Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/03/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Bob, As a pilot, I can't let this go unchallenged. An autopilot senses airspeed, etc, with respect to the RELATIVE wind. A headwind would cost the pilot speed over the ground, or groundspeed, but would not affect the ability of the airplane and autopilot to maintain flight. He would not settle to the ground except in two ways: 1) He encountered rising terrain. Or, 2) He ran out of fuel. There has to be a better answer. Jim Nichols Tullahoma, TN USA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Baron" <robertbaron1 at gmail.com> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2012 6:27 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] Off Topic--Stella Awards > ==On Wed, Mar 7, 2012 at 6:14 PM, Ken Carney <kcarney1 at cox.net> wrote: > >> >>> >>> I live in Oklahoma and have heard the Winnebago version, in various >> incarnations, for probably 30 years now. There is also one about a >> doctor >> who put his airplane on autopilot and went back to take a nap. >> >> >> Ken >> >> > There actually was a lawyer in Oklahoma City who would set the alarm on > his > wrist watch, set the autopilot and doze off for a while. > > When he finally had his fatal crash the assumption was he was asleep while > he ran into a headwind and the airplane slowly lost speed and settled into > the ground. > > This is a true story and, speaking as a lawyer who knew him, I'll say it > was just more proof that you can't always fool Mother Nature. > > --Bob > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >