Gaston's VI 2009 Attendance

Felix, Just make sure that Steve doesn't try to kill every deer in Arkansas on the trip from Mountainhome to Gastons....
 
vontresc said:
and aim for the nice Buck....
Click to expand...
WindshieldDeer.jpg
 
Jesse, that's a crazy picture. Do deer usually go through the windshield like that? Maybe I'll brake next time afterall!
 
sba55 said:
Jesse, that's a crazy picture. Do deer usually go through the windshield like that? Maybe I'll brake next time afterall!
Click to expand...

It is rare--but it happens--many people have been killed by taking a deer through the windshield like that. Most of the time you just level them with some front end damage but if they get into the air as you hit them it could be your end as well. Obviously the faster you hit them the worse it'll be.

It is far worse for motorcyclists--the fatality rate is something like 80% if you hit one on two wheels.
 
Given the way the wind blows out in beautiful west Texas, Jeanie should have no trouble handling the winds in Arkansas.

Welcome!
 
jesse said:
It is rare--but it happens--many people have been killed by taking a deer through the windshield like that. Most of the time you just level them with some front end damage but if they get into the air as you hit them it could be your end as well. Obviously the faster you hit them the worse it'll be.

It is far worse for motorcyclists--the fatality rate is something like 80% if you hit one on two wheels.
Click to expand...
I don't know. I think power and speed are the answers. Just hit them as fast as possible!!!
 
sba55 said:
I don't know. I think power and speed are the answers. Just hit them as fast as possible!!!
Click to expand...

You may be on to something. Reportedly, this BMW hit a deer on the Autobahn at 140 mph. The driver wondered where the deer went. Here was the answer:

53590d1197316945-deer-hunting-autobahn-style-bmw-6-deer-engine-2.jpg


53593d1197316945-deer-hunting-autobahn-style-bmw-6-deer-engine-4.jpg


I think it's all how the accident goes, and how big the deer is. It's pretty hard to tell from the pictures how big that deer was.

I've not hit a deer yet. When I see them, I slam on the brakes and swerve as necessary. It's worked thus far.
 
Interesting how a thread about the fly-in has turned into disgusting pictures. :rolleyes:
 
Jeez Ted...that's pretty nasty. Good thing they don't have white tails in Germany. the Roe deer that you find over there are a good bit smaller than the white tails common over here.
 
Yeah, I figured that part of the reason the damage was what it was was the deer was smaller. I wasn't aware what size/kind of deer they have over in Bavariaville.
 
SCCutler said:
Given the way the wind blows out in beautiful west Texas, Jeanie should have no trouble handling the winds in Arkansas.

