Hat tip to the Fly With Blake blog for posting this very short video showing what speed you should NOT try and land a Piper aircraft. It took the 7th bounce before the nose wheel was sheered off and the plane skidded off the runway. No word on where the video was shot, whether it was a student pilot (I hope it was NOT an experienced pilot!) and why the pilot did not just go around again but at least he or she walked away from this incident.
I love the Avanti. I'm sure it is quiet on the inside. However it is the noisiest two-spool engined turboprop out there, at least the way I have seen the airplane operated. I don't much care about the noise except that I like our airports to be as community friendly as possible. So if there is a way to operate the a/c more quietly when it makes sense, I recommend to its pilots that they do so.
I haven't been on the outside of an Avanti so I can't judge the noise level there; but I can't believe it's noisier than, say, a King Air. I did get to do a demo flight in one once and I have to say that it was very quiet inside.
Have seen/heard them on departure several times, and flying over head. Each time has been significantly noisier than a King Air to this layman's ear (well … I am an experienced pilot … but I've not done the noise measurements!). Avanti operators seem to be running the props at higher RPM than do King Air crews. I believe, given that they are two-spool engines, that at least in cruise they can be made to operate with no more noise than a King Air. Perhaps on departure there's nothing that can (or should) be done. There might be some interaction between the surfaces just in front of the prop that is part of the cause for the extra noise, I don't know.
The only really noisy King Airs I remember are 100s with Garrett engines. The others with PT-6 variants can be almost "whisper" queit. Anything with Garretts is noisy (like MU-2s and Turbo Commanders), but I am not sure if the Avanti uses Garretts or not. Also, the prop pitch can have an effect, too.
I think the Avanti uses PT6s but I might be wrong. I wonder whether the positioning and pusher configuration makes them unusually noisy. Interesting thought. Especially when engine manufacturers are thinking of using a similar position for open rotor ducted fan engines on airliners. Could be grim if it gets noisier.
Aviation has a long and celebrated history of its giants being quite short. Paul Tibbets was a towering figure in the history books, but in real life he was somewhat vertically challenged. Hiram Mann was an impressive fighter pilot when he and his fellow Tuskegee graduates wen to Europe in WWII, but I'm not sure Hiram ever flirted with 5' 6" even on his best day.
Justin might take solace in knowing that the airlines have been hiring women pilots for years now, and they've done an excellent job overall, even though few of them stand 6 feet tall even with heels on.
Rest easy. Height isn't nearly as important as many people think. If you can do the job, you can do the job.