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by Gibbon1 2541 days ago
I read a description why aircraft like the Bonanza A36TC are more unforgiving. I think he said because because of higher power, higher speeds, and airfoils to match these aircraft can rapidly leave the stable flight envelop. It takes fast reflexes and knowing what you are doing to get them back. And because they are fast they'll fall out of the sky very quickly in a stall.

Fast reflexes comes from being young or being older and using reflexes you picked up when you were young. Knowing what you are doing comes from knuckling under to someone that does. It's why these aircraft regularly kill middle aged doctors. They have neither the reflexes or the tendency to obey.

There is a reason the air force trains 20 year old's to fly jet fighters.

1 comments

> It takes fast reflexes ...

No, most Bonanza owners are mid-career doctors, dentists and lawyers. Never seen a teen fly one.

Also, you generally have a second or two at least to deal with issues. Hence the old saw about "winding your watch before reacting to an airliner emergency."

> There is a reason the air force trains 20 year old's to fly jet fighters.

I talked to an ex-Air Force, now civilian flight school owner about that.

He said the problem with 30 year-old military aviation students is that they talk back when fed b.s., unlike kids. So it's a general discipline issue, not an age one.