Jet Jocks: Tommy and I

SCCutler

SCCutler

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Spike Cutler
Check it out!

By the way, Tommy flew a flawless stabilized approach to 16R at Seattle. Stunned.

That's my boy!
 

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I assume that's a sim? If not, how'd you get time in a biggun like that?
 
its photoshoped. the shadows dont match. :rofl:

Very Nice spike. Glad to see the kid getting involved so early.
 
SkyHog said:
I assume that's a sim? If not, how'd you get time in a biggun like that?
Click to expand...

Sometimes, Nick, it is better to be lucky than good.

Helps, also, to have a neighbor who is a check airman.

My first time flying glass, very intuitive.
 
Spike, how'd you do on your approaches?
Did you watch anyone else fly?
I bet they are not that easy.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Spike, how'd you do on your approaches?
Did you watch anyone else fly?
I bet they are not that easy.
Click to expand...

Dave:

There were two interns who flew before me (on each from two different well-known aviation universities). The first, a multi-commercial-instrument pilot, flew five approaches and landings, did reasonably well, although he had a very hard time of keeping from starting wing rocking; failed to consider the inertia a big plane like that has and held his airleron corrections too long. One landing had a tail strike. The other intern was co-pilot, gave call-outs and pilot not flying duties very well.

Then co-pilot moved to captain's seat, I moved into co-pilot's seat. This one (PP ASEL, IA, almost done with multi and comm) had a seriously difficult time flying approaches and landing the plane, with the first three approaches heavily-laced withe "sink rate" and "glide slope" annunciator messages. In addition, two of the theree had full-deflection on the localizer at one point. All three of the landings were.... well, the computer recorded airframe damage each time, and once, we were maybe 500' from the end of DAL's 13R before we stopped (!). It must have been nerves, because on the fourth effort, with nothing more than some calming words from the check airman talking her through, she flew a solid approach and decent landing.

Then came my turn. As we were running short on time, I only flew two approaches, but they were good ones, no computerized warnings and I don't think I ever got more than a dot off; I have to say, a flight director makes it remarkably easy to do, now that I understand what it is that they do. Both landings were decent, I floated a bit on one, but was told that they were good.

I also had the chance to take off and (upon instructions from the boss) fly between two buildings in downtown Dallas; the terrain & obstancle avoidance system was annunciating and clacking all over the place. With all that in place, it would have to be pretty difficult to fly into cumulogranite.

Finally, came Tommy's turn, which was essentially one landing starting from ten miles out, and I was in the right seat to "help" if needed. I kept waiting to be needed. All I did (and I mean *all* I did) was one finger pull on the yoke in the landing to assist with the flare, and to deploy the reversers (and I think he would have done that if I had not). I tell you, he absolutely nailed that approach, never deviated half a dot in either plane. I was stunned. And proud.

Maybe he will be a pilot, and if he is, he may be a better one than I the very first time he touches an airplane.
 
Dang!
So if both pilots ever get incapacitated in an airliner, I guess the best bet is to send a nintendo-current 10yr old up to the cockpit! (if you aren't aboard of course Spike)
Thanks for telling the rest of the story!
 
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