Aircraft piloting/If flying were like driving

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.

Navigation

• 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

• Aircrafts and Aerodynamics
• Aviation Weather
• Federal Aviation Regulations
• Introduction to aircraft components
• Pilot basic information
• School:Aviation
• Topic:Aerospace engineering
• Topic:Commercial aviation
• Topic:General aviation

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