Bose:
I think there's a bit of pedantry going on here.... I don't believe that as an obviously experienced pilot that you would just sit there and ride it into the ground is you had the chance to save yourself and the pilot, even though I know you're going to come back with 'Yes I would'.
Piper:
Yes, I see what you are saying but lets say you are spinning earthwards a rate of knots and P1 panics and freezes. (How many pilots have been killed in a spin? Some obviously do panic and freeze) Would you say 'My advice should you wish to take it would be to calm down and press opposite spin rudder' etc etc or would you just do it yourself?
Dave Wilson, there is a difference between doing "things right" (management) and doing "the right thing" (leadership).
There are certain rare occasions when you have to have the moral courage (aka balls) to do the "right thing" even though you may know it's not "legal". But I think it's important to know that you are (potentially) operating outside the statute when you do this!
But am sure you know this!
There is certainly one occasion that comes to mind when I saved the aircraft (and me!) from crashing although technically I was a "passenger" - the owner was most grateful!
There are very few pilots who I would agree to take me as a PASSENGER to go spinning! (Unless you are referring to inadvertent spin?). It would be established clearly WHO the Commander was BEFORE getting airborne.
It does rather amuse me to read about all these children-of-the-magenta and their 'stable approach gate' guff, when I think about all the NDB-to-circle and low level visual circuits we used to do in the VC10 before the noise complaints stopped them.....
Nothing remotely difficult or dangerous about low level circuits, provided that you have been correctly taught. But not something which PPL holders with only a couple of hundred hours or so of £100 hamburger experience should try for themselves without proper training.
There's FAR TOO MUCH people-tube bolleaux creeping into spamcan flying training these days....
Beagle, Amen to that!