Dumbest thing you have done and lived to tell about it

[GCA319]

Originally Posted by Jaybird180

Fixed that for ya

You're perfectly legal above 600. Nothing but SR71's and space shutt...oh..wait.

[iHenning]

Originally Posted by GCA319

You're perfectly legal above 600. Nothing but SR71's and space shutt...oh..wait.

U2 only in the 50s?

[iGismo]

Originally Posted by zaitcev

I did one up on you on Thursday. Buckled in and realized that the key was in the folder, folder was in the bag, bag in the baggage compartment. But wait, there's more! On the aircraft in question, to access the baggage compartment one must get outside and remove the pilot's seat, put it on the ground, remove the cover... Good grief. Fortunately, my instructor had a key on him.

Usually this kind of thing does not happen because I have to unlock the airplane, but this time someone else returned it just ahead of the flight, so I didn't need to unlock it.

More than once when I owned a (part interest in) a Starduster Too, I managed to get seated with attached parachute, belted in, and ready to start only to discover that the key was either in a pant's pocket or left in the car. Either location required removing the chute strap and getting out of the plane after undoing the 5 point seat belt harness since it was not possible to get into one's pockets while seated in the plane.

[airguy]

Originally Posted by gismo

More than once when I owned a (part interest in) a Starduster Too, I managed to get seated with attached parachute, belted in, and ready to start only to discover that the key was either in a pant's pocket or left in the car. Either location required removing the chute strap and getting out of the plane after undoing the 5 point seat belt harness since it was not possible to get into one's pockets while seated in the plane.

Wait - you did that more than once?

[Adoy]

Originally Posted by Gerhardt

My wife was getting ready to head to town and I was puttering around in the garage when I recalled there's a shingle on the back side of our 2-story house that needed replaced. My roof has a steep pitch, so I got the ladder out but quickly realized I would need more support while working. So I got a rope, tied it to the back of my wife's car and tossed it over the roofline, walked to the back of the house, climbed the ladder, tied the rope around my waist and started replacing the shingle. I wasn't really paying attention to anything, kind of in a mindless daze enjoying myself. I was almost done when in the back of my mind I recalled hearing a car engine start....

I've had a couple of frightening moments while flying, but nothing that scared me nearly as much as that.

That's an old story I heard years ago... Kind of an Urban Legend...

How long ago was this that you did it?

[nubee]

bought a 50 year old airplane that had been sitting for 4-5 years, flew for a few hours, lost rt engine, new rt engine, lt engine out due to fuel line stopped up, fixed that, rt engine mixture stuck lean rt engine failure again. Practicing instrument approach and gps and both ILS went out, had to use cell phone to get back home because I was too dependent on GPS. Pilot side vent fell out and hit the lt horizontal stabilizer minimal damage. Many lessons learned.

[nubee]

Have since had new glass all around, new glass panel avionics, new control systems, new hinges on control surfaces, replaced all connectors and bushing, top of the line audio panel, all landing gear rebuilt, new brakes, calipers, discs, and lines, full corrosion protection, new heater, and new paint. Lesson learned, some airplanes are priced too high even if someone gives them to you. But then again the thrill of flying is priceless.

[Jaybird180]

Originally Posted by Multistrada08

Have since had new glass all around, new glass panel avionics, new control systems, new hinges on control surfaces, replaced all connectors and bushing, top of the line audio panel, all landing gear rebuilt, new brakes, calipers, discs, and lines, full corrosion protection, new heater, and new paint. Lesson learned, some airplanes are priced too high even if someone gives them to you. But then again the thrill of flying is priceless.

I know what you mean. Back in the early 2000s my father gave me a 4 room DirecTV system for FREE. Then it cost me $600 to self-install, but that's another story. $600 was a LOT of money to me then (and still is today) for something that was free.

[Traket]

Originally Posted by Gerhardt

My wife was getting ready to head to town....

http://www.snopes.com/autos/mishaps/roofman.asp

[Jaybird180]

[QUOTE=Traket92X;885702]

Originally Posted by Gerhardt
My wife was getting ready to head to town....[/QUOTE

http://www.snopes.com/autos/mishaps/roofman.asp

Ooops

[Gerhardt]

Originally Posted by Jaybird180

Ooops

No oops there. I thought the first person to mention an urban legend was being a prick, but I was wrong. If you saw my roof you'd know there's no way to work on it w/o support. The snopes was a funny surprise.

And fortunately, I got the rope off before she took off.

