Young Maggie's highly unusual first solo flight.

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  • Spear Dane

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    Fella's and ladies if this don't put a lump in your throat and moisture in your eyes you're probably already dead.
    This poor gal is very obviously scared half to death but she keeps it together. Permission to cheer IS granted.

    [video=youtube;B229-KLudTo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B229-KLudTo[/video]
     

    Cameramonkey

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    OUTSTANDING!

    As a dad, (and former pilot) her voice just grinds at my heart. She was freaked out as hell, but fell back on her training. I hope she kept at it and finished. That's one of those either you are done or you are emboldened... I hope it was the latter.
     

    indykid

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    Any landing that you can walk away from is a good landing, and having only one of two main wheel assemblies doing it's best to ruin your day makes it an even better landing.
     

    Spear Dane

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    OUTSTANDING!

    As a dad, (and former pilot) her voice just grinds at my heart. She was freaked out as hell, but fell back on her training. I hope she kept at it and finished. That's one of those either you are done or you are emboldened... I hope it was the latter.

    This only happened Sunday. So the jury is out.
     

    Trigger Time

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    I think we often sell our youth short and underestimate what they are capable of. 17 year olds were maried and had several babies by that age in the not so distant past, and actualy I think people can still get married at 15 or 16 with parental consent. Anyways we try to keep our kids babies for as long as possible and I think put them at a disadvantage in this modern dog eat dog world where a couple years head start could mean everything. By the age of 17 if theyve been raised right, most 17 year olds are just in a holding pattern (no pun intrnded) and chomping at the bit to get out into the real world in a year. We force them to wait because of some BS last year of school that they learn nothing new in.

    All that aside, if she couldnt do this then she has no business being in an airplane flying about the population below which she could cause mass death and destruction on if she wasnt responsible and skilled. This is common sense stuff and age shouldn't play any factor in it and certainly not sex. I think if this would have been a 17yr old boy you never would have heard about it.
    She did good, she did what she needed to do and she didnt kill anyone on the ground and she was able to live also. Mission accomplished. This is exactly the way I would say it if it were my own daughter who WILL also be learning to fly in a couple of years. Unofficially sooner than that.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    I think we often sell our youth short and underestimate what they are capable of. 17 year olds were maried and had several babies by that age in the not so distant past....

    ...because the economy had jobs a 17 year old could work and support a family and you were unlikely to live long enough to be pensioned off. That's no longer the case in most instances. Entering the work force at 17 now, with few exceptions, guarantees a life of low wage earning in today's significantly more specialized work force.
     

    natdscott

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    Let's keep it on topic here: this young gal did a GREAT job with a really horrible situation. I don't know the statistics, but in the event of a crash-ish landing, coming out without a scratch is not really very likely.

    I hope she gets back in the plane soon. Kid's got talent, heart, and after this, should be hard as nails.

    -Nate
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    Let's keep it on topic here: this young gal did a GREAT job with a really horrible situation. I don't know the statistics, but in the event of a crash-ish landing, coming out without a scratch is not really very likely.

    Not to take anything away from what she did, but I'd have to disagree that it's not likely to land safely. My ex-wife took piloting lessons, did solo flights, etc back when you could get enough flight time in to get your basic licenses for about $3k. A little prop plane lands at something like 70-80mph, basically highway speeds for a car. Students learn in them for a reason.
     

    Trigger Time

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    Not to take anything away from what she did, but I'd have to disagree that it's not likely to land safely. My ex-wife took piloting lessons, did solo flights, etc back when you could get enough flight time in to get your basic licenses for about $3k. A little prop plane lands at something like 70-80mph, basically highway speeds for a car. Students learn in them for a reason.
    I agree
    It's now around $5 to 7k though sadly.
     

    Trigger Time

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    ...because the economy had jobs a 17 year old could work and support a family and you were unlikely to live long enough to be pensioned off. That's no longer the case in most instances. Entering the work force at 17 now, with few exceptions, guarantees a life of low wage earning in today's significantly more specialized work force.
    No you are right. The whole system has changed to keep kids from growing up sooner
     

    Ggreen

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    Not to take anything away from what she did, but I'd have to disagree that it's not likely to land safely. My ex-wife took piloting lessons, did solo flights, etc back when you could get enough flight time in to get your basic licenses for about $3k. A little prop plane lands at something like 70-80mph, basically highway speeds for a car. Students learn in them for a reason.

