AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2024 - 14

LETTERS
Best Foot Forward
Readers respond to
Julie Summers Walker's roundup
of footwear for pilots in the
November 2023 issue of
AOPA Pilot
Once I was flying to a jobsite. I always wear
a pair of leather flat-soled shoes for flying
and change into my Vibram Soled steel-toed
Lineman Boots once I land. For some reason on
the way home I did not change. I was flying a
Beech Duchess while landing at Lunken Airport
in Cincinnati, Ohio. Everything seemed normal.
I made a darn good landing hitting the numbers
exactly on the centerline.
The heels on the boots are close to an inch
higher than my street shoes, and I inadvertently
put pressure on the lower rudder pedals engaging
the brakes prior to landing. I had a little
more pressure on the right brake as evidenced
by the solid black line from touchdown to the
point where the tire blew about 1,000 feet down
runway. The Beech Duchess can't be towed with
a flat tire, the landing gear will fold up; I landed
at 5:15 p.m. all the mechanics had left at 5 and I
had shut down the main runway.
I got quite a few comments on my " straight
line " by landing pilots on the alternate strip. By
6:30 p.m. we had a spare tire on the airplane and
moved off the runway.
Douglas L. Sayre
Cincinnati, Ohio
I've worn Skechers Citywalk shoes for years flying
my taildragger. They are sturdy but fit like
gloves for tight cockpits.
Mike Moore
Liberty Lake, Washington
I can tell none of you have been bush pilots.
Never wear any footwear you can't walk out of
the mountains in. Flip flops indeed.
Chuck Leathers
Silverthorne, Colorado
VFR is not always VFR
Thanks for JP Dice's article highlighting smoke
hazards and the forecast tools available to predict
where and when those hazards will occur
( " VFR is not always VFR, " November 2023
AOPA Pilot).
14
AOPA PILOT / Janaury 2024
I think it's important for people to recognize
the limitations of these tools. The
models are able to detect the current distribution
of particulates in the atmosphere and
project where they will be at some time in the
future. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I
believe they do not forecast the generation of
new particulates.
In the case of controlled burns he experienced
in Georgia, they can tell you where that
smoke is going and when it will dissipate. But
they cannot account for the further generation
of smoke. There is no way for the models
to know if the burns are going to continue
or not. They assume they are not, and only
project what will happen to the smoke already
in the air.
This limitation became particularly significant
while flying in the western United States
during a recent spate of forest fires. The models
kept showing the smoke dissipating in a couple
days, but it continued to get worse and worse
for several weeks.
Mike Koerner
Palos Verdes, California
Airspeed Myths
I really enjoyed Catherine Cavagnaro's article
" Airspeed Myths " (November 2023 AOPA
Pilot). In the course of my 30 years of private
general aviation flying I have heard, read, and
regurgitated those airspeed definitions countless
times, but her contextual examples of their
application were far more thought provoking
and useful than anything else I've encountered
on the subject.
The service Mike got
in Sioux Falls, South
Dakota ( " Miracle
in Sioux Falls, " by
Mike Busch, October
2023 AOPA Pilot) is
simple South Dakota
hospitality. Most
people in South
Dakota will be
helpful to almost
anyone in crisis.
We are a state of
friendly people. Land
here again some
time!
Rolf Kraft
Martin, South Dakota
BRIEFING
PI LOT GEAR /
TYPE CASTING
Some respondents weighed in with type or style
of the perfect flying shoes: " Wrestling shoes:
thin, flat soles for rider acuity, a heel that doesn't
bind, light weight, and high tops! "
-Dave Hirschman, editor at large
" It depends: I have a wide foot, so when
flying the Cub I had to find the narrowest
boat shoes I could in order to work the pedals.
Barefoot probably would have been better. For
something like a warbird, I would think you'd
want boots. Normal, everyday Spam-canning
it...whatever you don't mind getting dirty since
you'll spill fuel or oil on them or drag them on
the ramp when pushing or pulling. Frederick in
the winter? Spiked golf shoes! " -Ian J. Twombly,
senior content producer
" I'd recommend appropriate footwear for
But, no, Alicia Herron, now
a content producer for AOPA
media and a former protegee
of McSpadden's in ASI replies
with this declaration: " That is
incorrect, the best tailwheel
Best foot forward
What do your feet wear in the air?
BY JULIE SUMMERS WALKER
I RECENTLY PURCHASED some interesting ergonomic sandals designed to help with
the gravity pull that aging seems to be bringing to my body, all the way down to
