I just looked at the logbook on my coupe N99404 and the airplane seems
to be in compliance in that the AD is dated is being done in May of
1950. Please beg my ignorance but N99404 had a new complete tail
assembly installed about ten years ago after a cessna prop decided to
have the original for dinner. The question is where are these springs.
I just had the trim tab serviced and did not notice such springs.
Also going to comment on Eds verbage about practice practice practice
which I certainly agree with. I got over a 1000 hours in Pa 22s and
close to that in Commanches -the 260 and 400- and felt pretty
comfortable in weather and rough air especially the Commanches but
admittely am at the low end of the curve on the coupe and just not
willing to push it. I also operate a charter fishing boat and write
for a offshore fishing publication and quite often run the boat 60/80
miles offshore to the edge of the Gulf Stream. There is an old
expression among mariners O God my boat is so small and the ocean so
big so have mercy upon me. Kind of apply the same philosophy to boats
and aircraft. You can most often get away pushing the envelope and
weather- yes I have done it- but there is that time that Murphy is
going to bite and at sea as well as in the air the results may not be
pretty. For my part when things get sloppy and big seas build I would
rather be in a ship rather than a boat and when winds get to be 25kts -
even less- I would rather be in things built by Boeing. Call me a bit
timid but in 40 years of punching holes in the sky and being at sea I
have not bent an airplane and managed to put all my passengers safely
back on the dock.
Skill is important but it is also critical to recoginze the
capabilities and nuiences of the equiptment. For those of you who have
been around for awhile way back it was said that the the most
dangerious thing in the world was a doctor flying a Bonanza-nothing
wrong with the airplane the problem was the huge ego at the stick. As a
new kid on the block its not my intent to bust anyones bubble but the
fact is an awful lot of pilots-probably most including me just do not
have the skills to safely fly a coupe in such conditions.
Murphy lives!!!!
Dr. Len Buchta
