Top Letters And Comments, February 21, 2020

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Altitude Changes Cut Contrail Effects

This article riles me up! Based upon six weeks of study in Japan, a UK civil engineer is pontificating to the aviation industry (sic). I dug through my files and reminded myself of an interesting book, “Lukewarming: The New Climate Science that Changes Everything.”

“When it comes to global warming, most people think there are two camps: “alarmist” or “denier” being their respective pejoratives. Either you acknowledge the existence of man‐​made climate change and consider it a dire global threat, or you deny it exists at all. But there is a third group: the “lukewarmers.” In Lukewarming: The New Climate Science that Changes Everything, Pat Michaels and Chip Knappenberger explain the real science and spin behind the headlines and come to a provocative conclusion: global warming is not hot—it’s lukewarm. Climate change is real, it is partially man‐​made, but it is clearer than ever that its impact has been exaggerated—with many of the headline‐​grabbing predictions now being rendered implausible or impossible.”

In that book, I lifted numerous charts and discussions pertinent to the discussion here as well as in today’s political arena seeking to take our freedoms and liberties away based upon an inexact science and questionable climate data. Can you spell “Climate Gate?”

Digging through my own data, I found some VERY interesting Antarctic ice core sample based charts going back — are ya ready — 740,000 years. Using todays mean temps as a datum, temps were FAR higher 400,000; 330,000; 240,000; and the highest was 125,000 years ago. Today’s warming trends are but a pimple on the chart and are trending steady, relative.

In the book, they used the polar opposite examples of a small probability that a large and dangerous climate change justifies drastic action to the converse, that a large and dangerous effect of moving toward renewable energy sources, reduced economic growth through carbon taxation and geo-engineering likewise demands extreme caution. They said, “Pascal’s Wager Cuts Both Ways.” (google it). Great analogy.

I was also reminded of the position of Dr. Judith Curry, a climatologist who left a Chair position at the Georgia Institute of Technology over issues involving “Climate Gate” and the non-scientific political impact upon the subject. In 1999, Dr. Curry co-wrote, “Thermodynamics of Atmosphere’s and Oceans” as well as 140 scientific papers on climate. She knows what she’s talking about and is a believer in ‘Lukewarming.’ She was unhappy with climate scientists diddling with the data. Rather than argue, she retired and left.

As far as I am concerned, if you’re worried about the end times due to climate, reduce the population and find a way to stop the water vapor cycle from impacting radiactive forming. A few contrails here and there ain’t diddly. I wish there was a way I could attach some of my charts here but — alas — ain’t possible. Me … I’m a “Lukewarmer.”

Larry S.

NTSB Calls For Comprehensive Approach To Alaska Aviation Safety

After dealing with the FAA for four years on rouge airport management under Grant Obligations I have zero faith in them for anything. Rather than actually getting off their butts and putting eyeballs on things they sit cozy behind desks and accept scat fed to them by Airport Managers and Operators. If they simply got on an airplane, it is after all the Federal Aviation Administration, and inspected things for themselves it would serve safety and the interests of the tax payers a lot better.

When I lived in Alaska it was obvious that flying there is as different from lower 48 flying as the moon is from earth. The NTSB urging FAA to do something will cost millions, take decades and do little of actual value.

Bruce P.

Boeing Finds FOD In Stored MAX Aircraft

Okay, Bean Counter Managers, this isn’t nuclear physics here. Either hire more people to work the floor or stop pushing the ones already there so hard and accept a lower production rate.

There is absolutely NOTHING NEW in the processes for building Boeing aircraft, especially the fuel tanks. As the tank areas are built, ensure that the areas are cleaned after each step. Then, prior to closing ensure that a final cleaning is accomplished then 100% visually inspected. Heck Boeing People, you have been building large fleets of big airplanes since the B-17 and, as far as I know, there hasn’t been an in-Tank FOD issue until recently. While the technology is new, the -737 Max and the KC-46 (-767) are NOT NEW and EXOTIC designs with special/new/complicated processes for making fuel tanks.

Or, of course, you can continue your failed “Bean Counter” ways until the production finally halts for lack of orders and your all-important stock value falls to zero….

David C.

Poll: Do You Do Regular Flight Training?

  • Every flight I make is training.
  • At least twice a year.
  • I provide that training…keeps me sharp!
  • No, I fly enough not to need any.
  • The flight school in which I’m employed allows an hour a month for instructors to fly with each other to keep instrument proficient and refreshed on maneuvers/landings etc.
  • IPC every six months.
  • Yes, absolutely, recurrent at Simcom.
  • I just do the required flight review.
  • Every 9 months for work and every year for GA. I definitely need more for the Garmin avionics and iPad apps.
  • I fly with friend often who happens to be a CFII.
  • Yes, both 121 and GA.
  • FAA WINGS in lieu of flight review.
  • I’m an airline pilot, so yes.
  • Regular Part 135 training regimen.
  • I train on every flight.
  • Haven’t flown in 10 years.
  • If I want to make it to the airlines, I have to.
  • Recurrent training every 6 months.
  • I’m a flight instructor.
  • Flying is on hold while I finish building my airplane.
  • I instruct.
  • No.
  • IPC once a year.

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