question about ifr to kosh

[Henning]

Ever write a post you just know won't go well, but you do it anyway...

What is the deal with over water, I just don't get it? Someone will avoid flying over water, but think nothing of flying over swamps, dense urban area, and dense forest. Or anything at night.

At least with water in the daytime you have an excellent chance of getting it down without serious injury. You can also easily buy overwater equipment and should. Plus with some altitude, if you can't reach shore, maybe you can reach a boat.

I was just out over the Gulf about 75 miles from shore. I felt great, daytime, good altitude for gliding, I could always see at least one boat, oil platform, etc. in gliding range.

IFR, with equipment, no problem.

No, most people who avoid over water with an SEL will also avoid the other big hazards of low IFR or night over unfriendly territory.

There are 6 links to most any accident chain. Risk management is about eliminating the ones you can. The obvious ones to eliminate are the ones that carry the biggest risks and carry the smallest rewards.

I've spent a good part of my career at sea and don't have great illusions there.

One thing I never see people mention when they talk about ditching, especially when more than 2 miles from shore is the wind conditions. That makes all the difference in the world on your survival. You go into the GOM around there in June on a beautiful day and you won't spend more than a few minutes in the water before a field boat comes picks you up, heck, we had a Bell 206 pop floats and autorotate in right in front of me once. We had a crane onboard, I swung him a sling and snatched him on the deck; nobody got wet even.

However while tooling along loving that 30 kt tailwind, realize that the sea state is now one which is pretty unsurvivable for a ditching. 18-20 kts of wind will get you 2-4' seas, have fun ditching in that, 30kts is good for 8-10' seas.
Which way are you going to land in either or both? How could you use a boat/ship to best advantage? How are you going to get on the boat or climb onto the platform in 8' seas without getting killed? Getting into the water is just the beginning of the process.

 

[steingar]

Please don't tell me you have made time for 12,600 post on here and not time to get your instrument rating.

Posts on POA are free. IFR instruments for the aircraft and training for the rating cost big time money.

Besides, reading the inspired correspondence of such erudite individuals is just priceless.

 

[Alexb2000]

No, most people who avoid over water with an SEL will also avoid the other big hazards of low IFR or night over unfriendly territory.

There are 6 links to most any accident chain. Risk management is about eliminating the ones you can. The obvious ones to eliminate are the ones that carry the biggest risks and carry the smallest rewards.

I've spent a good part of my career at sea and don't have great illusions there.

One thing I never see people mention when they talk about ditching, especially when more than 2 miles from shore is the wind conditions. That makes all the difference in the world on your survival. You go into the GOM around there in June on a beautiful day and you won't spend more than a few minutes in the water before a field boat comes picks you up, heck, we had a Bell 206 pop floats and autorotate in right in front of me once. We had a crane onboard, I swung him a sling and snatched him on the deck; nobody got wet even.

However while tooling along loving that 30 kt tailwind, realize that the sea state is now one which is pretty unsurvivable for a ditching. 18-20 kts of wind will get you 2-4' seas, have fun ditching in that, 30kts is good for 8-10' seas.
Which way are you going to land in either or both? How could you use a boat/ship to best advantage? How are you going to get on the boat or climb onto the platform in 8' seas without getting killed? Getting into the water is just the beginning of the process.

I'm no sea captain and 8-10' seas would certainly be a bad day to ditch, no doubt. I'm referring to the risk contrast vs. other scenarios.

I fly at night, over plenty of almost certain death terrain, over hundreds of miles of really low IMC, etc. all I'm saying is that if you only fly day VFR over open fields then I can see the concern for over water. If you fly in any of the fore mentioned scenarios then over water is one of the best bets and even over the artic ocean you can buy gear to survive a ditching.

 

[Henning]

I'm no sea captain and 8-10' seas would certainly be a bad day to ditch, no doubt. I'm referring to the risk contrast vs. other scenarios.

I fly at night, over plenty of almost certain death terrain, over hundreds of miles of really low IMC, etc. all I'm saying is that if you only fly day VFR over open fields then I can see the concern for over water. If you fly in any of the fore mentioned scenarios then over water is one of the best bets and even over the artic ocean you can buy gear to survive a ditching.

Yep, you can get a survival suit for <$400 put it on to the waist and sling the upper over the seat so you can slip in easy on the glide down. If you have it in a bag, you will die if you needed it because you can't don it in the plane.

Me, I fly twins for traveling.