Cathay pilot 'sacked for Top Gun stunt'
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Having done these in the past at the Manufactures Airfield,to the cheers and kind regards from ATC,I was asked to do a Low App/Goaround on a Farepaying Flight to a Northern Maintenance base.It was o'crack sparrow,and only the LMC guys were on the Pan with their respective charges.I abstained ,thinking it would be nice,BUT!!!!!!Discretion is the better part of valour.I did ask the current Demonstration Captain,what he would have done;he told me in words of one syllable that I would be hauled before the Beak,if I had transgressed the rules.Remember,Chaps,there are hundreds of First Officers out there wanting your job!!It would be a Bean Counters dream to replace a Senior Expensive Captain with a New less expensive one,promotion for a First Officer,and the list of Pilots would actually see movement up the ladder.I dont think anyone would miss the offender,if it came down to it.With the CAA Spanish Inquisition looking on,all" Dots and Crosses" must be sorted beforehand,because not even Chief Pilots or Fleet Managers are fireproof,if the odd dagger is out to get you.
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hundreds of First Officers out there wanting your job
Join Date: May 2007
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Mores the pity,but that is the way it is!!When Lightnings went in 88,it bacame a forgotten piece of releasing steam.Anyone who saw a standard arrival or departure from them or an 892 "Toom",would know what it is to see a nice flyby with a certain amount of flair.The oldies at Kemble are reserved for that now,I think.Handlers are not encouraged any more,so the thought of low passes brings management into cold sweats.I dont know what the youngster think about it today,but the Fun police have removed enjoyment from most aspects of poling in this PCWorld,so RIP.
Wonders of tv. I've just seen, live, a Qantas 747 doing a low pass over the starting line at the Melbourne GP. Was it safe or unsafe?
a) he was over 500' agl
b) he had gear down and loads of flap
c) he was wagging his wings
I use "he" not having been able to see the sex of the pf.
Somehow I suspect gear down didn't make much difference and 500 ft if that's what it was, was just another aircraft passing overhead; why waste the fuel?
Interested to know what people think would have been a safe but "wow" agl.
a) he was over 500' agl
b) he had gear down and loads of flap
c) he was wagging his wings
I use "he" not having been able to see the sex of the pf.
Somehow I suspect gear down didn't make much difference and 500 ft if that's what it was, was just another aircraft passing overhead; why waste the fuel?
Interested to know what people think would have been a safe but "wow" agl.
If he did it empty, or everyone on board knew what was intended, no problem.
If he did it unannounced with a load of passengers who had not signed up for it- irresponsible.
If he did it unannounced with a load of passengers who had not signed up for it- irresponsible.
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Low fly by's
We can bat this story back and forth ad infinitum and the correct answer (if such a thing exists) will elude us all. A manoeuvre such as this can be done safely and correctly. The PR aspect has value and merit however we live in a world of increased and often unwarranted concerns over our own health and safety.
Our existences are becoming increasingly sterile and joyless.
So...we find solace and thrills in other avenues of life and the smile and euphoria that this feast of aeronautical celebration brings is removed from us and a collective guilt and slap on the wrist is inflicted upon those who dare imbue a little colour to an otherwise bland day.
Get it right and you reap the rewards, get it wrong and you'll pay with you life. I've seen or heard of too many of these incidencies going pear shaped with fatal consequences. Many of them were wreckless and foolhardy and just plane stupid.
I don't think this one falls into those categories but at best was unwise not because the execution lacked any intrinsic skill or forethought per se but more perhaps because it was presumptuous. Permission should have been sought from the correct authorities and management. It is hard to see that it would have been denied.
It is a set piece manouvre and can be done in a straight forward manner.
Tex Johnson got away with something a little more daring and the rest is history. God Bless Him...
Our existences are becoming increasingly sterile and joyless.
So...we find solace and thrills in other avenues of life and the smile and euphoria that this feast of aeronautical celebration brings is removed from us and a collective guilt and slap on the wrist is inflicted upon those who dare imbue a little colour to an otherwise bland day.
Get it right and you reap the rewards, get it wrong and you'll pay with you life. I've seen or heard of too many of these incidencies going pear shaped with fatal consequences. Many of them were wreckless and foolhardy and just plane stupid.
I don't think this one falls into those categories but at best was unwise not because the execution lacked any intrinsic skill or forethought per se but more perhaps because it was presumptuous. Permission should have been sought from the correct authorities and management. It is hard to see that it would have been denied.
It is a set piece manouvre and can be done in a straight forward manner.
Tex Johnson got away with something a little more daring and the rest is history. God Bless Him...
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Whilst agreeing with the spirit of the post above, the bird strike risk assessment thesis is no more valid than the same risk assessment had the aircraft been in the landing config.
Are we assuming the worst case and having BOTH engines stuffed to the gills with our feathered brethren? Same as on a climb out from missed approach surely. Almost impossible to gauge the odds on that one happening.
Better not to do these activities at all then if the worst should happen our wives and girlfriends, family and friends can all attend the subsequent funerals with a greater sense of peace knowing that some geek with a clipboard did his H&S risk assessment.
Where's my Hi Viz?
PS. Just noticed the post that I was responding to has vanished. Where for art thou?
Are we assuming the worst case and having BOTH engines stuffed to the gills with our feathered brethren? Same as on a climb out from missed approach surely. Almost impossible to gauge the odds on that one happening.
Better not to do these activities at all then if the worst should happen our wives and girlfriends, family and friends can all attend the subsequent funerals with a greater sense of peace knowing that some geek with a clipboard did his H&S risk assessment.
Where's my Hi Viz?
PS. Just noticed the post that I was responding to has vanished. Where for art thou?
