What constitutes Pilot in Command in this situation

[James331]

Not really ? just a week before this tragedy. 19 year old MIT student Matt Guthmiller(www.limitless-horizons.org) completed round the world trip . Same route in exactly the same kind of Bonanza, and last year it was 21 year old Jack Weigand, (www.facebook.com/solofFight2013) in a Mooney. And also I believe another 19 year old Australian Ryan Cambell , so lets not me judgmental ! In this I believe it was " fate is the Hunter"

It's not age, I really could care less about age or race or sex. It's the size of their log book and how serious they are.

The kid JUST got his ticket (cram course too, as it appears), it would appear they may have not fully appreciated the severity of the journey they decided to undertake.

The MIT guy had 500tt and wasn't taking pictures of himself watching Videos in the plane or wearing pilot outfits with dad.

 

[vince]

OTOH, they could have crashed taking off from Indianapolis for a $100 hamburger. Without knowing any details except from the prior post, it doesn't sound like the crash had anything to do with an around-the-world trip, something just happened at a bad time.

Oh please. There is a HUGE difference between setting out for a very long trans oceanic trip with extra fuel and emergency equipment, suits, rafts, etc, (i.e. heavy stuff) and going out for a $100 hamburger in your shorts to the next town over.

 

[nosehair]

If someone started telling me what we'd decide and when we'd decide it I think I'd inform them they will be a ground spectator.

oooo..lookit you.

 

[eetrojan]

Redundant post. Sorry. Deleted.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Oh please. There is a HUGE difference between setting out for a very long trans oceanic trip with extra fuel and emergency equipment, suits, rafts, etc, (i.e. heavy stuff) and going out for a $100 hamburger in your shorts to the next town over.

Is there a big difference? Yes. My point was that a) it's plenty doable and b) equipment can malfunction at *any* time.

Uhhh, yeah bout that. Seems every insurance company, employer, and person with a half once of common sense would disagree.

On a flight like this EXPERIENCE means everything.

Again, no argument there... Read my post carefully: Weather and squawks can happen to anyone, regardless of experience level.

I also think it's ironic that we, the people who dare to strap ourselves into little airplanes while the rest of the world says "Oooh, that's too dangerous for me!" will sit here and play the same too-dangerous card for someone who had the courage to get out of the nest and plan and execute an adventure of this nature.

If you read the news reports, you'll see young Haris Suleman inspiring kids in other countries, and it sounds like their flight had already raised $500,000 to build schools for impoverished kids in Pakistan.

Should we not try because we might not succeed?

 

[Greg Bockelman]

If someone started telling me what we'd decide and when we'd decide it I think I'd inform them they will be a ground spectator. Not that I don't agree communication is a good thing, but don't start ordering me around in my plane. Poor form.

Context is everything.

 

[gismo]

FWIW, Babar (it's pronounced "Bob-er" like you would put on a fishing line BTW) was a good friend of several of my friends (my only acquaintance with him was via internet forum). He was respected by his fellow pilot friends as a knowledgeable and capable pilot. Yes his son was very recently awarded a pilot certificate but he wasn't new to flying, the recency of the checkride had more to do with his age.

And I'd like to make it clear that this flight was all about Babar sharing an incredible experience with his son involving something they were both passionate about. It was definitely NOT about setting a "youngest pilot" record. They had included the potential for setting a time record for a single engine around the world trip that that intent was discarded earlier in the flight to avoid the pressure to fly.

Also AFaIK the decision to make a late night departure was based on the desire to reach their distant destination in Hawaii during daylight hours so as to mitigate the additional risk of a night landing by fatigued pilots.