Camera On, Pilot Not
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Camera On, Pilot Not
<div id="1609206981"><i>Falling quickly</i><br><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/ozreport/posts ... 1085"><img border="0" src="../pub/images/cameraon.JPG" width="640" height="363" style="width:auto;height:auto;max-width:100%"></a></p></div>
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It's very sad that the guy standing on the aft-port (4 oclock) position of the PIC was just whistling Dixie rather than paying attention to what the situation was directly in front of him.
We almost had a similar situation involving a H-5 pilot about to launch. Thankfully [someone] was a bit more attentive to my brother-in-flight's poor situation. His side flying wire was kinked around the LE tang as a result of a poor (or non-existent) pre-flight. While he was waiting for a good cycle off the mountain launch, I did him the favor of doing quick pre-flight like I do with everyone else when I'm not busy with my own gear. At the very last second I found the kink just as he was uttering "CLEAR!". I loudly exclaimed "ABORT!!" before he acted on his decision.
I don't know if the kink would have terminally fatigued and put him into a near-vertical trajectory at some point in his flight, but at least he had some confidence that his good brothers had his six.
I am always amazed at pilots that merely stand around the launch, thoroughly entranced and enchanted by the vista without observing the life and death actions that are being acted upon right in front of their noses. So many of them stand about acting like wufo-zombies.
When I'm on launch assisting or merely observing another pilot launching, the very first thing I look for is the hang loop and it's attachments. Then I consciously move my eyes over the craft in a similar manner to my own pre-flight check, but at a physical position that doesn't hinder the PIC's operation. If something appears even slightly amiss, I move in for a closer look to verify and immediately notify the PIC of my concern. Once in a while I find something that doesn't look correct from ten feet away, but upon closer inspection it is verified as proper. Sometimes the PIC has a disgusted look on his face for someone interrupting his concentration, but at least he has a bit more piece of mind.
I wonder if people don't alert others to possible follies merely because they believe it wouldn't be PC or they are too timid and unsure of themselves? To hell with that PC logic. And grow some balls, otherwise you shouldn't be on launch.
I'm not trying to be holier than thou, but it really pisses me off to see wufo-zombie-pilots not actively participating in the life-or-death matters at the most extreme moments of the flights of their brothers and sisters.
We almost had a similar situation involving a H-5 pilot about to launch. Thankfully [someone] was a bit more attentive to my brother-in-flight's poor situation. His side flying wire was kinked around the LE tang as a result of a poor (or non-existent) pre-flight. While he was waiting for a good cycle off the mountain launch, I did him the favor of doing quick pre-flight like I do with everyone else when I'm not busy with my own gear. At the very last second I found the kink just as he was uttering "CLEAR!". I loudly exclaimed "ABORT!!" before he acted on his decision.
I don't know if the kink would have terminally fatigued and put him into a near-vertical trajectory at some point in his flight, but at least he had some confidence that his good brothers had his six.
I am always amazed at pilots that merely stand around the launch, thoroughly entranced and enchanted by the vista without observing the life and death actions that are being acted upon right in front of their noses. So many of them stand about acting like wufo-zombies.
When I'm on launch assisting or merely observing another pilot launching, the very first thing I look for is the hang loop and it's attachments. Then I consciously move my eyes over the craft in a similar manner to my own pre-flight check, but at a physical position that doesn't hinder the PIC's operation. If something appears even slightly amiss, I move in for a closer look to verify and immediately notify the PIC of my concern. Once in a while I find something that doesn't look correct from ten feet away, but upon closer inspection it is verified as proper. Sometimes the PIC has a disgusted look on his face for someone interrupting his concentration, but at least he has a bit more piece of mind.
I wonder if people don't alert others to possible follies merely because they believe it wouldn't be PC or they are too timid and unsure of themselves? To hell with that PC logic. And grow some balls, otherwise you shouldn't be on launch.
I'm not trying to be holier than thou, but it really pisses me off to see wufo-zombie-pilots not actively participating in the life-or-death matters at the most extreme moments of the flights of their brothers and sisters.
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