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Morning Open Thread. Here kitty, kitty, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. [1]

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Date: 2022-12-17

Have I ever told you I know how to fly an airplane? Well, o.k., gotta qualify that a bit. At one time in my life, nearly a couple of lifetimes ago now it seems, I was a student pilot and had soloed and had around forty hours in my log book when the “low money light” came on and I had to ground myself. But ya know what? I believe I could still get a Cessna 150 up in the air and fly it around, safely mind you, to this day. Landing it, safely, eh, that could be another matter entirely. This diary, by the way, is inspired by the fact that today is the 119th anniversary of powered, controlled flight, which is a tricky thing to accomplish. Uh, the controlled flight that is, not the anniversary.

Morning Open Thread is a daily, copyrighted post from a host of editors and guest writers. We support our community, invite and share ideas, and encourage thoughtful, respectful dialogue in an open forum. This is a post where you can come to share what’s on your mind and stay for the expansion. The diarist is on California time and gets to take a nap when he needs to, or may just wander off and show up again later. So you know, it's a feature, not a bug. Grab your supportive indulgence(s) of choice and join us, please. And if you’re brand new to Morning Open Thread, then Hail and Well Met, new Friend.

National Today: Wright Brothers Day is celebrated every year on December 17 in the United States. The day commemorates the first successful flights in a mechanically propelled airplane that was heavier-than-air. The planes were made by Orville and Wilbur Wright, or ‘the Wright brothers’ in 1903 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. … The brother’s experimentation with flying was quite simple, yet impressive. They observed birds and how the animals change the angle of their wings to make their bodies roll left or right. Wilbur concluded that this would also be a great way for a flying machine to turn, just like a bird, or a person riding a bicycle. After several weeks of delays prompted by broken propeller shafts during the engine tests, the Wright brothers finally took to the air on December 17, 1903. The historic moment saw Orville and Wilbur Wright make two flights each from level ground into a glacial headwind blowing at 27 miles per hour. The first flight, by Orville at 10:35 am, flew 120 feet in 12 seconds at a speed of 6.8 miles per hour. This was recorded in a famous photograph. The next flights traveled roughly 175 and 200 feet, by both Wilbur and Orville respectively, at an altitude of 10 feet above the ground.

* * * * *

This is not the instrument panel of the airplane that I flew, but it’s close. Very basic, with just the standard instruments and some radio navigation.

Of course, the Wright brothers had no instruments at all! Very much seat-of-the-pants flying, or perhaps I should say eyeballing it? Nah, today we’d say Orville and Wilbur butt-dialed it.

O.k., let’s see how I do. On the instrument panel I recognize, without even having to think about them

The three instruments to the right of my inserted text are, I think, radio navigation instruments, of which I learned only a very little while taking flying lessons (that’s many many hours of more practice). Continuing right, up on top and cut off in the photo is the magnetic compass, then radios below; farther right are instruments like fuel and oil pressure and electrical system charging, and more radio (I think). Between the Artificial Horizon and the Altimeter are three small lights (red, green, amber) which are, I believe, part of an Instrument Landing System.

With just those instruments I’ve labeled, and engine condition instruments, it would be safe enough in the right environment to fly Visual Reference. Radios and electronic navigation are a modern necessity, but when I was taking flying lessons if it hadn’t been for the fact I was required by law to communicate with air traffic controllers (I was flying out of a Naval Air Station, after all) I could have easily done without them. Good weather, knowledge of your route, a good map, and dead-reckoning navigation are still more than sufficient to fly across this entire country and get to where you intend.

There are a couple of things I remember well about flying:

Always, always, always be looking for an emergency landing spot.

If lost, the Three C’s: C onfess (ADMIT to yourself that you are lost; hell, you ain’t the first one it’s happened to.); C limb, C ommunicate. Confessing will immediately reduce your stress and confusion. So, yeah, you’re still lost but now you’re doing something about it. Climbing will allow you to see the landscape better and you might then be able to recognize a landmark that was otherwise not apparent. Voila! You’re not lost anymore. Communicate: get in touch with a control tower. Maybe they can find you on radar. And you ain’t lost anymore.

onfess (ADMIT to yourself that you are lost; hell, you ain’t the first one it’s happened to.); limb, ommunicate. Confessing will immediately reduce your stress and confusion. So, yeah, you’re still lost but now you’re doing something about it. Climbing will allow you to see the landscape better and you might then be able to recognize a landmark that was otherwise not apparent. Voila! You’re not lost anymore. Communicate: get in touch with a control tower. Maybe they can find you on radar. And you ain’t lost anymore. On takeoff roll, keep your heels on the floor. This can preclude accidental wheel braking (especially single wheel braking), not something you want when you’re trying to stay straight down the runway and gain airspeed. If your heels are on the floor, then your toes are way less likely to press on the top of the rudder pedal, which is how you apply brakes.

When starting a turn, always lead with the rudder. It really does make a difference.

No alcohol within twenty-four hours of flying. No marijuana within fifty feet of the airplane.

It’s been several years since I last flew in a small airplane, but when I did the pilot allowed me to take the stick. Yes, stick and not yoke. I’d never flown a stick before. Even so, with a very sensitive control response, I managed to execute a fairly balanced level turn. The pilot, actually my very first instructor from way back in high school, was impressed.

I dearly wish I could afford to take lessons again and get my license. I love flying.

Although this 172 has a larger engine than the 150 of my youth, it’s very similar in most all respects. Watch the full thing if you want. It’s well produced and informative.

In Part 2, when the aircraft lifts off, the pilot says “If that doesn’t get you, I don’t know what will.” Oh boy howdy yeah, is he right. I swear, liftoff is better than sex.

Well, damn close, anyhow.

✈️

😜

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/12/17/2139381/-Morning-Open-Thread-Here-kitty-kitty-Kitty-Hawk-North-Carolina

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