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Role Models – Steep Hillside Landing
Aside from my instructor, a guy named Si Campbell, who I’ve written about before, my aviation role models were Bob Hoover, whom I met when I was about halfway through my primary flight training; Neil Armstrong, who took a stroll on the Moon when I was 10 and Betty Skelton, an amazing pilot I unfortunately never got to see fly in person, though I was lucky enough to meet her in later life. These were all individuals who were outstanding pilots and accomplished feats in airplanes that mere mortals like me could only dream of achieving. Not that I ever intended to perform like Bob or push it as hard as Betty, let alone risk it all like Commander Armstrong. But I was inspired by them nonetheless.
I also knew from the outset of my flying career who not to idolize. There was a former F-4 jock who flew an Aerostar and would delight in flying over the ramp at our small home airport at a height of perhaps 100 feet off the ground at speeds well above 200 knots before making a normal landing. I was inspired by him—inspired, that is, not to be a reckless pilot. Not to fly in such a manner just because I could (or might be able to one day).
I believe pilots understand this concept of role models better than we give them credit for. In my experience, we make judicious choices. Pilots are naturally adept at calculating risks. Becoming proficient at it is, in fact, a crucial aspect of learning to fly. And that means thinking for oneself. The very question I was asked as a child was the age-old cliché, “If so-and-so jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?” If I had answered truthfully, I would have said, “I don’t know. Tell me more about this bridge.”
Jumping off bridges was my kind of fun, though I chose my bridges carefully and observed how others did it. I would determine the depth of the water, ensure there were no sunken logs or venomous black moccasins lurking beneath. And there were a few bridges that I declined to attempt to jump from, because even my 10-year-old self understood that you must assess the risks before taking the leap.
I probably don’t need to tell you that with the whole Martha Lunken bridge underflyment affair, also known as “Lunken’s Lunge,” the issue of risk has become a hot topic for pilots. And this is especially true for those who teach flying, who set an example of good pilot behavior for others and, yes, even for those of us who write about flying, like me.
There are numerous areas of disagreement that the Lunge has brought to light, like a stubborn oil filter waiting to spill its dirty secrets. One of the most interesting to me is the question of role modeling. If you are familiar with Martha and have read her works, you know that her entire persona is the antithesis of a role model—I would say she is the “bad girl.” She is the one who says and does things that normal humans are too polite or cautious to do or say. The Lunge was in line with her character. Hell, getting caught was in line with her character!
So, she is not a role model. She never wanted to be and never claimed to be. Nonetheless, the concept of role models in aviation and our obligations in this regard interests me greatly, and not just because I am someone who discusses matters related to flight. I am hardly alone in this, although instructors, educators, hangar flying philosophers, and yes, even writers like me, all have some exposure to this thorny question.
That is, how should we approach individuals who promote risky propositions? Do we have a responsibility to discourage any flying activities that fall outside the cautious middle? Are we obligated to raise a big rhetorical stop sign when the topic of flying towards the riskier side of the spectrum arises in otherwise FAA-approved conversations? And what types of flying does this actually apply to? If you look around, you will find that there is essentially no consensus on these questions, partly because the presumed answers seem so self-evident. But this is far from the truth.
After all, we are in the business of getting people to fly in the first place. And in terms of relative risk, encouraging people to become pilots is a highly risky endeavor. Flying introduces a level of risk into people’s lives that is greater than most of them have ever experienced. As I have previously written, it is akin to riding a motorcycle at high speed on winding roads. We know why we do it, but the reasons are closely tied to the reasons why pilots who push the envelope act as they do. Where should we draw the line, and why?
Aviation seems to be a special case. A friend of mine often writes about how fast he rides his bike, especially on twisty mountain roads. So, he is talking about engaging in a quantitatively risky activity that is also illegal, because he is speeding and admits it. In such cases, is he a bad role model? I guess it depends on the audience. Might I be tempted to buy a bike and do similar things? Yes! In fact, he has encouraged me before to do just that. Is he a bad person for doing that? Hardly. I am an adult and can make my own decisions on such matters. But is he a bad role model? He kind of is, but I am glad he is. In the end, I will make my own decisions about what I do and I will own those decisions.
But when it comes to airplanes, a different set of rules seems to apply, and I am not saying this to criticize anyone for inconsistencies. I am simply wondering aloud how we should think about the types of attitudes and approaches we model for other presumably less experienced aviators, or even for potential pilots. Is it acceptable for pilots to post videos of themselves or others doing risky things, such as flying to and from gravel bars or landing on makeshift hillside runways? What about so-called “waterskiing” in an airplane, which involves flying so low over a body of water that the tires (only on tailwheel planes, of course) skim along the surface. It is questionably legal, and there are obvious risks, not only to the pilot and any passengers but also to those on or in the water. Does the posting of such videos encourage other pilots to do the same thing? In a way, I think they do, but I also believe that we are dealing with a group of mature individuals who can make their own judgments about what is safe and appropriate.
Watch this video by Trent Palmer as he prepares to land his Kitfox on the side of a desert mountain. The takeaway is not that he is a daredevil. Quite the opposite, in fact. He approaches the landing with great forethought and with safety at the forefront of his mind.
So I will not precede the presentation of off-airport antics with a pack-of-smokes-style warning label. What pilot doesn’t know that flying into an 800-foot, one-way riverside strip nestled among granite peaks is a risky endeavor? And if you are going to do it anyway, I hope you receive excellent training and carefully consider the risks every time you take off. But I will not tell you not to do it.
If I am a role model in any way, I hope it is as someone who asks the questions that need to be asked, such as, asking how dangerous it truly is to fly under a bridge? Asking the question does not presume the answer that it is not risky, so let’s go out and explore. It is that we should think about these things, because when it comes time to make those judgments, when we are up in the sky during thunderstorms or planning our next backcountry landing spot, you must be your own role model.
