Mooney ditching off Clearwater FL

flyingcheesehead said:
No, but I've read enough from people who don't just use the hunch of SGOTI to determine the best course of action. For example, http://www.equipped.org/ditchingmyths.htm
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Interesting: I had Mr. Jason Blair for my instrument checkride. As part of the oral, we discussed flying over Lake Michigan (as related to assigned cross-country assigned). He made a comment to me - something to the effect- that if he were flying over Lake Michigan in a single engine plane, and the engine quit, that he'd dive straight down into the water, to make a 'quick end' since the chance of rescue was so small (90 minutes to several hours for the Coast Guard to come looking).
Mr. Bertorelli's article(s) seems to say definitely otherwise.
 
40YearDream said:
Interesting: I had Mr. Jason Blair for my instrument checkride. As part of the oral, we discussed flying over Lake Michigan (as related to assigned cross-country assigned). He made a comment to me - something to the effect- that if he were flying over Lake Michigan in a single engine plane, and the engine quit, that he'd dive straight down into the water, to make a 'quick end' since the chance of rescue was so small (90 minutes to several hours for the Coast Guard to come looking).
Mr. Bertorelli's article(s) seems to say definitely otherwise.
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I have flown my Bonanza over Lake Michigan more than 200 times. I wore an inflatable life preserver and had an inflatable life raft. One year, I met a Coast Guard pilot from Traverse City, and asked him how long it might take to get to me if I ditched in the middle, between Ludington and Manitowoc. He said they could not even take off until temperatures came up, and then it would be probably a half hour to my presumed location. The real issue, he said, is trying to see someone in a small raft in the vast amount of water. I took sea survival in the Air Force, and know that a signal mirror or a flare or dye would make a huge difference. I carried a handheld radio in a waterproof bag.
 
40YearDream said:
Interesting: I had Mr. Jason Blair for my instrument checkride. As part of the oral, we discussed flying over Lake Michigan (as related to assigned cross-country assigned). He made a comment to me - something to the effect- that if he were flying over Lake Michigan in a single engine plane, and the engine quit, that he'd dive straight down into the water, to make a 'quick end' since the chance of rescue was so small (90 minutes to several hours for the Coast Guard to come looking).
Mr. Bertorelli's article(s) seems to say definitely otherwise.
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Depends on the time of year. If you ditch in the lake in October, you might have a decent shot. If it's April, you might as well roll inverted and pull - Even if you're wearing a life preserver it just means they'll find your frozen body.
 
3393RP said:
This is like refusing to wear a seatbelt because your cousin knows a guy that was thrown clear of a car that exploded as it went over a cliff.
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I don't remember seeing Any plane that ditched flipping over.
I personally talked to both pilots I mentioned.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Depends on the time of year. If you ditch in the lake in October, you might have a decent shot. If it's April, you might as well roll inverted and pull - Even if you're wearing a life preserver it just means they'll find your frozen body.
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A friend of mine got a gig to ferry an F-5 from Northrup to Norway. When they fitted him up with a poopy suit at Goose Bay (I think) they told him it would keep him alive 30 minutes. They said the C130 will drop you a raft in three hours.
 
JimLAFB said:
A friend of mine got a gig to ferry an F-5 from Northrup to Norway. When they fitted him up with a poopy suit at Goose Bay (I think) they told him it would keep him alive 30 minutes. They said the C130 will drop you a raft in three hours.
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I had a fish spotting gig in Alaska for several summers. Well offshore and very low altitude. I was on wheels for some of it, on floats later. A C185, Cub, and a Scout. Very cold sea water. I always wore a survival suit with my legs in the bottom and the top unzipped and laid across the seat back. Told myself I could zip into it and get the door unlatched before touchdown. And then get out... Very sweaty legs after 7 hours flying. The suit was SOLAS rated for more than 6 hours survival in water temps near freezing.
 
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