Inside a windowless cubicle beneath the FAA’s Oklahoma City HQ, there’s a GS-12 federal employee named Katherine “Kate” Strauss, who catalogues aviation fears. Her job isn’t to invent them, nor to act upon the infinite varieties. We pilots do that. She merely assigns labels to the willie-givers that make us choose “No-Go” when “Go” might’ve been reasonably safe. Reason and Safe being two muses who tease the decision-making process along with their sisters, Guilt and Impatience.
Good old days, grass strip in the middle of nowhere, morning dew, propping a Cub from behind using left foot as a chock, good story, keep it up (writing that is).
Several years ago, I had a bear run across in front of my Monocoupe just as I was flaring. I don’t know how we missed but apparently bears can accelerate much quicker than I thought.
Critters happen. Some time back, when I was still a working guy, a Hawker Jet took off at night from one of Nashville’s GA airports. Deer ran out, took an engine out, crew kept it flying and staggered over to Nashville. The plane, with engine and airframe damage, was determined totaled.
As a certified Armchair Pilot and a retired editor, I stand strongly in favor of both
single-malt Scotch and the Interrobang! This is a fun, well-written article – thanks!