IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME THAT ALL THIS TALK ABOUT VEE SPEEDS IS MEANINGLESS UNLESS AND UNTIL YOU EITHER:
1. HAVE YOUR AIR SPEED INDICATOR CERTIFIED
OR
2. FLY ALONGSIDE SOMEONE WHO DOES HAVE A CERTIFIED SPEED
OR
3. MAYBE CHECK IT OUT WITH A GPS
OR WHATEVER, BUT I WOULD SERIOUSLY DOUBT IF IT IS A SAFE AND SANE PROCESS
TO TAKE SOMEBODY ELSE'S NUMBERS AND APPLY THEM DIRECTLY TO YOUR PLANE
WITHOUT DOING SOME VERY CAREFUL CHECKING.
AS I REMEMBER FROM MY EARLY DAYS OF FLYING WHEN THE ERCOUPE WAS A LOT
YOUNGER THAN I WAS, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF IT WAS BASED ON HOW THE SEAT OF
THE PANTS FELT, IF THERE WERE THE BEGINNINGS OF A BUFFETTING, A SINKING
FEELING ON SHORT FINAL, OR OTHER SIGNALS WHICH YOU BECAME ACCUSTOMED TO.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN THE VEE SPEEDS CAME INTO VOGUE, AND MAYBE IT IS A
MARK OF AGE, BUT IF IT MUSHES ON TAKEOFF, I ALWAYS LOWER THE NOSE AND GET
SOME SPEED BEFORE TRYING TO CLIMB.
AND I THINK A SEMI-HOT APPROACH SPEED IS BETTER THAN SLAMMING THE DARN
THING INTO THE RUNWAY AND LOOKING FOR CRACKS IN THE SKIN DURING YOUR
POST-FLIGHT INSPECTION.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A SAFE FLIGHT!
JOHN ALEXANDER
MICHIGAN WANNABEE
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