Welcome!
Click to expand...

~~~~~~ Thanks, SCCutler. Is it windy in Arkansas? :)

I'll try not to hit any deer, pedestrians, or aircraft while landing at Gastons.
 
And, I look forward to filling in another state on the picture..........

I'll look up that Mason Dixon line and see where it runs
 
sba55 said:
Jesse, that's a crazy picture. Do deer usually go through the windshield like that? Maybe I'll brake next time afterall!
Click to expand...

Felix - The proper technique is brake, but do not swerve. Deer through the windshield aren't as rare as Jesse thinks. Heck, every year we have one or two that make it through the windshield ALIVE, freak out, and usually jump through one of the remaining windows to get back out. Bad, if you're between the freaked-out deer and the first window it sees! :eek:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Felix - The proper technique is brake, but do not swerve. Deer through the windshield aren't as rare as Jesse thinks. Heck, every year we have one or two that make it through the windshield ALIVE, freak out, and usually jump through one of the remaining windows to get back out. Bad, if you're between the freaked-out deer and the first window it sees! :eek:
Click to expand...
Kent, I know. No swerving for me in a car. I don't like to give up control like that. Of course, if I have ABS, I might try to avoid the deer while braking, but I'm not going to try any crazy maneuvers.

-Felix
 
Jeanie said:
Hi Everyone,
I'm new here on this board. Used to post a little on the AOPA board but then got busy and they get a little ????, well, you know. Dave Taylor has told me about Gastons and this board so here I am.
I'm considering coming to the Fly In for the first time this coming June 2009. Might plan to come in a day early to give me room in case of bad weather and also so that I don't have to deal with the "traffic" as much as a first timer into the field.
I've watched some of the videos so I have a bit of a head's up about the approach.
See ya - most likely, I hope.
Click to expand...

Welcome a-board, Jeanie! Any friend of Dave's is a friend of ours. :yes:

As far as the traffic into Gaston's, people start showing up in larger numbers on Thursday, and keep showing up for the entire weekend. So, "a day" early isn't going to get you out of the big-traffic time. A week, maybe. ;) But, there's really not THAT much traffic - Just keep your eyes open, listen and make position reports, everything you should normally be doing anyway. Steve (AKA "Gaston's Approach" ;)) and others do a great job of keeping the traffic properly flowing and pilots advised.

See you there! :yes:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Felix - The proper technique is brake, but do not swerve. Deer through the windshield aren't as rare as Jesse thinks. Heck, every year we have one or two that make it through the windshield ALIVE, freak out, and usually jump through one of the remaining windows to get back out. Bad, if you're between the freaked-out deer and the first window it sees! :eek:
Click to expand...

I'll have to argue with that "proper technique." That would've put a lot of deer through my vehicles that I've avoided.

Maybe it's the best move for people who don't know how to drive and don't know the limits of their vehicles, but if you do, not hitting the deer is clearly a better option than hitting it at any speed.
 
Jeanie said:
And, I look forward to filling in another state on the picture..........

I'll look up that Mason Dixon line and see where it runs
Click to expand...

You might get two states. Last year we had a poker run which took us 20 miles north into Missouri (KPLK).

Technically the Mason Dixon line separates Pennsylvania and Delaware from Maryland and West Virginia but it's often used (as I did) to separate the Confederate states from the rest of the US.
 
Last edited:
Ted DuPuis said:
Maybe it's the best move for people who don't know how to drive and don't know the limits of their vehicles,
Click to expand...

I lost a second cousin a number of years back this exact way. She was 16yrs old, new driver. Swerved to miss a deer, missed the deer, went under the rear wheels of the semi coming the other way. (country road) Killed instantly. :sad:

For most folks, stand on the ABS, and hold your course.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Felix - The proper technique is brake, but do not swerve. Deer through the windshield aren't as rare as Jesse thinks. Heck, every year we have one or two that make it through the windshield ALIVE, freak out, and usually jump through one of the remaining windows to get back out. Bad, if you're between the freaked-out deer and the first window it sees! :eek:
Click to expand...

Statistically speaking it is relatively rare. In 2007 the Wisconsin DNR / Law Enforcement removed 35,685 deer carcasses from public roads. Out of those 35,685 deer impacts there were 14 fatalities, 100 incapacitating injuries, and 250 less serious injuries.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I'll have to argue with that "proper technique." That would've put a lot of deer through my vehicles that I've avoided.

Maybe it's the best move for people who don't know how to drive and don't know the limits of their vehicles, but if you do, not hitting the deer is clearly a better option than hitting it at any speed.
Click to expand...

You have insurance on your vehicles, right? ;)

I know the limits of my vehicles just fine, but it's easy for the reaction to an unexpected encounter to be bigger than you intended it to be.

There's a reason trucking companies tell drivers right away in orientation to just hit the damn deer. We'd replace quite a few hoods each year, but you can buy a hell of a lot of hoods for what a rollover costs.

On a dry road in a car, a swerve small enough that the car stays on the road and out of opposing traffic is OK. In an SUV, full-size van or other such vehicle, it's a lot easier to roll over. Towing something, easier yet (due to the crack-the-whip effect). Wet, snowy or icy road and you're gonna go in the ditch.

