How not to live to the "doctor killer" stereotype

[mzaharis]

I am rather new here, and possess a great interest in many different areas of aeronautics.

Searching old posts, I notice a number of posts that talk about "doctor killers" or "lawyer killers", a term I was familiar with prior to joining this forum. Some in reference to the old V-tail Bonanza, some in reference to the new microjets or existing turboprops (Conquests, King Airs, Cheyennes, Malibu Meridians). It got me wondering (purely hypothetically - I haven't flown in many years, and my financial priorities are more directed to my family right now), how should a person who can afford to fly pretty much anything they (most decidedly not me!) want proceed? How does someone proceed from their Private license to being a qualified pilot for that Citation Mustang that they may be buying a few years hence? Obviously, IFR, possibly a CFI and a CFII, complex rating, multi-engine rating seem to be stepping stones, but how does a non-professional progress to the next level without becoming a charred spot on the ground when they finally get that Citation Mustang, or Eclipse, or Avocet Projet whatever the new hot microlight jet is? For that matter, there are many private/non-professional pilots flying turboprops, both single and twins. What separates the champs from the chumps?

The FAA is more interested in making certain that you don't kill others, but they don't seem to be overly concerned about what you do to yourself. The insurance industry provides much higher minimums, and may provide good guidelines, but they can't save someone who's bent on flying uninsured, or can afford to be stupid and pay extremely high premiums. How does someone make certain that they're ready for the next level of complexity?

Certainly another prerequisite is a professional attitude towards flying, even if it's not paying for the groceries and rent.

 

[jettypeguy]

It's funny you bring this up as I was talking to an FAA inspector the other day who's specific job is to inspect how the new technology is working/being used in cockpits of today (ie FMS,GPS,EICAS,etc) and he told me the FAA is concerned (assuming his FAA peers) about the single type mini jets entering the market within the next few years. One of the main reasons is the implementation of RVSM airspace in the US. I understood in generalization, but asked him why the serious concern of the single type jets. He told me because of the millionaire/doctor/lawyer types with little to no experience in anything more than their baron or king air buying a mach .90, FL 410 single type jet and flying it across the country in RVSM airspace with airliners. At this point I understood having flown extensively in RVSM and MNPS airspace in Europe and the like countries. It's gonna be interesting.....

 

[RipCurl]

Rvsm?

 

[TDTURBO]

Rvsm?

Reduced Verticle seperation minimums

 

[TDTURBO]

I think the (lawyers) should work up to a jet as fast as they can while doctors take their time and learn each transition aircraft as thoroughly as possible.

 

[FN FAL]

I think the (lawyers) should work up to a jet as fast as they can while doctors take their time and learn each transition aircraft as thoroughly as possible.

That's funny, cause there's a fatal Cessna hi-wing single crash up by ashland wi, that was caused by a Northwest Airlines pilot doing a buzz job at the airport (I know the guys brother) in his personal aircraft and then I was thinking of the FedEx pilot that killed himself and his passenger doing a buzz job with his own Beech Barron at his brothers house not too long ago and then I was thinking about the airline pilot that took his Apache in on an approach that had lower than mins down in Florida while commuting to work and then...

 

[GravityHater]

How to avoid killing yourself? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Yes; do all those ratings & certificates, and do them well - just squeaking by is not worth squat in my book.
2. There is this thing called 'Proficiency and Prudence' in a small article printed in this month's GAN. It covers a WHOLE LOT in just a few words - and I bet you can glean from these two P words what it means.
3. DONT FLY JUNK! Demand top quality equipment and keep it that way.

When I think of the local pilots who have died in the last few years (yes a doctor or two), had each of them followed these three steps in their aviation careers, then I would still be able to wave at them in their hangars at the airport today.

 

[milehigh6080]

Whenever I hear a guy check onto the frequency in a Bonanza or Mooney, I just cringe because I know it's a 3 to 1 shot that the following exchange between the pilot and the controller is bound to destroy the flow and leave the controller with a couple gray hairs.

Just the fact that you would ask a question about how to methodically progress to the necessary skill level to operate larger and faster aircraft indicates that you're probably not in the percentile who would define that stereotype.

Lawyers and Doctors are very accomplished people who are used to achieving and performing on a high level- and that type of high self confidence can be the thing that gets you in flying. I'm speaking mostly of proficiency training or the lack of it. Pilots who fly professionally generally undergo checkrides every six months- and these people are highly experienced and fly nearly every day to keep their proficiency up. So how can an owner/pilot who only flies a small percentage of that of a professional pilot and draws from a much more shallow pool of experience reasonably expect to operate safely with the bare minimum three landings in 90 days and 1hr. of flight training with an instructor every 24 calendar months. Especially if that pilot is going to an instructor who they know is just thilled to fly a Bonanza and will probably just bestow his endorsement upon him in exchange for the chance to fly something other than a 172.

To avoid the stereotype? The skill and logical progression from aircraft to the next is one thing, but the attitude is the biggest key. The understanding that just because you've achieved high degrees of sucess in other aspects of your life does not instantly mean that you have a high degree of skill as a pilot is what keeps doctors/lawyers alive. Never stop training, never stop learning. Bob Hoover one time said something to the effect that every time he got in a plane he learned something new and the day he didn't is the day he stops flying- if Bob Hoover is man enough to admit that he still has a lot to learn about aviation, that rule will work just fine for me.

Be safe, good luck,
Milehigh

 

[Swede]

Very good post Milehigh. Pilots tend to be self-motivated and confident individuals, and flying also ATTRACTS that type, i.e. doctors and lawyers.

When I took up SCUBA a while back, I had to consciously pocket the ego and attitude and realize that I knew nothing, SCUBA could be dangerous, and listen closely to the instructor. It was nice to be the noob again in a fascinating activity.

I think a parallel can be made between docs/lawyers and high-performance aircraft, and the raw recruits during WW2 who were stuffed into tricky, powerful piston trainers and fighters. Very low time, low experience, + 1,000 HP taildraggers = lots of deaths and mishaps. More guys died in training than combat in WW2.