The last of a breed

[Joshwa]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-35626854

Very sad to hear of the passing of Eric Brown, a man who held the world records for most types flown (487) and most carrier landings (2407!!) There are few aviators left in his class (not that a simple bus driver like me is really allowed to name his class!) I would imagine the likes of John Young amongst a later generation of test pilots would come closest to his aeronautical achievements. Had the British Government not cancelled the DH108, he could have beaten the US and Chuck Yeager to be the first man to break the sound barrier.

As a Brit, I imagine he is less well known in the US than the likes of Yeager, Crossfield, the Apollo astronauts and so on. The USN assigned a guy to beat his carrier landing record, who legend has it had had enough about 60% of the way to the target! He also met and interrogated Herman Goering, and was present at the liberation of Belsen. His autobiography "Wings on my sleeve" is a classic.

If you are into podcasts, this interview with him a year or two ago is also very much worth your time:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nvgq1

 

[OCArmory]

Blue skies and tailwinds. Great read never heard of him

 

[CFIscare]

This guy sounded like a guy I would have loved to have beer with and listen to his stories all night. Chuck Yeager, not so much.

 

[A Life Aloft]

He was truly a remarkable man. Brown also survived 11 plane crashes and the sinking of HMS Audacity. He wrote several books and among them Wings of the Luftwaffe, Flying the Captured German Aircraft of World War II, and Carrier Testing American & British Aircraft, are just excellent reads. I believe he was the most decorated pilot in the Royal Navy's Airman division too..

There are many good/interesting videos of him on you tube as well:

The man was truly a legend and an aviation pioneer. I did not hear of his passing until I saw this thread. He lived a very long and fruitful life and he was still giving lectures and doing interviews in his 90's. Thanks for posting about Eric.

RIP Sir.

 

[Hacker15e]

Yeah, but how good was his flight deck CRM?

 

[ahw01]

Awesome!

 

[Cptnchia]

Yeah, but how good was his flight deck CRM?

Seggy would give him a down, there's no room for that kind of thing in an airplane.

 

[Hacker15e]

I did laugh when, at a recent interview prep seminar, I was asked the question, "what's a more important characteristic in an airline pilot -- stick-and-rudder skills, or CRM skills?"

 

[ahw01]

Given all of it was likely single cockpit i'm sure he did just fine

 

[Wardogg]

I did laugh when, at a recent interview prep seminar, I was asked the question, "what's a more important characteristic in an airline pilot -- stick-and-rudder skills, or CRM skills?"

Lolwut?

What good is CRM if you spin it into the ground?

 

[Hacker15e]

Lolwut?

What good is CRM if you spin it into the ground?

Well, it isn't a question with a right or wrong answer in the context of an airline interview -- they're more interested in your thought process, logic, and ability to explain your answer cogently.

Just as importantly, it is an opportunity to stick your size 11 boot squarely in your mouth if you're not careful with what you say.

It is the same as, "which process produces better pilots -- the military or the civilian route?"

That's why they ask "Kobayashi Maru" type questions.

I laughed simply because of the circular/lufbery discussions on this subject we have on here from time to time.

 

[milleR]

He was truly a remarkable man. Brown also survived 11 plane crashes and the sinking of HMS Audacity. He wrote several books and among them Wings of the Luftwaffe, Flying the Captured German Aircraft of World War II, and Carrier Testing American & British Aircraft, are just excellent reads. I believe he was the most decorated pilot in the Royal Navy's Airman division too..

There are many good/interesting videos of him on you tube as well:

The man was truly a legend and an aviation pioneer. I did not hear of his passing until I saw this thread. He lived a very long and fruitful life and he was still giving lectures and doing interviews in his 90's. Thanks for posting about Eric.

RIP Sir.

What wonderful interviews. Thank you for posting that.

 

[Wardogg]

That's why they ask "Kobayashi Maru" type questions.

Apparently we can be friends!

On topic. The second version of that question is a little more no win. The first version is just silly. CRM is worthless if you cant fly an airplane.

 

[milleR]

Apparently we can be friends!

On topic. The second version of that question is a little more no win. The first version is just silly. CRM is worthless if you cant fly an airplane.

Good CRM can make up for weak piloting (on one side). Good piloting will occasionally make up for weak CRM. Good CRM combined with good piloting will almost always succeed.

 

[Wardogg]

Good CRM combined with good piloting will almost always succeed.

Well we can atleast agree on this. I would also agree to the opposite. Bad CRM combined with bad piloting ends in AF447

 

[jtrain609]

Yeah, but how good was his flight deck CRM?

Better than yours, kid. And you've got a lot to learn thinking you can swoop in and program the FMS without my permission.

 

[Kingairer]

Apparently we can be friends!

On topic. The second version of that question is a little more no win. The first version is just silly. CRM is worthless if you cant fly an airplane.

Not to comepletly go off topic, but the point is, everyone at thr major airline level can already fly at a very minimum. It's not an either or, it's a both.

 

[milleR]

Well we can atleast agree on this. I would also agree to the opposite. Bad CRM combined with bad piloting ends in AF447

No argument here.