Wilsons Sandbox

On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 12:21 PM, revmaaatin wrote: > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com , Kevin > Powers wrote: > > SNIP > > > The IBA > > has also had seminars on how the body and mind respond to lack of sleep - > > these are based on an article written by an LD riding former Naval > Surgeon > > based on research the military has done. They also coach the riders in > > dealing with the media to manage perception of the event. > > > > You raise a thorny issue. When does a challenge, of any type, become > unduly > > risky? > > > > Kevin > > Kevin > You ask some valid questions- > and I see that there are some built in rest periods; that is, the 11 days > is not 11 days continuous--at least not by what I have read. (I am only an > interested observer; not a participant.) > > IRT to the flight surgeon-- > And did the flight surgeon also disclose that certain USAF (and probably > USN missions as well) included/required amphetamines > (under Dr's supervision, cough) > to ensure the pilots did not go to sleep? > These missions also required a certain amount of 'down' time, IE days; and > Dr supervision after the mission ended. > > I did one 22hr mission--from alert to final touch down; a mission that was > JCS authorized/mandated. It was not supposed to be that long, and would not > have taken that long under normal circumstances but the helo did not > cooperate and had to abort after 1 hour and return for a faulty pressure > switch on a 3000psi hydraulic servo that controlled the rotor head. > Yeah, we will get that one fixed.... > In a 3-day period, the helo was airborne 35 hrs. > Why is that special? > It has a normal maintenance of 50+ man-hours maintenance for every hour > flown. When we limped home, it sat in the hanger for weeks catching up on > all the components we wore out/broke or flew to it highest limits of wear. > > The only drug we used for that flight was coffee/caffeine--and at one > point, I was tempted to pour it in my eyes. > > I set several squadron 'records' that month. > Most miles traveled. > Furthest distance between two points flown in one month: Most hours flown. and > The most espresso / caffeine drunk with wigging out. > > Back to the KLR content: > > On four occasions this summer I have tested the idea of riding a KLR on a > dusty butt--one held within 500 miles of here this summer. > My experimentation was not so much on gravel, but on secondary paved roads > over 4 different, 12-14 hour days. To see what it would be like to ride 1/2 > that distance and see how long it would take. > These were GPS monitored days, avg speed, moving speed, mileage, etc. > > What an eye opener. > All four occasions were Granted, I was not 'busting' my tail, riding the advertised speed limit, > and just seeing how it worked out. > You really have to hustle, even on pavement if you are going to make this > work where there are plenty of stop signs/towns to impede progress. > To be successful, It looks easy; like 41.66 mph/avg, but your indicated > 65mph+ indicated really drops a lot in the average when you stop to fuel, > pee, road construction, accidents, stretch and eat. > Of course, if you are running straight interstate, that would/could be an > entirely different game. > > Went out a couple of times at night: riding similar/identical gravel roads > that are offered for the W. NE/KS Dusty Butt and doing them at 55 gps/mph > brings a huge amount of risk after dark. > Did I mention huge? > 40 miles of that at 55mph satisfied my curiosity; which were roads that I > ride regularly, and pre-rode in the light to make sure there were no really > ugly spots. A luxury you do not have in the real world Dusty Butt. > > One final thought: related to the use of amphetamines-- > I would be curious as to the results of a mandatory drug screening for all > participants. > Beginning and end. > Now that would be an eye opener. > > The guy on the KLR is one tough cookie. > > revmaaatin. > Naval Aviator > > > -- Kevin Powers White Bear Lake, MN [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]