The day I almost died!

[derg]

Don't let it bring you down though man.

Sometimes when bad things happen in the airplane, I try to subconsciously extend the time during the event in order to react properly. Almost like that weird "matrix" time bending thing.

Reminds me of when we were out doing Vmc demos is a Seneca and I guess we stalled the aircraft and hit Vmc simultaneously.

Usually I hold a foot on one of the rudder pedals to simulate reaching Vmc a little early so we don't get into a bad predicament, but this day I was pretty complacent and thinking about visiting the burrito shack just north of Reid-Hillview.

Anyway, we hit Vmc and stall simultaneously and the plane pretty much rolls inverted.

"Mr. Kim... Recover"

...no response...

"Mr. Kim...MY CONTROLS"

...no response...

But then the plane starts to roll and yaw indicative of a spin. This is not good because even my grandma knows that spinning a twin is a death wish.

So I take the yoke with my right hand and physically slap him on the hand while saying "Mr. Park, tell Mr. Kim in Korean 'HANDS OFF, DOUG'S CONTROLS!'.

It felt like about 20 minutes, but it all happened pretty quick.

BTW, the 330Ci has got to be one of the hottest coupes on earth. My buddy purchased an M-5 man, what a beaut'! He's one of those dot.com zillionaires so it was pocket change.

 

[aloft]

How the hell can a CFI afford a $42k BMW???

 

[E_Dawg]

Omar, where you running?

 

[derg]

MrIVC is a pretty GQ/suave guy in person, he's probably got a sugar-mama!

Kristie was mine when I was a young flying commercial pilot/CFI neophyte.

 

[mrivc211]

[ QUOTE ]
Omar, where you running?

[/ QUOTE ]

Ummm, sometimes around East Yale Loop by my house which is about 3.5 miles. Or if I'm gonna workout too, I'll go to the gym at UCI and run from UCI to culver then up culver to newport coast and back down. Thats a long one, about 4.25 miles. And it's UPHILL! Thats the killer, but it makes running on flat land the next day a cinch!

I can't stand running inside, it makes me get all hot, and I feel like I'm suffocating.



Doug- You frickin almost spun the twin? Man, all hail doug, doug is the leader! (Men in Black II)

Thats nutso man, I WILL NEVER EVER NEVER let them get near VMC. When I was doing my multi training my CFI said on your check ride the examiner doesn't want to get anywhere near VMC. He loves his life too much. But with me, your gonna get darn near to that speed. I thought, ok, thats no biggie. Now that I've come close to near death a few times, HELLLLLLLLL Nahh! I ain't goin out like dat! When I do VMC demo's I ain't going anywhere near VMC! Theres not enough money to make me do it.

 

[mrivc211]

[ QUOTE ]
How the hell can a CFI afford a $42k BMW???

[/ QUOTE ]


What? You didn't know that I deal on the side?

Deal students that is!

J/K, my student base has risen to a very comfortable level now that I am established. I have 3 students a day, at $70/lesson. I still live at home, so I can easily afford the car. Plus I bought it used(preowned according to the fobby BMW dudes) at $10,000 below blue book off of this guy who was desperate to buy a house and needed the cash!

 

[derg]

Yup, I would NOT suggest it. I went home later that night and slept for probably 12 hours because of the adrenaline.

And I'm the kind of guy that might sleep 6 hours in a good night and I was out cold for 12 straight.

 

[derg]

I liked the 'sugar-mama' idea better.

 

[mrivc211]

[ QUOTE ]
I liked the 'sugar-mama' idea better.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, I've got a sugar moma lined up alright, you just gotta have a good back up plan, right? I mean aren't we all pilots, and don't pilots always have an alternate?

 

[derg]

Just remember, "Honey? Can I borrow $8000 for a 737 type rating? pretty pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

 

[sorrygottarunway]

Chocolate Brownie ice cream and cheddar fried with ranch dressing from a restuarant called Islands out here in Socal. It helped a little. until the waiter came over and hugged me before I could stop him, and told me "I'm glad your still alive".

wow... good thing you didn't go to Chi-Chi's

 

[Tired]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You can't close the throttle if the student is frozen.

[/ QUOTE ]
The first step to recovering from anything sure as hell isn't killing the engine. The first step in recovering from a nose low unusual attitue is power at idle. No need to shut the thing down.

