Ones and Zeros

I just completed my BFR recently. In the US the FAA requires a biannual flight review (BFR) for pilots. The FAA requires at least one hour of ground instruction and one hour of air work at a minimum. My instructor and I had already flown some air work before this flight: steep turns, a set of stalls (and stall recoveries), a steep spirals, chandelles, lazy eights, and some short and soft field landings on an actual short and soft field of grass.

The chandelles and lazy eights are commercial pilot maneuvers and aren’t normally taught to private pilots. But I was interested and I plan to do more advanced ratings at some point in the future. The steep spiral was my instructor’s idea, it’s useful to descend from altitude after climbing in the chandelle.

We started off this flight with another ground lesson. Since both the instructor and I fly from within the Washington D.C. ADIZ an ADIZ review was in order. We both want to avoid any ADIZ infractions. We reviewed weather briefings and NOTAMS (Notices To Airmen) via DUATs, examined the local TAC (chart), and generally discussed the mechanics of flying and of flying in this area. We did this till my instructor was convinced that I generally know what I’m doing and could do it safely.

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Well, another fine mess you’ve got us in now Republicans! First, McCain “cancels” his campaign so that Bush can interrupt the bailout negotiations with a useless photo op. Now at least 2/3’s of the GOP members in the house had their feelings so hurt they voted against the compromise bailout bill.

Of course, that’s not counting the various anti-regulatory actions of the GOP in general and the Bush administration in specific that got us into this mess in the first place!

I’m no fan of Pelosi’s but her speech was mild. She stated in calm and non-inflammatory terms that which is generally known and recognized by Americans. If the GOP is thus offended, then it is up to them to fix it. They largely caused the problems!

If the GOP house members (and McCain) can’t figure out that the country is more important than their own little hurt feelings, then they shouldn’t have their jobs. McCain has been going around the country with “Country First!” signs. It would be nice if just once in his campaign, his words and actions were consistent.

It’s been said that we will know a person by their work. The evidence shows that the work of the GOP seems to be dedicated to stopping the useful work of others.

At this point I agree with those that suggest that the Dems should pass the correct bill - not a compromise bill - and present the GOP with a fait accompli.

I’ve just looked at the proposed budget numbers for 2009 from the administration (see the summary tables at the bottom).  Granted, this is a biased source, but I thought to look at the best case.  I’m not looking at the fantasy numbers for future years.  This administration’s never hit those numbers in the past, they’re just republican bedtime reading.

In 2008, the government expects to take in from taxes and other sources $2,521 billion.  It expects to spend $2,931 billion.  Clearly we’re in the  hole $410 billion already this year.  Since the bailout is expected to cost $700 billion, we can expect this year’s deficit, and the cumulative total debt to rise by $700 billion as well.

The bailout is an additional 24% of what the government had planning to spend this year.

That’s assuming that the cost is actually $700 billion and not higher.  Do you ever remember a large government program that was under budget?  We keep playing “whack a mole” in the words of the retired Dallas Fed bank chair.  We don’t know what else was swept under the carpet on Wall Street.

We need assurances that it will be spent well, some oversight on where the funding goes, and some relief for non-Wall Street as well.  The government has oversight when it lets a contract for a measly $100,000.  Surely we can have oversight for $700 billion!

(See part one.)

So, what’s wrong with having strong aviation security? After all, we need our nation’s capital protected. All those planes can wreak havoc, they need to be controlled! Look what happened to the Pentagon on 9/11!

Ok, let’s look: On 9/11 and in all other terrorist uses of aircraft in the world, all the aircraft have been large transport-category aircraft. These are aircraft like the MD-80, Boeing 737 or other larger aircraft used to transport people and freight at high speeds, high altitudes, and long distances. Their speeds are in the range of 300-500 mph in cruise and even when landing or taking off travel well over 100 mph They weight hundreds of tons and carry many thousands of pounds of fuel. (Jet fuel is 6 lbs/gallon.)

The damage an airplane (or any large vehicle) can do is related to its speed, the fuel it carries, and the amount of weight it can carry (it’s mass). The only planes used in terrorist incidents have been transport category aircraft because they’re faster, carry tons of jet fuel, and weight much much more. The energy of impact is proportional to the mass and to the velocity squared.

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