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Old 4th Sep 2007, 14:36
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tmmorris
 
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I disagree that all FJ pilots are GA pilots. Yes, all of them will have learned on Bulldog/Tutor/Chippy. But they did so under very regimented circumstances, with the support of a full ground crew.

Rather different from arriving at the club/farm strip early one summer morning, pulling the plane out of the hangar as the sun rises, pre-flighting, refuelling, pumping up a slightly flat tyre, clearing the bird's nest from the air intake, polishing the bugs off the windscreen, making a difficult call as to whether to take the downwind, downhill or the upwind, uphill takeoff; walking the strip to check for unexpected problems; deciding on a go/no-go point on the runway, &c &c.

Different skills; equally difficult; equally valid. Of course, the FJ mates put their lives on the line.

Tim
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