    As an aircraft mechanic with my A&P and IA, I have to disagree. Aircraft are not equipped with the safety features that help prevent injuries in a sudden hard stop situation. I've worked multiple ground loops by experienced pilots and most of them are laid up for a week or more with random injuries. Lots of back injuries and worse are the head injuries. I worked a salvage job on a fatal ercoupe crash. He had an engine seize (his "mechanic" told him his type of engine could fly without an oil cap...wrong it siphoned out locked up and he went down.) This guy landed in clear cut at slow speeds (35 to 40). He hopped out, called 911, waved the chopper in and died on the way to the hospital due to a traumatic brain injury. The control wheel had his head imprinted, it's amazing he was conscious as long as he was. A crash in a car at 35 to 45 mph is not likely to kill, in an airplane with restraints designed in the 50's and 60's are the norm your margin of error is much smaller. The ground loops I've worked and was on scene for, the pilots were disoriented, probably concussed, and most bleeding from multiple places on their face from hitting the controls. A student pilot on their first solo walking away from a crash with no injuries is outstanding, and so rare that they would be able to maintain their composure throughout the incident. Flying is not easier nor is it safer because your in a prop plane with a reciprocating engine.
     

    Spear Dane

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    OUTSTANDING!

    As a dad, (and former pilot) her voice just grinds at my heart. She was freaked out as hell, but fell back on her training. I hope she kept at it and finished. That's one of those either you are done or you are emboldened... I hope it was the latter.

    Turns out her dad is a pilot too and she wants to go to Colorado Springs. She will return.
     

    flightsimmer

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    My question is why did the wheel fall off?

    With all of the rules and regulations and sign offs by an A&P mechanic and all of the safe guards, how is this even possible?

    I'll tell you how, it's all a sham.
    I could spend the rest of the day telling you of the corruption and outright lies I have experienced from some of the A&P's I have delt with.

    I have been a mechanical engineer, mechanic, technician and what ever else you want to call it.
    I was even working on my A&P license at a well respected university but got fed up with all of crap I experienced.

    I even owned several SEL aircraft. I finally threw up my hands and got out of flying all together.
     

    MRockwell

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    That's what the training's for; when things DON'T go right. She handled it like a trooper!!:rockwoot:

    That's what Training's for.
    Just my little experience with this. When I first started dating my wife, I asked her if she wanted to go night flying ( this was our second time up in the 150). SURE!

    So at 5I4, the runway lights were a bit cantankerous. It took me a couple tries to get the ptt sequence right to get them turned on. It was only after our flight, and the plane was put away, that she asked: what would you have done if the runway lights didn't turn on when we came back to land?

    This is what training is for. I had enough fuel to fly to UMP (Indianapolis Metro) and land, then have someone pick me up and go about my day (or night).

    Like was said before: outstanding!
     
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    Ggreen

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    My question is why did the wheel fall off?

    With all of the rules and regulations and sign offs by an A&P mechanic and all of the safe guards, how is this even possible?

    I'll tell you how, it's all a sham.
    I could spend the rest of the day telling you of the corruption and outright lies I have experienced from some of the A&P's I have delt with.

    I have been a mechanical engineer, mechanic, technician and what ever else you want to call it.
    I was even working on my A&P license at a well respected university but got fed up with all of crap I experienced.

    I even owned several SEL aircraft. I finally threw up my hands and got out of flying all together.

    Please, do tell. And also wheels and tires can be done by owner/operators. Please tell me about how A&P's are a sham.. Please go on. Oh, wait now let me start telling you about pilots... Let me tell you about ercoupes with non stc seat modifications that could lead to a pilot ejecting in turbulence, let me tell you about pilots training students in a 172 where the spark plug loosens up after every flight, (cracked cylinder right through the plug seat), let me tell you all of the mx I've done with flight time promises only to be shut down after the work was done, let me tell you about the pilots trying to bribe mechanics for annual inspection sign offs, let me tell you about prebuy inspections that I found props bent and repaired by pilots, let me go on... please tell me about those scum bag a&p's.
     
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    flightsimmer

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    Please, do tell. And also wheels and tires can be done by owner/operators. Please tell me about how A&P's are a sham.. Please go on. Oh, wait now let me start telling you about pilots... Let me tell you about ercoupes with non stc seat modifications that could lead to a pilot ejecting in turbulence, let me tell you about pilots training students in a 172 where the spark plug loosens up after every flight, (cracked cylinder right through the plug seat), let me tell you all of the mx I've done with promises, let me tell you about the pilots trying to bribe mechanics for annual inspection sign offs, let me tell you about prebuy inspections that I found props bent and repaired by pilots, let me go on... please tell me about those scum bag a&p's.

    You just made my point, thank you for taking the time.
     
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