check out the attached ADS-B.

[Colonel]

There was a mid-air collision near me at Minden, NV - see Juan's video - where turning downwind at an uncontrolled airport, the boys in flight suits (CAP) hit another airplane on downwind.

The consensus here was that the non-CAP airplane was at fault because it didn't have ADS-B which guarantees collision avoidance for private pilots in the 21st century. Or so I am told.

Radio calls were made, but nobody looked outside. In the fucking pattern. Why would private pilots in the 21st century need to look outside? They have all those pretty panels in the dash to look at.

[Scudrunner]

Shit I could land the Sovereign in 2600' (not legally) but I routinely see actual landing distances from the box tell me less than that and you can always do better than it says.

[Colonel]

I keep telling the kids, the only thing that matters is your height and groundspeed as you pass over the runway threshold. How you got there, just doesn't matter. The system has no memory. See "Monte Carlo Fallacy".

Then, it is up to you, to dissipate the kinetic energy however you wish.

[mcrit]

I'm not much of a pilot compared to you Canadians, but I approach at over 200 mph and throttle back and touch down on the short runway and make the turnoff at the halfway point, 1300 feet.

Nifty.

Now do it in a Herc.
On gravel.
At night.

[Colonel]

That actually sounds like a hell of a lot of fun.

Can they use reverse thrust in flight?

This reminds me of the time the navy landed a Herc on an aircraft carrier. They got a couple guys that had never flown a Herc before and …

[mcrit]

That actually sounds like a hell of a lot of fun.

Can they use reverse thrust in flight?

This reminds me of the time the navy landed a Herc on an aircraft carrier. They got a couple guys that had never flown a Herc before and …

In retrospect it was fun; at the time we described it as ‘sporty’. You can use reverse in flight on the Herc….once…

[Colonel]

This guy tried using reverse thrust in flight