Hey, Netters,
I'd sure like to make this a short letter, but I suspect I won't be able to
do that. I apologize in advance.
My name is Richard Alps, I'm 63, I've had a set of KR-2 plans for, ... oh ...
maybe 25 years. I want very much to build a KR-2S, and I'm fond of M.
Langford's work (when does this guy sleep ... or work???).
There is something that I believe is missing from this web site, and all the
fine people who share in it. I see lots of stuff on the techie side, and the
aeronautical side, and most all the sides you can think of. But there is one
area of my own personal flight experience that I don't see anyone broaching.
I refer to ye olde check lists.
I was trained at a Cessna Pilot Center, probably like many of you. After
all, you go to your local airport and ask to be taught how to fly one of those
wingy things. If it is a Beechcraft FBO, then that is most likely what you
start out in.
Next thing is, that I have never owned my own airplane. Therefore, all my
time has been in rentals, again, mostly Cessna. I do have some Piper Cherokee
140 and 180 time logged. And altogether I can account for something like 400
total hours in the air. Zero in the last 10 years. Ouch!!
Anyway, when you approach an airplane that God knows who flew the last few
times, then you owe it to yourself to really be certain that the bird will take
you up, dance you around, and bring you back SAFELY!!! Ergo, the check list.
I can't believe that I would ever climb in any airplane without having walked
around it and physically demonstrated to myself that a full collection of
specified items have been determined to be in good order. Period!!
To this end, I have looked among my box of old belongings, and I came up with
a Cessna 1978 Operators Handbook for the Skyhawk 172. I turned on this
computer I am using right now and copied three or four check lists into
Microsoft
Word 2000. It fills two type written pages, and the only thing wrong is that
the information is not for a KR-2 or KR-2S.
If you climb into a Skyhawk, you can just about bet that the check lists will
be very close for almost any age of bird, but I think that this could be less
true for our dear KR-2 and KR-2S airplanes. Its because each is a unique
airplane. No cookie cutters here. Back to the checklists.
I would be happy to e-mail an attachment of these lists to anyone who would
like them. The real thing is that they need to be modified for the KR.
Most of you are much further along in the construction phase than me, and I
think most of you would do a better job of converting the checklists for KR
use, don't you agree?
I think at this time, the only thing left is the question of whether or not
you agree that having and using checklists is appropriate and necessary. I
have absolutely no desire to mess around being judge and jury here, and I see
no
need to. Every single one of us that flies, knows and understands the concept
of PIC. While you are up there, not the President of the United States, not
even your WIFE can tell you how or where to fly that plane (well, she can TELL
you...). You are the last and final determining factor. And so it is with
any checklist. It is just that I learned to fly with them.
I welcome any response (boy, that was stupid!!). Really, if you want to
comment, go ahead. If you're interested, I can forward what I have (taint
much).
If you have something that everyone can benefit from, contact me on the net.
To save this net, you can contact me personally at either:
richarda...@aol.com or
richarda...@msn.com
Thanks guys and gals. As a very dear friend would tell me about now, "you
stuck your foot in it this time." I wind up introducing myself at Town Hall
Meetings this same stupid way. I have no idea what ails me. Gaaaack! I KNOW
they don't teach public speaking like this. Sorry.
Richard G. Alps Littleton, Colorado
PS. Plan to see some of you at Red Oak, Iowa this year. It will be my first
time.
