Falling...with style

I didn't get a sense of the "hey y'all, watch THIS" attitude. I'm willing to guess that he thought it through before doing it. He was solo in the airplane, he wasn't putting anyone at risk beside himself... I wouldn't have done it, but that doesn't mean I think he was stupid.
 
TMetzinger said:
I didn't get a sense of the "hey y'all, watch THIS" attitude. I'm willing to guess that he thought it through before doing it. He was solo in the airplane, he wasn't putting anyone at risk beside himself... I wouldn't have done it, but that doesn't mean I think he was stupid.
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I had the same impression especially after seeing some of his over videos. Out of the bell curve, yes. Show off, no. He knows his and the planes limitations then stayed within them. More hazardous than the wide open flat test flight range at Edwards yet considerably safer than quite a few other pilots at open flat airports with nothing to run into.

I'd guess he made the same takeoff with the throttle then at idle with the engine running a few times. Based on the engine start at the bottom, he was only a button push from a running engine the whole time.
 
Some people race motorcycles, others fly in lawn chairs with balloons, others jump from cliff faces -- this is in that category. This isn't a "risk management" problem.

This is someone having fun and accepting the risk towards that end.

When people die doing this stuff, the one word that should not be used is "tragedy."

But that video is flippin awesome....
 
Too many things to go wrong, at least for me. But if it floats his boat, why not?
 
It looks like the pilot had it all figured out. there was the flat terrain over the little peak htere and if that could be made that was it. Seems like there were enouhg outs. Not a risk I'd take but as Tim said, I wouldn't call the person an idiot for it.
 
What if, right about the time he's about to jump in the airplane, he trips and falls? I guess at that point, he gets to watch the airplane plunge over the cliff and fly by itself to its final reward.
 
Ken Ibold said:
Some will say "know your airplane," some will say "what about risk management," some will say "this guy's a f%^$ing idiot!" What say you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z985xdXW-3w
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It appears he managed the risk quite well. He stayed next to the ridge where what lift there was would be, his engine starts at a touch and actually had to bleed some altitude at the end. Looked good to me.
 
We call that glider flying. Big whoop.
 
Nothing wrong with that - hang gliders do it all the time. This guy had a backup plan - starting the engine - if things didn't go as intended. He was endangering no one other than himself - so more power to him!
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Glider flying, without a tow to start the flight! :yes:
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Not as common today with all the tow planes available but pretty much the way it was done in the old days. Sometimes they had a bungy to help get things going. Heck, Tonys glider could do this all day long given the right slope. People would do touch an goes on slope sites too. Now granted, the guy in the video is flying something with a low L/D but for the love of god he has a freeking ENGINE that apparently starts in seconds.
Whoa dude, crazy risk taking freek!

But what do I know, I'm an insane daredevil glider pilot.
 
Probably the biggest risk was hitting a rock going down the slope and damaging something. Otherwise it's just a motor glider flight. Sometimes youtube makes something that isn't really there. Fun to watch though.
 
Lance F said:
Probably the biggest risk was hitting a rock going down the slope and damaging something. Otherwise it's just a motor glider flight. Sometimes youtube makes something that isn't really there. Fun to watch though.
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Heck, most motorgliders take a lot longer to start inflight. But of course you are just another insane GLIDER pilot freek so shut up.
 
wby0nder said:
Heck, most motorgliders take a lot longer to start inflight. But of course you are just another insane GLIDER pilot freek so shut up.
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i think lance has been spending too much time in that twin engined jet powered self launching motorglider i think.
 
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