Of course, the best solution is to keep your eyes scanning everywhere, not just on the road. The earlier you see the deer, the better braking works and the more time you have to react. AFTER braking, a quick re-evaluation and then a potential small turn is still the way to go. I have seen a lot of deer, but the only one I've ever "hit" if you can call it that just left a tuft of fur in the front bumper before it ran away. Not bad for an 80,000 pound vehicle.

jesse said:
Statistically speaking it is relatively rare. In 2007 the Wisconsin DNR / Law Enforcement removed 35,685 deer carcasses from public roads. Out of those 35,685 deer impacts there were 14 fatalities, 100 incapacitating injuries, and 250 less serious injuries.
Click to expand...

The deer-through-windshield often doesn't cause any injuries, and I don't think they keep stats for that. The ones I've heard of, the deer either ended up in the passenger seat and went out the pax side window, or they hit right in the middle, ended up in the back seat and went out one of the back windows.

Also, there are quite a few deer carcasses that are removed by the people who hit them - In WI, if you kill a deer with your car at any time of year, you're allowed to keep it. Gun deer season is 9 days, vehicle deer season is all year long. ;) So, I'd guess there's more like 40K-50K deer that actually get hit.

That's a lotta damn deer! :eek:
 
Jeanie, welcome to the board! I look forward to meeting you sometime.

Unfortunately, it looks like it won't be at Gaston's this year. My sister is graduating from High School in PA that weekend, and I have too many other trips and other large expenses coming up this year that I need to budget for.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
You have insurance on your vehicles, right? ;)
Click to expand...

Of course, I carry full coverage on all my vehicles. That doesn't mean that's a reason to get into a wreck that's avoidable.

I know the limits of my vehicles just fine, but it's easy for the reaction to an unexpected encounter to be bigger than you intended it to be.

There's a reason trucking companies tell drivers right away in orientation to just hit the damn deer. We'd replace quite a few hoods each year, but you can buy a hell of a lot of hoods for what a rollover costs.
Click to expand...

Maybe for you and in your case, but that's not always true. Techniques like that are handed out because the intended audience is generally viewed as not skilled enough to do better, which may or may not be the case. As you know, there's no "one best method" as every situation is different. Obviously, I'm not going to swerve to avoid something when I've got a big trailer on a twisty road and there's an oncoming car. When I'm in a more regular vehicle (like my Jag or truck) without oncoming traffic, the situation is massively different.

I can't remember the number of deer I would have hit if I'd just stood on the brakes and held course that I have successfully avoided by swerving out of the way. That said, there have been a number of times when standing on the brakes was the appropriate action. I've done this once or twice on motorcycles, especially, where I know I'm not skilled enough to swerve as needed. Comes back to knowing the limits of the vehicle and the driver.

[/quote]On a dry road in a car, a swerve small enough that the car stays on the road and out of opposing traffic is OK. In an SUV, full-size van or other such vehicle, it's a lot easier to roll over. Towing something, easier yet (due to the crack-the-whip effect). Wet, snowy or icy road and you're gonna go in the ditch.[/quote]

Which indicates that just braking and stopping is not always teh best move...

Anyway, clearly we have different views on it. Mine's worked for me 100% so far (although I fully believe one day it will fail).
 
AdamZ said:
Usually not too windy but there is lots of HOT AIR!:smilewinkgrin:
Click to expand...

At times, it was hella windy last year. I had one wild ride on the way out of there Sunday after brunch. I even wrote "wild wooly departure" in my log book.
 
Bill Jennings said:
At times, it was hella windy last year. I had one wild ride on the way out of there Sunday after brunch. I even wrote "wild wooly departure" in my log book.
Click to expand...

Well, Sunday also had us departing downwind. That was, um, an interesting takeoff for us as well with three aboard.
 
FlyNE said:
Well, Sunday also had us departing downwind. That was, um, an interesting takeoff for us as well with three aboard.
Click to expand...

That is exactly why I went solo and picked up the pax at Mountain Home.

I coulda done it, and even thought about it, but decided it wasn't worth the risk.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
That is exactly why I went solo and picked up the pax at Mountain Home.

I coulda done it, and even thought about it, but decided it wasn't worth the risk.
Click to expand...

+1,000
 
FlyNE said:
Well, Sunday also had us departing downwind. That was, um, an interesting takeoff for us as well with three aboard.
Click to expand...
Video of that takeoff..Overall, we had a lot more room left then some of the 'questionable' departures I watched.

 
Greg Bockelman said:
That is exactly why I went solo and picked up the pax at Mountain Home.

I coulda done it, and even thought about it, but decided it wasn't worth the risk.
Click to expand...

Which is why I asked Tom to take the trip to Mtn. Home as conditions were outside my comfort zone. My pax were shuttled where I picked 'em up.
 
Last edited:
jesse said:
Video of that takeoff..Overall, we had a lot more room left then some of the 'questionable' departures I watched.

Click to expand...

I agree. We all talked about it quite a bit before we took off. I still don't regret the decision. It just wasn't quite as much room as I had on my other departures.

Thankfully one of the three people on board that day weighs like 28 pounds.
 
I just booked Cottage #12 for June 12th and 13th. I wanted #14, but somebody already got that one. OK, which one of you did that??? ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top