Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Non-Airline Forums > Private Flying
Reload this Page >

Ballsy waterskiing display

Wikiposts
Search
Private Flying LAA/BMAA/BGA/BPA The sheer pleasure of flight.

Ballsy waterskiing display

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 21st Aug 2017, 21:27
  #21 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: SE England
Posts: 111
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by B737C525
And when it goes wrong, what about the people who will take risks trying to rescue him? Swimming down into the water to get him out? The SAR helicopter and its crew, perhaps the lifeboat and its crew? The emergency services whose time will be expended? The hospital bed he'll occupy if he's lucky, and the person who can't be in that bed because he's occupying it? The police officers who'll deliver the news if he's not lucky? The investigators who'll have to try to write up this idiocy without upsetting his relatives? The Procurator Fiscal and Sherriff and others in the coronial process (perhaps)? The cost to society generated by all the above and the premature death of a financially successful person? The effect on his family and loved ones of his premature departure?

Flyingmac, you couldn't be more wrong. You simply couldn't.
Blimey

You could apply much of the above argument to reasons for not going hillwalking, mountain biking, motorcycling, practically anything other than sitting in your house pntificating on PPRuNe.
FC80 is offline  
Old 21st Aug 2017, 21:34
  #22 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Cloud Nine
Posts: 359
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Armchair critics......

Oh FFS. Do you criticise aerobatic pilots for doing dangerous cunning stunts? Do you criticise horse riders for taking part in the most dangerous of sports? Do you criticise cyclists for cycling on main roads with busy traffic?

Yes, there is perceived risk in pretty much anything these days, but just because you wouldn't do it, doesn't mean it is not safe, and no reason for you to character assassinate anyone else who does. You have no idea of the skill level or experience of the pilot, or of what they are trying to,achieve.

BTW it is common practice in bush flying for washing sand off the tyres.
PH-UKU is offline  
Old 21st Aug 2017, 22:25
  #23 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 353
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Riskiest place in the world is in your own house - or pulling your trousers on in the morning (5 dead doing that last year)

Dangerous to one is normal to another ..... and v.v.
Good Business Sense is offline  
Old 22nd Aug 2017, 01:54
  #24 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Canada
Age: 63
Posts: 5,202
Received 133 Likes on 60 Posts
BTW it is common practice in bush flying for washing sand off the tyres.
.

Big Pistons Forever is offline  
Old 22nd Aug 2017, 07:27
  #25 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: N.YORKSHIRE
Posts: 888
Received 10 Likes on 5 Posts
Originally Posted by B737C525
Have you spoken to any people in the situations I mention? Perhaps you'd like to explain your point of view to them. I have, much more often than I would have preferred to.

There is considered, reasonable, risk-taking. We all understand that.

And there is idiocy: behaviour so likely to kill or injure, and to cause others to take unreasonable risk themselves, and cause them misery, and hurt the public purse, that it is quite beyond the bounds of reasonableness.


I think you're suffering from tailwheel envy.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0fByofsZvo
Flyingmac is offline  
Old 22nd Aug 2017, 07:50
  #26 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Dorset, UK
Age: 65
Posts: 360
Received 7 Likes on 1 Post
What's the attrition rate of aircraft doing water-skiing?
I have not seen any accident reports .... but I have not specifically looked.
Romeo Tango is offline  
Old 22nd Aug 2017, 11:26
  #27 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 144
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by Romeo Tango
What's the attrition rate of aircraft doing water-skiing?
I have not seen any accident reports .... but I have not specifically looked.
My club lost a newly refurbished Robin (tricycle uc) in an "alleged" attempt to water-ski on the river Derwent. The pilot told the aaib that he had an engine failure . Mobile phone footage of the incident was accidently deleted .........

The pilot gained his Darwin award a few months later with a CFIT (unfortunately taking a female passenger with him).
snchater is offline  
Old 22nd Aug 2017, 14:35
  #28 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: North west
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Big Pistons Forever
I am struggling to see how water skiing your aeroplane makes you a better pilot.....
If you have a good understanding of the fluid dynamics it allows you to plane below stall speed and if landing on a gravel bar or bank allows a more controlled contact point at a lower speed. This skill is very useful for some pilots.
Proteus9 is offline  
Old 22nd Aug 2017, 14:50
  #29 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Glens o' Angus by way of LA
Age: 60
Posts: 1,975
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Proteus9
If you have a good understanding of the fluid dynamics it allows you to plane below stall speed and if landing on a gravel bar or bank allows a more controlled contact point at a lower speed. This skill is very useful for some pilots.
I think that is what the judge in the Ullswater prosecution case decided too, finding our friend Mr. J. not guilty and awarding costs. Not that I would have the intestinal fortitude to try it even with a big set of Alaskans and no audience.
piperboy84 is offline  
Old 22nd Aug 2017, 20:27
  #30 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Manchester MAN
Posts: 6,642
Received 74 Likes on 46 Posts
Here’s the well-known Kiwi Tiger Moth and Hunter pilot, Dave Phillips, having fun:
India Four Two is offline  
Old 25th Aug 2017, 18:44
  #31 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Near the Mountains of Sussex
Posts: 270
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Lots of YouTube and other videos of Waterskiing..... I'd be interested to know the number of times it goes all wrong..... Not much official evidence ? So is it that risky ? Would have thought the internet would be full of mishaps and accidents but cannot find any except that idiot in the Robin
Blink182 is offline  
Old 25th Aug 2017, 19:27
  #32 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Moray,Scotland,U.K.
Posts: 1,777
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Was there a fatal waterskiing accident at an airshow in China, involving a notorious US pilot, with an innocent young Chinese interpreter passenger? A few years ago, reported on ANN, Avweb, or both
Maoraigh1 is offline  
Old 25th Aug 2017, 20:46
  #33 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Most likely a lower FL...
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Notorious would be an understatement and the Lancair 320 used was not exactly a suitable water skiing plane.
tractorpuller is offline  
Old 25th Aug 2017, 21:16
  #34 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Glens o' Angus by way of LA
Age: 60
Posts: 1,975
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by tractorpuller
Notorious would be an understatement and the Lancair 320 used was not exactly a suitable water skiing plane.
Think that was the same guy that buzzed the tourists on Santa Monica pier.
piperboy84 is offline  
Old 26th Aug 2017, 02:01
  #35 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,509
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 14 Posts
Originally Posted by Proteus9
If you have a good understanding of the fluid dynamics it allows you to plane below stall speed and if landing on a gravel bar or bank allows a more controlled contact point at a lower speed. This skill is very useful for some pilots.
Yep.

