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Family rescued from downed airplane by helicopter in subzero conditions
A family of five — including 2-year-old twins and a newborn infant — were rescued unhurt Monday after the airplane they were traveling in ran out of fuel and landed in a remote desert area that could not have been reached for hours by rescuers in tracked vehicles. (trib.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Talk about having your head in the clouds.............
i think i can, i think i can, i think i can,
nope i cant
nope i cant
So glad the outcome was as good as it was. As for as all of you never have done, never will do people I hope the outcome is as good for you.
This poor guy has been castigated to the max already, so I'll refrain. I give him and God a plus 1 for putting the craft/ occupants down unscathed at sunset with only a damaged ego....and didn't wipe anyone out on I-80. It has been said that lady experience is a great teacher. I'm hoping that's the case here. Unfortunately for the pilot community, she kills way too many of her students. I liked the bucket analogy used earlier in this thread. It's undetermined if the luck bucket was planned to be used again for the night flight over the ugly terrain on down to Heber. I would have to plead guilty to making many SE night flights years ago drawing from the luck bucket.....until I had one quit in the daytime.
The least expensive piece of fuel safety equipment I purchased 20 yrs ago was a JPI 450 fuel totalizer/computer connected to a certified GPS. Compared to all the other whiz bang stuff today, they are still inexpensive and accurate as long as only YOU fuel the plane. It constantly uses your ground speed to calculate all the time parameters as the flight progresses at your current fuel burn. Flying LOP, one can play with "go fast or go far" fuel flows and evaluate fuel stop decisions. For longer flights using the 450, I supplement the data by keeping running totals of climbout burn, totals of used/remaining for each tank and the time each tank got switched on a kneeboard. (Remember those?)
Not mentioned so far here is the importance In the fuel stop decision making process of the proximity of available fuel stops to each other. Things are so widespread in Wyoming that even jack rabbits carry lunch boxes. Living in Heber and being familiar with the area, I would tend to doubt the news report that he realized he wouldn't make RKS as he passed Rawlins, and just flew on anyway, knowing how far it was to Rock Springs with a headwind and darkness approaching.
Anyway, I'm glad this family gets to fly another day. Everyone here needs to take heed.....make sure you're always on your game with no screw ups that ever make it to the public domain, as the Internet punishment might be worse than an FAA mandated 709 ride.
The least expensive piece of fuel safety equipment I purchased 20 yrs ago was a JPI 450 fuel totalizer/computer connected to a certified GPS. Compared to all the other whiz bang stuff today, they are still inexpensive and accurate as long as only YOU fuel the plane. It constantly uses your ground speed to calculate all the time parameters as the flight progresses at your current fuel burn. Flying LOP, one can play with "go fast or go far" fuel flows and evaluate fuel stop decisions. For longer flights using the 450, I supplement the data by keeping running totals of climbout burn, totals of used/remaining for each tank and the time each tank got switched on a kneeboard. (Remember those?)
Not mentioned so far here is the importance In the fuel stop decision making process of the proximity of available fuel stops to each other. Things are so widespread in Wyoming that even jack rabbits carry lunch boxes. Living in Heber and being familiar with the area, I would tend to doubt the news report that he realized he wouldn't make RKS as he passed Rawlins, and just flew on anyway, knowing how far it was to Rock Springs with a headwind and darkness approaching.
Anyway, I'm glad this family gets to fly another day. Everyone here needs to take heed.....make sure you're always on your game with no screw ups that ever make it to the public domain, as the Internet punishment might be worse than an FAA mandated 709 ride.
“While flying into Rawlins, the plane encountered ‘an unexpected strong headwind’, and the pilot realized he would run out of fuel before reaching the Rock Springs airport.”
So instead of landing in Rawlins, he continued despite knowing he couldn’t make it to Rock Springs? What am I missing?
So instead of landing in Rawlins, he continued despite knowing he couldn’t make it to Rock Springs? What am I missing?
Kudos to the rescue TEAM.A real "Live" lesson in cooperation and good communication (and execution) . The coordinated effort saved lives 3 Hours and 15 minutes after the flight was abruptly ended. Lives were Absolutely saved . Well Done !!
Good thing he didn't bring his other wives!