I have a pilot's license and on dark moonless nights, or fog conditions, one
must ignore their senses and believe the instruments, regardless of how they
feel. The altimeter will tell you if you are climbing, in steady flighy, or
descending. The air speed indicator will tell you how fast you are going.
One should tune to the VOR (radio) frequency at your destination, and "fly
the needle". That is, there is an instrument that tells you if the radio
station is ahead, behind, to the left or right of your position. That's how
you home in in bad weather. Many planes also have distance measuring
equipment that will tell you how far you are from the radio station.
You are on someone's radar as soon as you get up a few hundred feet. The
worst case scenario is, you're scared, and disoriented. You swallow your
pride and call those people and have them "Talk you down".
From what I read in the paper, Kennedy was not qualified to do instrument
flying. He had just gotten his license which requires "Visual flight rules",
i.e., you can only fly on clear days and nights, and must stay clear of
clouds. Pilots are also required to get a weather briefing before they take
off. The briefing would warn a new pilot about conditions ahead. I am
saddened by his tragedy. I am only glad that his mother didn't live long
enough to have to suffer through this tragedy.
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI 49307
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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