The big story this past week has been the dust storms. It cleared up for a day since the last time I wrote then the past four days have been pretty much solid dust. On the 11th I had my first night mission since November and it was way too exciting. We were delayed for a couple of hours then they gave us legal weather and said it was going to be improving throughout the night, so we launched. As soon as we left the airfield on our way to our first stop it started raining on us. The visibility didn’t look as good as what they were calling for but it is so hard to tell when the air is full of dust and you have no star or moonlight. The only reference you have is lights on the ground and they get distorted as the light reflects off the dust. As soon as we passed the last ground lights it was like flying into a wall. The other pilot who was on the flight controls started to lose his references and began to climb (a nature reaction due to pilot’s general aversion to the ground) which made things worse. As he became more disorientated he started over controlling the aircraft to the point where I had to take the flight controls. At this point the other aircraft was beneath and behind us and I had no hope of getting back into formation so I turned away from them and climbed to get some separation. This took me completely away from any ground reference so I flipped up my goggles and focused on flying using the instruments. Needless to say I was a little out of practice and it took all my concentration to get the aircraft turned around and flying level. In 12 years of flying I have never been that disorientated. The official term is spatial disorientation but we call it being un-caged (when you have no idea the position of your body relative to the ground) and I was completely un-caged. Your brain is screaming at you to level the aircraft but the instruments are telling you the aircraft is level. It is a very uncomfortable feeling and it lasted all the way until we got back to the airfield and I could see the lights. There were a lot of lessons learned on that flight – ones I hope I don’t have to learn again. Two nights later the weather didn’t clear until
Hazy H 80 L 50
4 comments:
I remember 100 years ago at Ft. Rucker (or was it in Germany?) Whenever....and we were in a simulator and I crashed how many times? Actually I don't think I ever flew (: and I remember you saying "Trust your instruments" I will quote Patrick McManus (as it is Happy St. Patrick's Day on this side of the world) in reference to his trip down the Chick-a-nout Narrows..."I will not attempt to tell what shooting the narrows in the middle of the night was like.. The drop-offs, the drop-ups, the part where we were walking horizontally around the walls carrying the raft, the part where the raft was on top of us and the river was on top of the raft, and certainly not about the parts where it got bad." Thanks for the dust storm story. Like all great adventures...better for the listener in multiple re-tellings. Sweaty vicarious hands are OK...actual sweat...terrifying. (In a disciplined way of course) How do you take the controls away from someone? Is there a form? Or maybe it wasn't a take away situation? Maybe a "Hmmmm Mr. Lyons? I think I need some help here..." Or maybe you can't say. Or shouldn't say. I have LOT more I want to ask. Love,
I was going to write about your blog post, but then I just read your Dad's comment and I can't even remember what I was going to write. I'm thinking "Hey! Why haven't I had the chance to meet your dad?" Now I know where you get at least 50% of your mojo! I'm guessing the other 50% probably comes from Wendi. You guys are so cool.
Ed,
Funny you should say that. That post was actually my mom (they figured one account was enough and since my dad set it up he got to name it) - I can always tell by her writing. I accept the compliment but I must admit my secret is to surround yourself with great people and some of it is bound to rub off :) I'm not sure why you haven't met my parents but you may yet get a chance to if they visit us at Rucker next year. I am looking at a November class date so hopefully you guys will still be there. Take care and have fun with that F model stuff.
Mom,
Actually transferring the flight controls is a well established procedure that we brief before every flight. Every time I have had to do it (less than five in my career) the individual was more than happy to give them up. I have heard of instances where it didn't go smoothly but they were due to the pilot freezing up on the controls - not some pride issue. I always find it interesting what people seeing something from a different perspective will focus on. I never thought that would be an interesting detail :)
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