Draco

[Colonel]

New Draco Video



I hope he learned his lesson.  See, the difference between he and I, is that I would have taken
off on the ramp, into wind, ATC screeching and honking away.  I might have lost my licence, but
my airplane would not have been damaged.  Not my first CADORs, and not my last.

I don't understand this generation, that they are more afraid of losing their paper, than crashing.

What The Fuck?!

I know I'm really stupid compared to you young guys, but while I have had my licence suspended
now and then over the decades, in over 45 years of flying, [i]I have never dented an airplane[/i].

When you choose to [i]not[/i] crash your airplane, but instead lose your licence, after a while, if you
wait on the beach in the sunshine, get a tan and drink skirt drinks, [u]your licence magically comes back[/u].

But if you choose to crash your airplane to keep your precious paper intact, it doesn't matter
how long you wait, [u]your aircraft will never fix itself[/u]. 

I am NOT making this up.

I think I'm really stupid compared to you young guys, who are more worried about losing your
stupid fucking paper than crashing.  Did you learn that bullshit at your flight school?

Remember what I said before.  I'm pretty stupid, but I wouldn't have tried to fly ahead of the
front in that turbulence, in that light-wing-loading airplane.  Barf city for the pax and really hard
on the airplane.

[Slick Goodlin]

I might have been tempted to just snug down the tiedown ropes a little more and go for a beer.  That way I wouldn’t have to worry about the consequences of pretending I’m a helicopter AND there’s a beer in it for me!  Win-win.

[Colonel]

Nobody cares, but that aircraft tied down outside, would require lift spoilers on the wings.

Really reduce the wear and tear on the aircraft, tied down outside in a howling wind, and
vastly reduce the probability of it tearing the tie-downs out and going flying solo.  Real solo,
not CPL solo which always involves a plane full of pilots.

I'm sure he had get-home-itis.  It's killed a lot of people, who ended up missing a lot of work.
People on the ground screeching at you that it's time to die.  My problem is that I always told
them to fuck off, so as a result, I never crashed any airplanes.  Terrible personality flaw - I need
to work on that.

Back on topic.  Why is it the [u]end of the fucking world[/u] for ATC to be unhappy?

Why are they so important to today's pilots?  Why is it more important to keep ATC happy,
than to NOT CRASH?

You think I don't care enough about ATC's feeling's, you should meet my father sometime.
He never understood the purpose of a hold, and thought the TC "5 degree zone of inflexibilty"
was hilariously stupid.  He said that if ATC gave him a hold, he would ask where they wanted
him to eject.

I know I will be burned at the bureaucratic stake for this heresy, but ... you are JUST AS GOOD
A PILOT, either with or without a licence.  Some of the best pilots I know, have no paper.  Some
of the worst pilots I know, have ATP's.  No exaggeration.  A guy I know with an ATP, can't land
a Decathlon.  Easiest taildragger I know of.  All of my student pilots exceeded that level, before
I sent them solo.  My son soloed in our Maule when he was 14.  The @sshole retired TC Inspector
on the field called Children's Aid on me.  No shit.  You know it's not a good day when you drive
up to your hangar and there's a pissed-off woman with a clipboard with two OPP cruisers parked
outside your hangar.  Thanks, TC.

[Liquid Charlie]

I don't know how many times I have heard the expression "it's legal" when pilots are trying to justify a stupid decision. Yup more worried about the ticket than the hull - i just shake my head and roll my eyes because you can't talk sense to that group.

The DRACO affair I always wondered if the actual capabilities of the aircraft were exceeded or was there a brain fart and improper control input. As far as ATC I personally have received permission to land/TO off runway surface (in the grass) due to operational issues. Landing on a taxi way in Winnipeg to help ATC - didn't ask permission and nothing said except "thank you"

Break a rule for safety seems like a no brainer to me but then again I'm a baby boomer

[Colonel]

Long forgotten in the mists of time ....

The original, ostensible purpose of that enormous fucking mountain of paper, is to create safety.

Not to create pensions, defined benefits or to pursue political agendas, as one could easily conclude.