[/ QUOTE ]

Go back and read what I said, can't close the throttle if the student is frozen on it, especially a Cessna type throttle.

 

[flyguy]

I see your point but I still don't think shutting down the engine is the answer. If the student is frozen with one hand on the yoke and one hand on the throttle, maybe you could use both hands on either the throttle or the yoke. Unless the student has super-human strength, you should be able to get control of one or the other.

Even if you can't, all shutting down the engine will do is delay the inevitable. You'll still be in a dive and no way to recover, only now if you do recover you won't have an engine and will probably be pretty close to the ground after diving for a while. Then you'd have a very short time to go through a re-start procedure and that's assuming the engine will start. If it dosn't you won't have time to get to a safe landing spot and you die.

I think the only way to handle this situationn is the mrivc211 did. Hit him, knock him out if you have to. Do whatever possible to get control of the airplane.

 

[Buzo]

[ QUOTE ]
Just remember, "Honey? Can I borrow $8000 for a 737 type rating? pretty pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

[/ QUOTE ]

I found an easier way, my girlfriend is the scheduler at Boeing flight training. No need to pay for the rating when you can get it for free.

 

[Tired]

[ QUOTE ]
Then you'd have a very short time to go through a re-start procedure and that's assuming the engine will start. If it dosn't you won't have time to get to a safe landing spot and you die.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe I am missing something, but what restart procedure? Just push the mixture in and away you go.

 

[RiddlePilot]

Man...after reading this, I'm SURE looking forward to being a CFI.

 

[mrivc211]

[ QUOTE ]
Unless the student has super-human strength, you should be able to get control of one or the other

[/ QUOTE ]

Dude, let me tell you, when the guys frozen, nothing, and I mean NOTHING can get him to let go. I was pulling so hard back on the yoke that I finally let go because I was afraid we were going to break it.

It's almost like that idea of super human strength when your adrenaline is running. This guy had a MONSTER grip on that yoke!

 

[av8rmsu]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Unless the student has super-human strength, you should be able to get control of one or the other

[/ QUOTE ]

Dude, let me tell you, when the guys frozen, nothing, and I mean NOTHING can get him to let go. I was pulling so hard back on the yoke that I finally let go because I was afraid we were going to break it.

It's almost like that idea of super human strength when your adrenaline is running. This guy had a MONSTER grip on that yoke!



[/ QUOTE ]


It is superhuman strength....the "fight or flight response" when your body says you are in a predicament and something must be done...same thing as when people do unhuman things like pick up cars off people

I would just hit him in the throat....he'll wish he hit the ground while he is trying to catch his breathe.

 

[flyguy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Then you'd have a very short time to go through a re-start procedure and that's assuming the engine will start. If it dosn't you won't have time to get to a safe landing spot and you die.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe I am missing something, but what restart procedure? Just push the mixture in and away you go.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, technically when the engine goes out you should pitch for 65 (or whatever best glide speed is in the aircraft) and do a flow check, but I suppose if you are seconds from hitting the ground you'd just push in the mixture and hope like hell the engine starts back up. I guess my instructor has had me practice one too many simulated engine failures and that's what I was thinking of when I wrote that. I haven't seen a checklist for an deliberate engine failure because very few people are foolish enough to do such a thing, but hypothetically, you are right. Pushing the mixture back in would do the trick so nevermind I said anything.

I stand corrected on being able to out-muscle the student, but that just re-enforces my point. If you are in dive and can't get out of it, what good does it do to shut down the engine? Hitting the ground at 259 kts is going to kill you just as much as hitting the ground at 348 kts.

So let's say for the sake of argument that we did want to pull the mixture. We're recovering from a nose-down unusual attitude and the first step is power at idle. Studen't stuck on the throttle so can't pull power back so we pull back the mixture and kill the engine. Problem solved right? Now on to step 2, pull up from the dive. Hmmm, student's stuck on the yoke too. Now what do we do? Remove the elevator?

 

[flyguy]

[ QUOTE ]
I would just hit him in the throat....he'll wish he hit the ground while he is trying to catch his breathe.

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't know about hitting him in the throat. Hit him hard enough and you might kill him. I'd just konk him on the head. He may get a concusion, but the prognosis is a little better.