Aircraft piloting/If flying were like driving

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A light-hearted look at the differences between driving and piloting.

Repairs and Improvements.

Inspections.

Before starting your car, you'd need to inspect tires, gasoline, engine and instrument functioning thoroughly.

The DMV would randomly check your vehicle for any discrepencies.

Annual auto inspections would entail removing all the seats to inspect the sheet metal, compression checks of the engine cylinders and inspection of the radio and its controls.

All car interior compartments would have to be corrosion protected.

After re-painting your car, it must be weighed.

Tow trucks would have to have made at least 3 tows in the past 90 days before they could tow you from the highway, and if at night, those tows would have to be made to a full stop.

Lifetime.

Cars would last virtually forever unless they were totaled in a crash and their value would increase once they were at least 10 years old.

Your engine would only be good for a few years, max.

Fenders would have a life limit, and need to be replaced because of it.

Parts.

You couldn't add a radar detector without a mechanic's signoff and filing a form.

You couldn't use eBay, or your buddies old junker car for a parts source.

The local junk yard would go out of business... except those selling parts labelled "Collectors only--- NOT FOR DRIVING".

If you blow a hose on the road, you are not allowed to replace it.

You'd need to file a form and have a licensed mechanic install that spiffy new "Chain " steering wheel that's all the rage, then sign the cars logbook that it had been changed.... ( as if no one could tell) .

A minor collision that damaged your radiator, would require a tear down of the engine, if the fan was damaged.

Cost.

You would pay $60.00/hr for your mechanic and not $90.00/hr like you do for current auto mechanics.

After a crunch, the body shop would charge you $7,375.37 for a fender repaint.

Recalls

If you buy a new car and something is recalled, it is your responsibility, not the car manufacturer.

Learning & Licensing

Teenage kids would be the driving instructors.

Private Driver - Sedan Single Engine Unleaded.

Private Driver - Truck Single Engine Unleaded.

Bus drivers cannot drive past age 65.

You'd pay the drivers testing examiner $400.00 (in advance) for giving you a driving test.

Every 2 years, you'd have to show a driving instructor that you can still drive well enough to pass the driver's test.

Alternatively, you can participate in the "Wheels" program by going to some safety seminars and getting additional training.

You would need to get medically certified to drive at least every 3 years.

17 yr olds could rent a car and drive away.

Making a single, small mistake could mean you lose your license for 30 days or longer.

Making a slightly larger mistake could mean you'll never drive again.

Passengers

Driver would instruct every passenger in the use of seatbelts, doors, and windows.

Passengers would be encouraged to watch for merging traffic.

No smoking anytime, anywhere.

Driver would be required to carry batteries and fuses if there are passengers.

You have to drive your car and parallel park at night three times before you can carry a passenger at night.

You'd have to put the heavy people in the front seat whether or not they preferred it to balance the usable load.

If you car-pooled you would only be allowed to charge your passengers fuel costs for the trip unless you had a "taxi-driver" license.

If you give a ride to a friend who wants to do something other than what you want to do, they cannot pay for any fuel or incidental expenses.

You may not advertise for a passenger to help share expenses on a trip.

Cost

New cars, which costs about $5-7K to make, would suddenly be sold for over $100K, and no one would think its wrong.

Gasoline

You would most likely fill your gas tank before every drive.

Filling up with the wrong fuel could kill you.

It would be standard practice to crawl under the car and take a fuel sample from several locations.

Many states would enact laws making it illegal to dump these samples on the road but the laws wouldn't be enforced except at gas stations and driver training facilities.

Gas tanks would have to be "sealed".

You can buy books listing all publicly available gas stations and their current prices are listed on the Internet.

Weather

Most drivers could not drive when it was foggy or storming.

You could drive when it was foggy or storming only after getting special training.

Those drivers not licensed to drive in fog can still get "Drive Shadowing" from traffic control to alert them of approaching traffic.

Drivers licensed to drive in fog and storms have to file a "Drive plan" with traffic if venturing out into bad weather.

Traffic control can change the driving plan at will during the drive for their own convenience.

Drivers have to keep a 2 mile separation between cars in fog.

Cars must be specially equipped with special tires and wipers to drive into known icing conditions such as when near or below freezing or when humidity is high.

Restrictions

You can't drive near certain neighborhoods.

You can't drive through the park.

You need special permission to drive into or through many cities.

You need a special permission to drive cars with big engines.

Driving near the nations capital would require that you be fingerprinted and display a discrete code in your rear window.

Black Suburbans would pull you over if you got too close to DC.

Highways in Chicago are for Truckers and Buses only, don't ask for permission, you're not getting it.

People paint an X on their driveway to keep you from parking there.

People on bicycles would constantly fight to take away your right to drive.

You could lose your driving privileges for loading the car with more weight in people and baggage than the MGW sticker allowed.

You'd need to check the weather before leaving the driveway and then call for permission to enter the roadway.

Freedoms

The speed limit would be faster than most cars can even go.

Cruise control keeps you in your lane.

You could drive most roadways in whatever direction you wanted, and with an approved GPS you could drive "off road".

Racing would simply be called "formation".

Tailgating would simply be called "formation".

Open containers of alcohol OK. But you couldn't drive within 8 hours of drinking even one sip.

Fiddling with the radio is encouraged.

Nearly every car would have dual controls and non-licensed passengers could drive for a spell.

Simply stopping in the middle of the road to enjoy the view wouldn't be a problem, but your car must be specially equipped for this task.

Insurance would not be required, but would cost several thousand dollars and would be void if your license plates were expired or the floor mats were missing.

Accidents

Traffic fatalities would reduce to nearly nil.

Drunk-driving incidents would reduce to nearly nil.

Traffic accidents involving injury, death, or serious property damage would be investigated by the federal government and information posted on the Internet.

The public and press would begin to fear riding in cars.

You would be required to carry current AAA maps for cross country trips.

Approved GPS with database that is updated every 8 weeks.

For many, the "I Follow Roads" method of navigation wouldn't change.

Alternative Modes of Transportation

Motorcycles would have weight limits and maximum speeds and still be generally looked upon as fun but dangerous. Many motorcycles would be illegally modified.

But it wouldn't be cheap anymore.

Many many many people would be walking.

There are those amazing go-cart drivers who manage to make every place a downhill after they get an initial shove.

Organizations

Drivers, and owners, would be encouraged to join " A. O. D. A ", Automobile Owners and Drivers Assoc, and take safety lessons online...

i.e.

- Highway incursions, and avoiding them.
- Driving in Ice, and snow.
- Map reading.
- Advanced map reading.
- Advanced map reading at night.
- Talking like a pro to RTC (Road Traffic Control).

Responsibilities

The driver is responsible for every accident unless the accident has been caused by catastrophic, unexpected mechanical failure.

Nevertheless, if the driver is a celebrity or wealthy, the widow will sue the manufacturer of the car and all its parts -- no matter how old the parts may be or how foolish the driver has been.

Driver is expected by friends, relatives, and co-workers to be able to explain (or defend) in detail every auto crash or bone-headed driver activity that has recently occurred or has ever occurred to a celebrity.

See also

← Pilot basic information

Aircraft piloting

Straight-and-level flight →

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