Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

[Len Petterson]

Comming in for a landing some time ago I veared of the runway and into some weat growing beside the runway, yes it is on a farm and good luck it was.
The reason was my shoes!
I looked at them today, runing shoes with cells in the soles and about 1/8" thick soles what was all. I hade problem holding the plane during the runup and could not figur out why. I usaly only go to 1600 rpm and have no problem but she wanted to swing on me.
The heals on my shoes gave away and gave uneven pressure onto the pedals!
On the landing I hade to use my brakes as mormaly do, but now I made sudden turn to the left, My right foot sliped of the peda! no damage except for my pride and a small amont of wheat lost.
BUT!
I will not fly with what kind of footwear ANYMORE.
Solid heals it my style from here on, thank you.

Len

[Robert Lees]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

In the summer, Len, try bare foot. Then your skin feels the heel brakes and the rudders.

Not advisable in the Canadian winters, however!

Rob

[jmvolpp]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

Remember Gordon (BaxSeat in FLYING) Baxter? He favored mocassins. Deck shoes are good, too.

Mike V.

[N74DV]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

I fly barefoot or with socks 100% of the time. I have big wide feet. Size 13 wide. I have a hell of a time with any type of shoes on.

I live in Arizona so barefoot is good about 85% of the year. For the coldest of winter mornings (ohh.. maybe 35f) here I've thought about a pair of race car driving shoes. They form fit your foot nicely and have a thin rubber sole.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

Just THINKING about walking across tarmac barefoot in late July in Arazona put a blister on my foot!
Hank

[Carl E. Carson]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

I've flown with DJ a couple of times and can attest to what he said about flying in stocking feet, that he does.

Carl

[Len Petterson]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

Bare foot Ahh.
Ok I shall try my old bowling shoes.
Year ago i did fly the Fleet Canuck with Sorrels ( Big winterbooths )but it had toe brakes.
This modern fangdangels with airpockets to make them " softer to walk in",
I think it is to increase proffit margin !
less rubber need and becuase of inovations one can charge more BHAAA!
And you ware them out faster,HMMM, maybe I should bye stocks in the company!

Len

[Carrieve]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

I have flown my Tcraft in -20F with Sorrels on. But then I had the skis on and didn't need the brakes, but mushing a trail to take off in my bare feet or socks might have been a bit much.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

What's funny to me is that I fly with shoes I would be willing to walk in through several miles of bad terrain with a broken arm. I also think I should have minimal survival material ON ME when I fly (I think that but rarely do). After an off field landing all the survival gear you have packed away behind the seat may not be there any more.
Lots of crash victims have survived (or didn't) with what they were carrying on their person on impact. It doesn't mean you don't bother with the water bottle or first aid kit in the baggage sling, but a pocket knife, pack of matches, some string, a credit card sized piece of polished metal and an extra handkerchief are nice to be carrying.
Hank

Oh yea, some CASH and a credit card!

[VictorBravo]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

Here's an idea...

Try the "water socks" that are very thin, like Lycra Spandex socks with a thin rubber sole on the bottom. They can walk across the ramp without frying your feet, but are much thinner and more flexible than regular shoes.

However, Hank is MORE than right... gotta be prepared to walk out of a forced landing for a mile or three. Even if you land at an airport or on a dirt road with a busted airplane, the walk into town for a hotel room or the auto parts store is a consideration.

Forrest Barber's idea of using the oft-wasted space underneath your legs in front of the seat is worth remembering for footwear and survival gear. Tie your regular real walking shoes down there, so you can get to them easily in an emergency, even with a badly broken airplane.

Walking through the Sonoran AZ desert with rattlesnakes, Gila monsters and scorpions would scare the poop out of me...

[N74DV]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

I fly with shoes I would be willing to walk in through several miles of bad terrain with a broken arm.

While I do fly barefoot or with socks I always toss my shoes in the baggage behind me. Walking in the desert with no shoes is a death sentence. Once while tubing down the Salt River here I lost my shoes to some rapids. I had to walk from the end of the river up to the parking lot with no shoes Probably a 1/4 mile... in July. After about 100' of that and nearly blistered feet, I managed to tie up the empty Budweiser cardboard beer cases to my feet with some nylon rope we used to tie our tubes together with. I sure looked funny but it saved me feets!

Walking through the Sonoran AZ desert with rattlesnakes, Gila monsters and scorpions would scare the poop out of me...

In all my years in the desert I've only come across one diamondback and one Gila. Scorpions I can find easily in my back yard or even my garage.

[mohawktipi]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

Every body knows that here in Texas we fly with cowboy boots and stetsons. Works winter or summer and no problems walking through cow pastures or over hot asphalt ramps. No trouble with the heel brakes but it's hell getting the headphones over a ten gallon hat.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Heal brakes and BAD shoes!

Every body knows that here in Texas we fly with cowboy boots and stetsons. Works winter or summer and no problems walking through cow pastures or over hot asphalt ramps. No trouble with the heel brakes but it's hell getting the headphones over a ten gallon hat.

Although not from Texas, I was presented with a beautiful Silver Belly a few years ago by the Texas Ground Water Assoc. I was on a series of flights that included Lubbock to Pennsylvania to Wash. DC. to Michigan before getting home with that 10 gallon on my head sitting in airline seats, was an experience in itself. So the image of a set of phones over the hat is
Larry