Maybe it is time for a red beer or bloody mary. I have found that to be some of the best medicine for the flu and sinus headaches.

PS: I should have qualified that by saying "what appears to be" the flu and sinus headaches. That should have been obvious to me. There I go again, heading down a potentially wrong path by acting on what I perceive to be obvious. By acting on what appears to be the obvious, even I can come to potentially wrong conclusions.

GROOOOAAAANNN !

You just wait til tomorrow morning, a good night sleep will do wonders. I was booted off the debate team because......... later.

...does this ILS equipment effect TV reception?? If not, I'm obviously all for it!!

FLYING IN BELIZE,
What a treat, these pilots, Maya and Tropic are as good as they come, I have flown many hours on commuter planes in 3rd world countries, Eastern Europe, Russia, break a way republics, small island nations. ILS is not the answer for a small strip like SP, just continued use of good pilots like Tropic and Maya have now. Lots of former crop dusters and bush pilot typies. KGB.

I learned to fly at the ripe age of 14 in a converted Steerman PT 17, crop duster. Long before ILS come into being, commercial aircraft used light becons as a form of navigation. They were only as good as the weather. Bad weather no fly, no landings. Then along came GCA (ground control approach) approches, scared the living hell out of you in bad weather but better than the alternative. In some areas VOR approaches worked to a certain degree though not in weather below minimuns. I have made numerious RNAV approches that (obviously) worked for me. My question, do Tropic/Maya aircraft have RNAV systems on board? Unless weather is "really" below minimums, it could be used quite effectivily on approaches to SP. Again, JMHO.

To answer your question, Ernie: No they do not have Rnav. They carry GPS which is more accurate and better. Having said that, it is still illegal to fly, or in this case make an instrument approach, by use of any navigational instrument unless the the airport is equipped with the approved equipment. Period! This is not a question, refering to the law suit, of how good the pilots are. It is a legal question and they are breaking the law and that is the grounds for a law suit, rightly or wrongly. If it were me that was involved in the crash, I would not sue understanding the conditions. That does not present the "obvious" that these other people do not have a right to sue. This, in my opinion, does not fall under the definition of a frivilous law suit. It appears the law was broken. Those people were put at risk to their lives. Just because they were not killed or injured does not mean they might not be entitled to something or that bring this suit might not prevent someone else from being injured. That is what courts are for when laws are broken.

bywarren
I like Ernie, although I am not obviously as old as he is, (due to his type of trainer) learned to fly from a crop duster pilot. No he did not have a commercial license and lot of the knowledge was seat of the paints. Flying in such places as into SP I would trust the judgement of a good old crop duster type much more than any ILS or IFR system. Go to Belize soon and enjoy. KGB

I understand the legalities of flying VFR into IFR conditions. I was not even reffering to the pending law suit, just the way we "USED" to do it before all the CAA/FAA folks told us we could not do that anymore. As you know, there are "Old' pilots and there are "foolish" pilots, but there are NO "Old Foolish" pilots". See ya next month.

Ernie

First of all, Hi Jane, good to see your words again. Next, every time I get on a plane I kiss my butt goodbye. A simple way of saying my fate for the duration of the flight is pretty much out of my hands, and in the hands of someone I do not know but assume is sober and competent. I feel very secure in the hands of a pilot who is making a number of trips to the same location every day. I would say they are familiar with the island and the landing strip. Did the pilot make an error in judgement regarding the conditions, or did he take a chance he shouldn't have? Was the crash on approach? I am somewhat amazed that the water landing in question resulted in no injuries. The fact that the people were able to even get out of that plane (which is an excercise in itself on dry ground) is cause for wonder. I was also amazed that people would cut their vacation short after the experience. If it was me, I would have extended it another week.
Regarding those folks on American. I shake my head. Regardless of anyones claims, those seats were made for short people. Did they expect a nine hour flight to be made in an easy chair?