http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=17092
Crash at Questair
Paul Tjaden - 2010/05/10 23:49:50 UTC
Curious who crip2 is and where he got his info but it is ALL incorrect.
Yeah Paul. And Quest Air has always been such a STICKLER for the accuracy of info circulated...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
Paul Tjaden - 2013/02/07
Apparently, Zach simply hit strong low level turbulence, probably a dust devil that could not be seen due to the lack of dust in Florida, the nose went too high and he tumbled at a very low altitude.
...following serious crashes at its facility.
The injured pilot learned how to hang glide and tow at Quest several years ago...
Not very well, did she?
...and at that time had numerous flights on a Falcon 140 before she purchased a Sport 2 which she flew and enjoyed before taking a break from HG for several years for personal reasons. Several weeks ago she came back to Quest where she flew tandem several times with two very experienced instructors before she was allowed to solo again on a Falcon 170 and eventually on her Sport 2 again. Her last several flights were uneventful. I know because I towed her.
In strict accordance with all FAA and USHGA regulations, requirements, guidelines, and recommendations of course.
As Jim...
...Keen-Intellect Rooney...
...has shown, conditions were SFI at around 8-10 from the north and there was no thermal activity and little turbulence. The tow went fine and no one knows why she seemed to pull in hard and dive right before touching down although possible explanations have been brought forward...
Has anybody suggested it was because her instruction and training sucked?
...Channel 9 news showed a tandem flight which occurred a couple hours later and it is obvious that winds were not strong and tandems were NOT parked.
So we should probably be focusing more on shit instruction and training.
One more thing, the injured pilot was also an experienced GA pilot and sailplane pilot.
How very odd that she never seems to have had any incident worth mentioning in all that experience with those toys. Reminds me a lot of carrier and airline pilot John Simon flying into a taxiway sign on a lovely day at Ridgely and breaking both arms after all his superb training from those assholes - who, big surprise, are the same assholes who trained and certified you and Lauren.
She was a very experienced airman.
Only in fields of aviation in which people aren't trained to take their hands off the controls during landing approaches and whipstall their planes to dead stops.
So crpi2...
Try to spell it right, Paul. It's only five characters.
...do you have an axe to grind about Quest?
If he doesn't I sure do - motherfucker.
What's your problem?
Compared to taking an experienced General Aviation pilot and demolishing her in the course of a no brainer approach and landing solely because you encouraged her to land on her feet, he doesn't have any problems.
BTW, Quest management just recently took heat for stopping free flying when we thought it too windy.
I don't think too windy is your problem area down there Paul. I'd be WAY more concerned with soaring conditions.
We don't fly in dangerous conditions.
Yeah? So please explain to me...
Paul Tjaden - 2013/02/07
The weather conditions seemed quite benign. It was a typical winter day in central Florida with sunny skies, moderate temperatures and a light southwest wind. It was, however, a high pressure, dry air day that sometimes creates punchy conditions with small, tight, strong thermals versus the big fat soft ones that Florida is famous for. Time of day was approximately 3:00. None of these conditions were even slightly alarming or would have caused any concern about launching.
...just how it was that this tandem aerotow instructor:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3713/9655904048_89cce6423a_o.png
...went up on a typical central Florida winter day with sunny skies, moderate temperatures, and a light south west wind and wound up in a terminal heap less than a minute later.
If you really don't know what happened on this one...
Paul Tjaden - 2013/02/07
Beyond these facts anything else would be pure speculation. I wish I could shed more light on this accident but I am afraid this is all we know and probably will know.
...then how the fuck can you know whether or not you fly in dangerous conditions?
It's pretty goddam obvious to me that...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
William Olive - 2013/02/27 20:55:06 UTC
Like the rest of us, you have no idea what really happened on that tow.
We probably never will know.
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31052
Poll on weaklinks
Jim Rooney - 2013/03/05 19:42:58 UTC
My god my head hurts.
Wow...
So you know what happened then?
OMG... thank you for your expert accident analysis. You better fly down to FL and let them know. I'm sure they'll be very thankful to have such a crack expert mind on the case analyzing an accident that you know nothing about. Far better data than the people that were actually there. In short... get fucked.
...that NONE of you motherfuckers is able to identify dangerous conditions. So until you get things sorted out a bit better than you have them now how 'bout easing up on the crap about you not towing in dangerous conditions and...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24534
It's a wrap
Paul Tjaden - 2011/07/30 15:33:54 UTC
Quest Air has been involved in perfecting aerotowing for nearly twenty years.
...having been involved in perfecting aerotowing for twenty years on the basis of having selected a cheap hardware store keychain carabiner as the ultimate wrap resistant tow ring - right after you've managed to weld your bridle to it...
...in the most moronic fashion imaginable.
It took five surgeries, lots of titanium, and two plus years of physical therapy, but I have made a fairly decent recovery. I am back flying airplanes and sailplanes. I even added on a seaplane rating relatively recently. (Boy was I nervous when I went in for my flight medical!)
