The death of Jake Langbehn might have been averted had he had more knowledge as to how the morning sun turns the canyons into a veritable hellhole of conflicting and dangerous winds. The man was allowed, I understand, to make that flight. A small conventional aircraft might have had the power available to bail out of such a trap. One wonders just how much training Mr. Langbehn had before launching that day.
The unknowing student depends entirely upon the integrity, the honesty, the skill level and the goodwill of the of the instructor pilot. The thin tether that keeps the student interested in flying is the instructor’s pep talks. But some pep talks by the instructor should be about the fact that the student might be better off to buy a boat. Flying is not for everyone. Period.
There is much that is patently wrong with what is going on in the world of flight in Malibu. Until a week ago I never dreamed that flight schools and instructors existed in Malibu. How honest, how competent and how safety conscience are the instructor pilots?
Certified flight schools make safety the first virtue among many. And a first solo flight? That is a very serious event. Both for the instructor, and the novice pilot. The city’s investigation of these matters is tardy indeed. The issues are already matters of public policy.
A place to begin: The instructor pilots and flight certificates. Contacting the issuing agency whether it has been minted in Canada or U.S. Strangers are strapping our kids into flying contraptions.; The insurance policy for the schools. Is the “school’s insurance” adequate to help should something go terribly wrong as it did with Mr. Langbehn? Who insures the instructor pilots? The venue for flight lessons. Paraglider lessons are said to be offered in various places in Malibu to date. Yet another public policy matter springs up. Ominously we already know that no one, no property owner, no government agency and no parkland trustees have given the slightest permission to use these lands for this patently risky sport. Parents and students would do well to regard flight training as a serious business. Get involved.
Of all my aviation books, my favorite chapter on flying is, “The Dangers of the Air.”
James Platler