[Adoy]

Originally Posted by Gerhardt

No oops there. I thought the first person to mention an urban legend was being a prick, but I was wrong. If you saw my roof you'd know there's no way to work on it w/o support. The snopes was a funny surprise.

And fortunately, I got the rope off before she took off.

Wasn't trying to be a "PRICK...."

I really heard this story over 35 years ago while I was helping my dad re-roof his house in New York. One of the guys told us about it during a lunch break. even at the time I thought it was a fairy tale. Back in those days there was no Google to confirm or deny it.

This one was pretty stupid. I'm a noob pilot at the moment - 13 or 14 hours. While I've done plenty of PC flying in my younger years with MS 2004, I've spent 13 or 14 hours in a plane. I've got a great handle on how and why the plane flies as well as what controls will do what. My instructor is impressed with my ability to learn quickly and my confidence in flight, so we are really moving along. In fact, if it weren't for bad weather and my slowness in getting a stage check done, I would have soloed. In fact, I was supposed to solo just this past Saturday, but we didn't.

The weather Saturday looked to be getting worse and worse. The sky was blue, but storms were on the way. There was what felt like not a lot of wind (especially on paper just looking at the numbers), but upon arrival at the field, it was noticeable that I was going to be fighting some winds. We decided we'd give it a shot and go up. Maybe the winds would die down and I could solo. I was good at keeping the crosswind correction on the ground in check, though I'm still a bit rusty. We took off and it was not that bad, actually. First landing required some crabbing and I set it down okay. Second lap the landing was nice - again, with some good crabbing until I'm before or just over the numbers when I straighten out. Third time around was good, but my instructor and I agreed that we should do a few more T&Gs before letting me loose. All the while, the crosswind component was getting stronger and stronger. I would lift off and immediately need aileron and rudder to compensate. I was starting to get sweaty working the controls. It's good practice, though!

Well, after our fourth time, we both agreed that I would not be soloing that day. I was uncomfortable in the wind by myself and enjoyed the comfort of a CFI in the seat next to me. She said that we can go in whenever I want since she doesn't want to waste my time and stuff. I would have stayed up the whole rest of the few hours we had the plane, as I looooove to fly and always enjoy any practice. However, my girlfriend was down at the field waiting for me to come in, since she was there to watch me solo. Well, I felt bad for just letting her sit there with nobody to tell her what's up, so I told my instructor let's make this last one a full stop.

The landing prior was a sim engine out, and I had to go around because it was just getting messier and messier on approach with the winds. Well, our full-stop was actually a very nice approach with decent crosswind correction to a nice soft landing on the centerline. I was impressed. On all the T&Gs before, the plane would get kinda squirrely on the ground as we rolled out to lift back off. This last one really put me in check. My instructor told me to ensure that the wheels are on the ground before removing flaps, hitting brakes, whatever I need to do. So, as I let the plane settle before hitting the brakes to stop, a direct crosswind caught us from the left. The plane started to list to the right until it was just riding on the front and right wheel. My instructor caught it at the last minute (she was opening a window) before the prop or wing was about to strike. Full left aileron was added and the plane sat back down. We were both okay and went right back to the parking spot. I was a bit shaken up.

I learned not to be too cocky, and I think she learned not to instill her full confidence in me quite yet. I felt really bad that it happened afterward and was super quiet for several hours. I didn't quite know how to react and it made me question my abilities as a future pilot. I finally told my girlfriend what happened (I had to tell somebody!!). After that, I calmed down and my confidence is back. I'm ready to take to the skies again!

However, I've learned now to keep adding in more crosswind correction as you slow down!

[Old Geek]

"All the while, the crosswind component was getting stronger and stronger. I would lift off and immediately need aileron and rudder to compensate. I was starting to get sweaty working the controls. It's good practice, though!"

I was taught to use full aileron deflection in the direction of the crosswind *before* starting the takeoff roll and then easing it out as I got more and more control authority.

[airguy]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I would lift off and immediately need aileron and rudder to compensate.

The plane started to list to the right until it was just riding on the front and right wheel. My instructor caught it at the last minute (she was opening a window) before the prop or wing was about to strike. Full left aileron was added and the plane sat back down.

Proper runway technique in a crosswind is to roll the aileron into the wind, this keeps the aileron on the upwind side deflected UP, which reduces the amount of lift that wing can generate and will keep a gust from lifting it. The downwind wing is in the wind-shadow of the fuselage and will naturally develop less lift, so it is not the concern, it's always the upwind wing that will be developing more lift.

