We fly an aging fleet of aircraft. See how much confidence you have left in a 20,000 hour PA31 after you've just taken it through weather from hell (Noted in the log book as 'The Night from Hell') - In the dark, trying to shoot and approach while considering you would not have been the first person to have flown it through such weather.
Remember this accident involving an in-flight break up of a Chieftain?
http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/...200506266.aspx Could it just have been the straw that broke the camel's back?
After dealing with TS every evening during summer (no wx radar no storm scope) some good advice was given:
1. Most of the TS activity is in the middle section
2. Get down to your LSALT
3. Stay visual - fly around them. This is not always possible (embedded CB / weather on the deck).
I wonder: How rough does it need to be to consider a reduction in airspeed from the green arc (allowed in rough air) to
Vb? My theory is always be a gentle as possible to the airframe. I have made an approach from 10,000 with the undercarriage down in a Navajo (
Vb 156kt).
Luckily most twin Cessna (excl 337) now have the SIDS program to go through, still not sure on these 20,000 hour Chieftains.
I find it interesting though, that
Aero commanders were found to have fatigue cracks only after a few thousand hours. I've flew one of these a few years back that had 24,000 hours on it.
An aircraft accident involving fatalities is always tragic to any pilot whether you knew the persons involved or not. I suppose if we (humans) were meant to fly we'd have our own set of wings.
I have a book that contains aviation related quotes:
"You should never fly through a thunderstorm in peace time"
One I’d like to add (heard around the traps):
"There will be days you wished you didn't have an instrument rating"
I think private pilots are onto something.