Needless steep departures
I saw it again yesterday - an aircraft takeoff from a runway with lots of room, and no obstacles. Just after leaving the ground, he pulled up logarithmically, and climb steeply until the inevitable point where the nose had to be lowered very noticeably. This aircraft was a medium sized twin engined government patrol aircraft. I assure readers that a steep climb out had nothing whatever to do with the role of the aircraft, nor any necessary operational requirement. Just showing off, or self amusement. Hi risk, zero reward.
While visiting a local private fly in last summer, I watched the departures of about twenty of the guests. About half (and mostly the more new owners or pilots) seemed to feel the need to impress onlookers with very steep departures, until hanging on the stall, upon which the nose had to be lowered. Gosh, how impressed I am to see a C150 rocket staggeringly skyward - not.
This immature behaviour puts the occupants of the aircraft at great risk in the case of an engine failure (which has increased likelihood at these pitch attitudes). In yesterday's twin, I opine that he would maintain flight with the remaining engine, after lots of altitude spent accelerating to Vmca to do it. But why risk this one of only two special purpose patrol aircraft, and the occupants?
I think to the lyrics of the War song, "Low Rider" :"Low rider drives a little slower". Maybe it's more cool to show off your aircraft by flying it in a mature way, and demonstrating your good airmanship, rather than how much risk you can create.
A good friend of mine who used to fly this way all the time stopped a couple of years back, after breaking his back in the crash which resulted from an EFATO, and the inability to enter a glide with enough reserve energy to flare for a landing, he just crashed. The landing path was perfect for a good approach and landing, but he just did it wrong.
So now I'm proud of 39 years of safe flying, and the fact that I can just takeoff safely. If I need to climb away steeply to clear an obstacle, I will, otherwise I'm just going to fly as though my mother, wife and daughters are watching...
Rant over ('till I see the next one!)