Scudrunners

Got this email:



WTF is "Electronic Stability & Protection" and why would you need it on a fucking 172?

Does this 172 need it?

It's a good training tool to teach future 737 max pilots to switch off faulty software systems.

Glass panels has no place in flight training. The only “glass” that a C 172 student should be looking at is the one between the top of the instrument panel and the top of the cabin.

I've said this before, but ....

Pilots should go through several phases of training, on different types of aircraft.

The first phase of training should be at a grass field on a cub with no electrics.
10 hours-ish, then solo and onto the next phase on a slightly more advanced
type (metal, fixed gear) at probably a different airport with paved runways.

Final phase would be on a retractable gear aircraft. Certainly Nav, instrument,
hopefully some formation and aerobatics. T-6 is a bit long in the tooth for that
these days, perhaps SF.260?



The military used to train like that. It makes me sad to see pilots fly their first
200 hours on the same type. It's like all-season tires. They're bad at everything.

I have the Garmin GFC 500 (autopilot) in my 180.
It has a “you’re going to slow I’ll push the nose lower for you” feature that I have to disable. Without getting info from an AoA, it’s based on airspeed alone.

Thankfully I’m able to manual disconnect it, but it’s an auto “on” feature unless you purposely disable it. Mostly forgetting about it until you’re on final and the elevator starts to get stiff.

This is so sad. The aircraft already has stability (in that axis) already built in.

You slow down, the elevator gets heavy. The nose wants to do down, back to
the trimmed airspeed.

Sigh. I guess letting go of the control column is too complicated for 21st
century pilots.

Sounds like, “Firewall wrinkle” assist.

You guys got to look at the bright side. $174/hr is still sort of cheap to rent a 172 for an hour, especially a reasonably new one. Given the purchase price of one of those these days, thats a lot of hours it has to fly to make that money back. And it probably is ready to go when you show up to take it. Fueled up and freshly pulled out of a warm hangar for you. And you don't have to worry about fueling it up when you give it back. Go do a few loops if you really want to get your money's worth.

I bet Truman’s parachute school would have an affordable rental rate. I would rent off him too. Ten years ago maybe not, but now? I’m in.