Accelerated Flight Crew Crash in AZ

[FlyinBrian]

I live under the turn from Base to Final on runway 17, and I haven't seen the apaches in awhile. I haven't really been looking for them though. I'll keep an eye out, it would be interesting to know. It would be a good idea to keep them on the ground. When the lawyers do their digging, they will look a whole lot better if they grounded everything at least temporarily and double/triple checked everything. If they keep flying and have another accident, the lawyers will destroy them for sure.

 

[8sm]

The Walkup family has a long history in aviation. Johns father has a bronze statue of his likeness adorning Wiley field in OK, for his achievements and accomplishments in aviation. That type of commitment is well imbedded in John Walkup.

John & Diana Walkup operate Chander Air Service. I'll agree with the recent poster, John's operation is top notch. Their longevity on field, since 1976, speaks for itself.
As far as the incident with the cowling. If it was an Archer, as FlyinBrian mentions, there is an inspection door located on the top of the cowling for the purpose of the pre-flight. Unlike the Warrior, the Archer cowling does not have a hindged cowling for inspection. It would take two people to remove the cowling correctly for inspection, revealing the entire engine compartment, which is not nessecary for pre-flight per POH. The mechanic would have questioned that procedure for a pre-flight on an Archer. I've had some problems with the Warriors cowling latches and they were look into and corrected promptly. The training aircraft are well used and although not the best looking, they are safe and well maintained. There has been and never will be any short cuts taken at CAS. I would highly recommend CAS for any of their services.

Additionally, I have not had the pleasure to use Sunbirds services, although I have shared the field and airspace with their instructors and students. My assessment of their pilots would be one of professional aviators with safety being their upmost concerns. Their pilots do a great job in Chandlers Class D airspace as well as the surrounding Class B.

As far as the OLS incident, regardless of who maybe at fault, lives were lost, and that should not have happened. Justice will prevail, hopefully sooner than later, for those still in harms way.

Regards........8sm

 

[Goffer]

As if anyone cared...

I live under the turn from Base to Final on runway 17, and I haven't seen the apaches in awhile.

Hmmm... I too live under the base to final turn for 17. Nice to meet you neighbor.

 

[bigD]

Hmmm... I too live under the base to final turn for 17. Nice to meet you neighbor.

Heh heh - with some of the pilots that fly around here, living under base to final could be anywhere!

 

[Goffer]

Heh heh - with some of the pilots that fly around here, living under base to final could be anywhere!

Yes, but if it's base to final under runway 17 at Stellar Airpark in Chandler, AZ, as noted above, kinda narrows the scope.

 

[bigD]

Yes, but if it's base to final under runway 17 at Stellar Airpark in Chandler, AZ, as noted above, kinda narrows the scope.

LOL - for the sake of my joke, perhaps I should have been more clear: If the pilots that frequent Stellar Airpark are anything like the pilots around here, base to final under runway 17 could still cover a rather large area!

 

[clrwman]

Safety Pilot

Will these type of schools that use safety pilots survive? Don't the airlines frown on safety pilot time when brought up in an interview or do they allow you so much time?

 

[weekendwarrior]

I was working on my tailwheel checkout and did some touch and goes at Stellar recently. We landed, did a taxi back and were on the CTAF the whole time. We were in position rolling when a 182 starts crossing the runway. Never heard a word from him on the radio. Had to stop on the runway, get on him for being an idiot, then did a short field take off. Goes to show that there could very well be a few pilots there (not all of course) that just don't have all their marbles.

 

[Ranger/Pilot]

Crash

Everyone,

All of you continue to discuss a traggic event that took the lives of 3 Friends & Fellow pilots. You do this by throwing blame at ACFT without any proof or facts to substaniate your claims.
Let's remember that all Flight Instrucors are required to pass the same FAA Practical Test and regardless of how many hours a Flight Instructor/Pilot has, We have all been there ourselves (that's how we gain more experience- by flying).
Let's also remember that any pilot regardless of hours or experience is capable of making bad decisions, however we all try to make the best one's we can and hope they are right.
So let us HONOR our fellow pilots by remaining Professionals and waiting for the NTSB & FAA to complete their investigations and put out a report of their findings.

Ranger/Pilot

 

[azpilot]

Ranger/Pilot

While what you say is a nice thought sadly at times it is far from the truth. Many of those who are making the posts are just trying to warn people of what they think is an unsafe outfit. An instructor with little experience or years of experience can't do a **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** thing from the back seat!

While all licensed pilots may have the same piece of paper that does not mean they have the same skill level. That may be a result of just being a poor pilot or it may result from having poor instruction, flying poor equiptment and not knowing any better. Look at Hanni Hanjour one of the terrorists. He was a licensed pilot. What DE in his right mind would pass someone who did not speak and understand the English language. You also hear about people who bounce from instructor to instructor/school to school trying to find someone to sign them off for something.

All I am trying to say is that it is easy to slip through the cracks. In experience on the part of all in the plane or possibly just one may have cost them their lives. I know 2 of the 3 did not have much experience. Your license is a license to learn. Just because we have them doesn't mean we know it all. If there were 3 inexperienced people in the plane that is a dangerous situation when an emergency arises.

I will still stand on what I have said that AFCT is a marginal outfit at best. Many have used them and walked away without incident. That does not mean they have optimal equipment or optimal maintenance practices.