REFLECTOR:FW: Fwd: [c-a] thrills and chills -

[reflector@tvbf.org]

At 11:24 AM 6/24/03 -0400, you wrote:

>often don't have time to help when you're in trouble - unless you declare 
>an emergency - then
>you're really in deep s___ when you land.

I agree with everything except that last.

I declared an emergency years ago when I was trapped over a cloud deck and 
couldn't get down.  I was a low time pilot in a Long EZ with nothing but a 
turn coordinator.  Flight Following vectored me to a clear area, got me 
turned toward the airport and had me hold wings level while I reduced 
power, trimmed to best glide, then trimmed power some more and settled 
through the layer.  When I got out I had the airport in sight (the deck was 
about 2000 AGL)

When I got the airport in sight I he asked if I needed any more help, I 
said no, he said to squawk 1200 and resume own navigation.  I asked him if 
there was any more I had to do for the emergency and he said no, he'd close 
it.  I never heard about it again.  There was no paperwork, no phone calls, 
nothing.

I sometimes think student pilots should have to declare an emergency 
sometime in their first 40 hours, just so they know it's not a big deal.