Marriage Proposal Goes Awry

From news in Canada:

ROME, Ga. (AP) – A plane chartered to help a man propose to his girlfriend crashed, injuring the couple and the pilot, authorities said.

Relatives holding a sheet with “Erica, will you marry me?” painted on it watched from the ground as the Cessna 127 circled low over the airport, stalled and then crashed Friday evening.

The couple, Adam Sutton and Erica Brussee, and the pilot were taken to a hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life threatening, authorities said.

Brussee suffered a broken leg, and the other two had cuts and gashes.

As Brussee was loaded into the ambulance, she said: ” ‘Tell Adam I said yes,’ ” said Joshua Willis, Sutton’s cousin.

The ring was lost in the wreckage, he said.

“Looking for Traffic”

Went to the airport this afternoon to watch, and listen to, the pattern. I find it very instructive to hear the different radio calls and responses, I hear things I like and try to use in the future, and sometimes I hear things that I make a note not to say in the future.

But one phrase started to bother me – looking for traffic. All too often it seemed to be an automatic response with no real conviction that the pilot really cared. Now that is no doubt a little harsh but on about 3 or 4 occasions a pilot on final was to be told traffic holding in position, departing before arrival. The response – looking for traffic. I don’t know how you can’t have that traffic in sight, its right where you’re looking right now.

BFR and PIC Again – 1.9 Hrs

My flying club requires an annual flight review for insurance purposes so I do a flight review every year, this year it coincides with the FAA-required BFR. It has been a while since I flew and was not real sure how well it would go. Last time I had taken a break the flying went well, and today it went better than it ever has. Go figure.

It was a clear sunny day, with mostly calm winds, just perfect for flying. We did a whole bunch of the usual maneuvers, ending up with landing practice at Ramona. My landings were mostly greasers but the approaches were far from perfect so we are going to go up again next week to work on getting those stabilised (I bet my landings will then go awry!). Since the review went so well, I got signed off today and we’ll take the 172RG next week to get my complex skills repolished.

All in all, a very good morning and I am enthused about flying again.

Getting Back Into Things

The next few weeks should see me back in the saddle. I have two sessions booked with my CFI for a combined BFR and annual flying club review. We will do (at least) one approach under the hood so by the end of that I will be fully current, except for the night flying. I’m tempted to go up this evening and take care of that but we’ll see how I feel by then: sunset is 7.59.

My medical expires at the end of August. Now that I am over 40, I will be on the two year renewal schedule. Not sure who to see this time. My last AME was in Palm Springs, an old guy who was hugely popular for medicals, a conveyor belt of people going in and out. My recollection of the exam was chatting about places we had flown to and the colour eye-sight test that is required for the 2nd class cert. The previous guy was very different, did a bunch of tests including a urine test which I assume was for diabetes. None of what he did was required and I assume was just a way to charge me more than he needed to. Now I’m working in San Diego again I don’t want to travel to Palm Springs but at the same time don’t want another expensive, and over the top, exam.