Maybe I wasn't clear - I don't think ATC contributed to this accident and was attempting to say so with my initial reply.
I simply pointed out that he was very accommodating (maybe overly so).
Originally Posted by
cardiomd
Yes and no, I am just saying that tower really didn't have time to determine that she was having difficulty flying the plane before it crashed.
Agreed. I don't think it's possible for ATC to accurately determine a pilot is "having difficulty flying the plane" (well, until the wing drops and they spiral into a parking lot).
Originally Posted by
cardiomd
He was just being helpful to what he assumed was a skilled and competent pilot.
I believe it is not Tower's duty to determine "who to send packing" and again he didn't have evidence yet to determine (in)competence.
Yes - assuming competence from a pilot who enters this airspace, in that aircraft with the intention of landing at Hobby is a reasonable assumption.
I think the Tower controller would have been with his rights to ask her to depart the area or hold until she could get her sh!t together after he observed her performance south of the runway complex following her first go around.
He asked her to enter downwind for 35 - she failed to do that and eventually overshot runway centerline to the point that he offered her 04 again.
She takes that but then flies east toward the 35 final so he again offers her 35. She's unable to make that happen, blows through final and has to climb and do a 270 back around to attempt 35 again.
That's all in the span of about 8-10 minutes.
I think at that point, anyone would have supported a decision to send her away. IMO, she had more than proven her incompetence by that point. Yes, I think it can definitely be within Tower's duty to do that if a pilot's presence in their airspace is affecting safety either by creating actual or potential traffic conflicts or requiring so much additional attention that ATC's other duties might be compromised.
I'm not faulting the Tower controller. If he felt that his workload allowed the extra attention required to handle this particular pilot, that's his call. I disagree with your claim he had no reason to question her abilities after seeing what transpired between the 04 go-around and finally getting on final to 35.
Originally Posted by
cardiomd
Sigh. I don't have a "stance against AOA gauges".
I didn't mean my comment as a "dig". You've been pretty clear in your opinion on the AOA gauge in GA aircraft.
The SR20 seems to fall into the GA category (but maybe not). I really was just curious about what made this particular aircraft different enough that you might consider using one.
"Spring loaded to neutral"?
-What benefit does that offer (if any)?
-Are the controls still conventional, direct cable style?
-I guess in flight, it wouldn't be much different than a conventional GA aircraft since airloads would return controls to neutral in those too, correct?