Flying 1000' Below Sea Level

[sarongsong]

"...The Gulfstream G150 is a delight to fly...Sure, you can land at Calipatria near Death Valley in California and be 129 feet below sea level...In Israel, the Dead Sea is more than 1,300 feet below sea level...I nosed over and the...altimeter counted down to zero and the letters "NEG" appeared and the numbers started to increase..." Flying December 2005

[farmerjumperdon]

That sounds like a real thrill. Love that stuff. Your post made me think, why do they make the last few hundred feet on a handheld altimeter red. If you get a chance to see the needle get that low, and you haven't already deployed, it's too late. The last 400 hundred feet should have some fime print like: ENJOY THE GROUND RUSH - IT'S YOUR LAST. Or better yet, YOU'VE GOT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE WRONG.

[tmosher]

"...The Gulfstream G150 is a delight to fly...Sure, you can land at Calipatria near Death Valley in California and be 129 feet below sea level...In Israel, the Dead Sea is more than 1,300 feet below sea level...I nosed over and the...altimeter counted down to zero and the letters "NEG" appeared and the numbers started to increase..." Flying December 2005

Got the URL wrong.

http://www.gulfstream.com/g150/

However, the G150 is the airplane I've been working on since June.

Tom

[genebujold]

That sounds like a real thrill. Love that stuff. Your post made me think, why do they make the last few hundred feet on a handheld altimeter red. If you get a chance to see the needle get that low, and you haven't already deployed, it's too late. The last 400 hundred feet should have some fime print like: ENJOY THE GROUND RUSH - IT'S YOUR LAST. Or better yet, YOU'VE GOT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE WRONG.

Or how about, "DEPLOY CHUTE!"

I dunno - too obvious???

[sarongsong]

Thanks, tmosher---made the correction---what a job you've got!
It's one of the best written reviews I've read; editor-in-chief, J. Mac McClellan, goes on "...the strangely deep blue-green water of the Dead Sea appeared...". I'd never thought about the color before, just assumed it was 'dead-looking', maybe grey. California's inland Salton Sea is extremely unattractive---a weird other-worldly looking shade of yellowish green, accompanied with just about the worst stench imaginable.

[tmosher]

Thanks, tmosher---made the correction---what a job you've got!
It's one of the best written reviews I've read; editor-in-chief, J. Mac McClellan, goes on "...the strangely deep blue-green water of the Dead Sea appeared...". I'd never thought about the color before, just assumed it was 'dead-looking', maybe grey. California's inland Salton Sea is extremely unattractive---a weird other-worldly looking shade of yellowish green, accompanied with just about the worst stench imaginable.

Not that great a job - I've been writing the maintenance procedures for the airplane. We haven't even seen one yet in Savannah and the first one is going to Gulfstream in Dallas for it's interior.

I am, however, surrounded by every Gulfstream jet from the II to the 550.

There are, however, a couple new models in the works. I haven't heard what they'll be but it ought to be interesting.

Tom

[LurchGS]

I can see where your job would be fun. For somebody else. I'm already too close to the edge for it.

Re the hand-held a-meter...under 400 feet: "Say hello to St Peter" or "Your insurance won't cover the dent you're gonna make"

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HALO... O... drat, what did 'O' stand for again?

[Enzp]

Check air in tires

Check oil at every fill-up

Check for marsupials in cargo bin

[tmosher]

Check air in tires

Check oil at every fill-up

Check for marsupials in cargo bin

Every fill up? I check the oil during every preflight. Better that than having the engine shell at 5,000 ft over Georgia (there are places where it would be impossible to land without flipping over).

Tom
PPL-ASEL

[sarongsong]

While working in post-production for a Hawaiian printing company on Oahu, the boss would occasionally invite me along to deliver product to Maui and Kaui in his Cessna. Don't recall his checking the tires (I'm sure he did), but distinctly remember his making a deservedly big deal of checking the oil each and every time. One day, at take-off, he announced I (with ZERO flight experience) would be doing the honors, and I got to lift off and fly all the way to Maui---thrill of a lifetime!

[tmosher]

While working in post-production for a Hawaiian printing company on Oahu, the boss would occasionally invite me along to deliver product to Maui and Kaui in his Cessna. Don't recall his checking the tires (I'm sure he did), but distinctly remember his making a deservedly big deal of checking the oil each and every time. One day, at take-off, he announced I (with ZERO flight experience) would be doing the honors, and I got to lift off and fly all the way to Maui---thrill of a lifetime!

I just kick them unless they look a little bit low. With the wheelpants on, it's a real pain in the butt to check the air pressure (have to take the wheelpants off).

I pay the most attention to the oil and fuel. I almost had to put a C150 down in the dark once flying at night in Texas. I took close to 21 gallons and the airplane only held 24 - not all of that is usable.

Tom