my feet. " Interesting " in that the built-in arch helps with foot pain but for some
reason causes interference with the gas pedal as I drive, especially long distances
(if you've read me long enough, you know I'm a terrible driver so there " could " be
another reason). I also recently heard from AOPA members chagrined over the photo
accompanying a story of mine that showed the pilot in flip flops on the rudder pedals.
What's all the flap about footwear?
It only took one email to AOPA's staff pilots asking what they prefer to wear on
their feet in the air to elicit a shoebox full of opinions (sorry). A secondary question
about flip flops provided another slap (sorry again) of reality (see " Shoes and Shirts
Required, " p. 28). I could write this up in a clever narrative, but I think it'll be more
fun if you read the discourse that followed my email. Turns out that, as in life,
everyone has an opinion.
FIRST FLAP
So, Richard McSpadden, senior vice president of the AOPA Air Safety Institute,
throws out this missive: " Best tailwheel flying shoes, hands down are HeyDudes!
Flat soles with just the right grip; light weight; and you're stylin'! "
26
AOPA PILOT / November 2023
flying shoes are red Converse high tops and
I will die on that hill. Flat soles, light weight,
stylin, and they have the bonus of being secured
higher up on the ankle, so the heel never
catches when you're dancing on the rudders or
transitioning to heel brakes. "
Not to be outdone, in chimes AOPA
Foundation Ambassador Katie Pribyl: " I'm
afraid that you are both wrong. Square-toe,
low-heel Double H cowboy boots. You're ready
for anything-dirt, rattlesnakes, steaming pile
of elk or cow crap on that backcountry strip
of BLM land. And if things go wrong, you
can walk out of anything in them. They fit
perfectly on the pedals. Easy to slide up and
down for a little brake action. HeyDudes a
close-ish second. "
Uh, oh, here comes the president, Mark
Baker: " They can't be good for heel brakes.
Just saying. "
There's some insider banter going on here:
" One very wise AOPA staffer once told me
brakes in a taildragger are only for run-up! "
replies Pribyl.
" Smart staffer, " opines Baker (no employment
changes occurred as a result of this
exchange).
outdoor preflight inspections (and possible
cold-weather survival) and then changing
into your flying shoes in the cockpit since
most winter boots/shoes are too clunky for
operating the rudders/brakes. " -Paul Deres,
ASI senior director
get caught on something in the cockpit. I like the
boots for flying vintage airplanes with heel brakes
because the boots have a bit of a heel which help
me reach the brakes better. " -Michelle Walker,
video editor
" I just wear what I've got. Presently, it's
NAME DROPPERS
And then there are the brand loyalists, unafraid
to call out the name of the footwear they believe
in: " Converse All-Stars or Puma Speedcat (like a
racing shoe). Both make it very easy to feel the
pedals. Puma Speedcat: Are you landing a Cub
or winning the Indy 500? Who's to say? " -Nick
Beatty, director of digital experience
" When flying floats, it is Keens. They will
save your toes and the water runs through. " -
Mark Baker, president
" In the spring/summer I prefer to fly in
sneakers, usually basic Vans. In the fall/winter I
prefer Steve Madden combat boots. For both it's
because they're comfortable, lightweight, and
pretty fitted to my feet so they're less likely to
Allbirds Wool Runner Mizzles (water-repellent).
They're wool, washable, sustainable, and pretty
rugged for all the walking I do at events. And
they're wide enough for my EEE- to EEEE-width
foot, provided I size up. " -Erick Webb, social
media marketer
" I'm a big fan of Allbirds with no socks. They
provide great feedback from the rudder pedals
while being light and breathable. " -Jamie Beckett,
Aero Club liaison
" Allbirds are great. Plus, they're machine
washable. " -Adam Rarey, safety content producer
" I'm going with Merrell: soft, high-top,
artificial suede, Goretex, in stylish black. Comfy
flying, walking, and waterproof enough for a week
at OSH! " -David Tulis, senior photographer
" I also like Merrells for flying, although I don't
wear the same style as Dave T. But Merrells are
sturdy and well-made and they come in a range
of styles for men and women. " -Jill W. Tallman,
technical editor
Continued on next page
AOPA PILOT / November 2023
27
AOPA staff pilots chose
an assortment of footwear
for their flying adventures,
from traditional choices
such as Merrell to
nontraditional Vibrams,
classic Converse All-Stars
to sexy Puma Speedcats.
DAVID TULIS
DAVID TULIS

AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2024

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