Left crosswind - roll down the runway (and taxi) with left aileron. Right for right. At low speeds use all the aileron you've got and as you pick up speed going down the runway you can back off and back off until you get to rotation speed, when you should have just a little bit still rolled in to counter the crosswind. Keep your feet dancing on the rudder too, you'll need it as soon as you break ground. Ask your instructor to demonstrate proper crosswind ground handling. When taxiing with a tailwind you should reverse the left/right aileron because the airflow over the wing is now reversed - so a qaurtering left tailwind would require taxi with right aileron.

With enough hours in the seat you'll develop a mental picture of what the wind is doing to you all the time on the ground and the control inputs will become natural. Remember that the airplane doesn't know it's in close proximity to Mother Earth - it still wants to act like an airplane when the wind hits. You've got to keep flying it all the time, whether the wheels are on the deck or not.

[Jaybird180]

Originally Posted by kimberlyanne546

Grant, if you read my first post, you'll see this was by special request.

In other words, this whole thing wasn't my idea (including the title)!

Originally Posted by kimberlyanne546

I tried that in the beginning of my post but no one listened.

OK I will start a thread just for you.

Hang on . . .

Kimberly

After further discussion, we thought we'd let the cat out out of the bag.

[Kimberly]

Originally Posted by Jaybird180

After further discussion, we thought we'd let the cat out out of the bag.

But what he left out is this was really a continuation of that I dropped my dipstick and shook the wings with my upper body thread. LOL.

[Jaybird180]

Originally Posted by kimberlyanne546

But what he left out is this was really a continuation of that I dropped my dipstick and shook the wings with my upper body thread. LOL.

Oh, I guess I don't have the full conversation afterall.
I hope we didn't kill the thread by telling

[Kimberly]

Originally Posted by Jaybird180

Oh, I guess I don't have the full conversation afterall.
I hope we didn't kill the thread by telling

LOL no I doubt it. This one has been going strong for a long time.

[david.h]

Originally Posted by kimberlyanne546

But what he left out is this was really a continuation of that I dropped my dipstick and shook the wings with my upper body thread. LOL.

[Kimberly]

Originally Posted by david.h

I take it you did not read that thread. How could I take a photo of myself when I was pre-flight'ing for a solo flight and then dropped my dipstick? I was all by myself.

[Ren]

I landed in new bern, nc saturday for fuel. It was pretty windy and gusty with a crosswind. A regional jet airliner was holding short as I made a nice landing.. one wheel gently first, nice and slow, right on centerline, you know. The airline pilot keys up and says "good job, I wish I could land a cessna like that" I thanked him and taxied up, blushing and my girlfriend was laughing at me.

Well after that marvelous demonstration of airmanship I quickly canceled it out and knocked my ego back down to where it should be. I got back into my plane, fired it up, got clearance from the tower to taxi, gave it a touch of throttle... CRAP. "Coastal carolina ground, i'll get back to you in a minute. Forgot to remove the chocks".

[Kimberly]

Originally Posted by dell30rb

I landed in new bern, nc saturday for fuel. It was pretty windy and gusty with a crosswind. A regional jet airliner was holding short as I made a nice landing.. one wheel gently first, nice and slow, right on centerline, you know. The airline pilot keys up and says "good job, I wish I could land a cessna like that" I thanked him and taxied up, blushing and my girlfriend was laughing at me.

Well after that marvelous demonstration of airmanship I quickly canceled it out and knocked my ego back down to where it should be. I got back into my plane, fired it up, got clearance from the tower to taxi, gave it a touch of throttle... CRAP. "Coastal carolina ground, i'll get back to you in a minute. Forgot to remove the chocks".

LOL that is a great story.

[Jaybird180]

Originally Posted by kimberlyanne546

I take it you did not read that thread. How could I take a photo of myself when I was pre-flight'ing for a solo flight and then dropped my dipstick? I was all by myself.

Well, you could do it again on purpose for the drama of posting on PoA.

[Grant Prellwitz]

Hmmm...

I was on a flight the other day (sitting in back, not PIC), and the pilot started the engine, did the preflight, and started to taxi out. Plane didn't move, so we all asked the obvious question, "did anyone remove the chocks?" Everyone denied doing it, so the pilot shut down, another pilot got out and removed the chocks from the nosewheel, and got back in. Again, fire up, add power, and the plane doesn't go anywhere. Voice says "did they only chock the nosewheel?"

Dang! Bet we had an eager line guy who chocked at least TWO wheels! Pilot was about to shut down, and I piped up, asking if we could check hot. We agreed to do that, and the pilot sitting right seat got out, after I provided a reminder to approach the wheels from BEHIND the wing.

So, on one departure, we had TWO forgotten chocks!