From what i see of the water ski operations (never done it me-self ) there appear to be two types: Display operations done by the tiger moths, warbirds, etc. And task ops to/from gravel bars and beachs done by the big wheel STOL aircraft.

Display ops look to be mainly done at flight speed, i.e. the aircraft wings are still flying whilst the skiing is being done. Whilst task ops will generally see the aircraft slow to below wing flying speed (unless water current speed determines otherwise) and the aircraft is being supported on the water by the aqua-planning tyres.

Display ops can be 'flown' entirely at one speed whilst task ops are done at two different and site determined 'speeds'.

There are many other factors to consider so how do you train for water ski operations ?






.
Flying Binghi is offline  
Old 27th Aug 2017, 16:37
  #36 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Scotland
Age: 84
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Big Pistons Forever
I am struggling to see how water skiing your aeroplane makes you a better pilot.....
I'm struggling to see how flying 50miles straight and level at 2000ft for a bacon butty makes me a better pilot.
The fact that this act was successful proves he is a better pilot than I am.
Being capable of flying accurately is surely a good thing?
Crash one is offline  
Old 27th Aug 2017, 20:08
  #37 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: last time I looked I was still here.
Posts: 4,507
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Down the Nile, in Sudan, in a Piper Pawnee was fun until the local croc decided to surface at just the wrong time & place. It kept you sharp and earned a cold one at the end of a long day. Young man's play time.
RAT 5 is offline  
Old 27th Aug 2017, 20:23
  #38 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: With Wonko, outside the asylum
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Better [does not equal] luckier

'Luckier' or 'better' [includes subset of] those making better decisions
B737C525 is offline  
Old 27th Aug 2017, 23:54
  #39 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Canada
Age: 63
Posts: 5,202
Received 133 Likes on 60 Posts
I'm struggling to see how flying 50miles straight and level at 2000ft for a bacon butty makes me a better pilot.
Flying well is a choice. On that run to the bacon butty you can choose to fly well or not. Flying well means a takeoff that stays on centerline with a smooth lift off, a climb at a constant pitch attitude giving you the correct climb speed, cruise altitude kept plus/minus 50 feet, making all you plog times, planning a descent so that only one power reduction is needed to join the circuit, landing smoothly on centerline and at the intended touch down point, along with a whole host of little things that collectively makes the flight go smoothly and safely.

However you have to be adult enough to take the internalized satisfaction of knowing you have flown as well as you can. I know this can be difficult for people who need the ego boost from a "look at me, I am such a Sky God" stunts like watersking an aircraft.

The fact that this act was successful proves he is a better pilot than I am.
No it means he got away with demonstrating poor pilot decision making


Being capable of flying accurately is surely a good thing?
Want to learn to fly accurately ? Take an aerobatics course. Flying an accurate smooth linked set of aerobatics takes way more skill than watersking.
Big Pistons Forever is offline  
Old 28th Aug 2017, 02:07
  #40 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,509
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 14 Posts
Originally Posted by Big Pistons Forever
Flying well is a choice. On that run to the bacon butty you can choose to fly well or not. Flying well means a takeoff that stays on centerline with a smooth lift off, a climb at a constant pitch attitude giving you the correct climb speed, cruise altitude kept plus/minus 50 feet, making all you plog times, planning a descent so that only one power reduction is needed to join the circuit, landing smoothly on centerline and at the intended touch down point, along with a whole host of little things that collectively makes the flight go smoothly and safely.

However you have to be adult enough to take the internalized satisfaction of knowing you have flown as well as you can...
I don't think I've ever achieved the perfection you describe. So I'd have to agree that precise flight is a high skill endeavour. But then yer go and shoot yer-self in the foot...

...I know this can be difficult for people who need the ego boost from a "look at me, I am such a Sky God" stunts like watersking an aircraft.

.....he got away with demonstrating poor pilot decision making

.....Want to learn to fly accurately ? Take an aerobatics course. Flying an accurate smooth linked set of aerobatics takes way more skill than watersking.
I had a look at the thread starter post video and as I alluded to in my previous post it looks to be a training flight. If you turn the volume up it sounds like there is a slight power reduction as the aircraft approaches the gravel bar though the pilot powers up and goes round. I'd suggest if the gravel bar wern't the target and the 'spectacle' were the task then the pilot would have done the manoeuvre to track clear of the gravel bar:

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%...%21123&o=OneUp


"...aerobatics takes way more skill than watersking..."

Big Pistons Forever, how do you know that. Are you commenting from practical experience ?






.
Flying Binghi is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.