Ya gotta wonder ‘bout some pilots...
I was coming back to the airport after a very pleasant after-work flight. Three guys in three airplanes (a C-170, a J-3, and my Hatz biplane) dropped in at a local private strip to visit the owner, then they went off to do their own thing and I flew down to the shoreline for a low and slow cruise along the beach on one of the first warm spring evenings. Always fun, everybody waves at a biplane.
Anyway, heading back to the airport from the south, there were a couple of planes in the pattern, the flying club Aeronca Champ was on downwind for 17, a C-150 called from 2 miles south for a downwind entry, and I was 4 miles south when I made my call saying I’d make a downwind entry for 17 behind the 150. Somebody else was farther out to the southeast on a 45. All normal, then the 150 announced he was on downwind, then that he was making a right 360 for spacing. OK, the Champ in front of him is slow, but not so slow that a 150 can’t stay behind it. But no big deal, I was far enough behind him, though I still didn’t see him.
I saw the Champ as he turned base and then final but still didn’t see the 150. Just when I was midfield downwind and about to push the mike button and ask where he was, he called base and I finally did see him … way to the north, about 3 miles. Grrrr. I was tempting to ask if he was logging cross country time, but I refrained. Most people here turn base between ½ and 1 mile out, and I like to keep it close because a biplane has the glide characteristics of a brick. OK, nobody behind me, I slow down and extend my downwind and I’m maybe 1½ miles north of the field when he passes me on final and I turn base behind him. He lands, using all of the 2700’ runway… in a 150?. I land, exit the runway at around the 600’ point without even trying, and taxi to the pumps while he’s on his way back from the other end, then he finishes taxiing back and pulls in behind me.
It was an older 150, looked to be in in nice unrestored shape so probably not a school plane, with two guys in it. Not local. Some idle chat about my plane while I’m fueling, I finish and then I turn my plane around to point it at the adequate space between the 150 and a twin parked on the ramp… and as I’m climbing in they push their plane forward, closing the gap where I could have taxied through (the fuel hose was plenty long enough to reach where they originally were). Grrrr again, I climb back out, turn my plane around the other way to go around the back side of the pumps, climb back in and start up, and taxi back to my hangar.
Grrrr.
I was coming back to the airport after a very pleasant after-work flight. Three guys in three airplanes (a C-170, a J-3, and my Hatz biplane) dropped in at a local private strip to visit the owner, then they went off to do their own thing and I flew down to the shoreline for a low and slow cruise along the beach on one of the first warm spring evenings. Always fun, everybody waves at a biplane.
Anyway, heading back to the airport from the south, there were a couple of planes in the pattern, the flying club Aeronca Champ was on downwind for 17, a C-150 called from 2 miles south for a downwind entry, and I was 4 miles south when I made my call saying I’d make a downwind entry for 17 behind the 150. Somebody else was farther out to the southeast on a 45. All normal, then the 150 announced he was on downwind, then that he was making a right 360 for spacing. OK, the Champ in front of him is slow, but not so slow that a 150 can’t stay behind it. But no big deal, I was far enough behind him, though I still didn’t see him.
I saw the Champ as he turned base and then final but still didn’t see the 150. Just when I was midfield downwind and about to push the mike button and ask where he was, he called base and I finally did see him … way to the north, about 3 miles. Grrrr. I was tempting to ask if he was logging cross country time, but I refrained. Most people here turn base between ½ and 1 mile out, and I like to keep it close because a biplane has the glide characteristics of a brick. OK, nobody behind me, I slow down and extend my downwind and I’m maybe 1½ miles north of the field when he passes me on final and I turn base behind him. He lands, using all of the 2700’ runway… in a 150?. I land, exit the runway at around the 600’ point without even trying, and taxi to the pumps while he’s on his way back from the other end, then he finishes taxiing back and pulls in behind me.
It was an older 150, looked to be in in nice unrestored shape so probably not a school plane, with two guys in it. Not local. Some idle chat about my plane while I’m fueling, I finish and then I turn my plane around to point it at the adequate space between the 150 and a twin parked on the ramp… and as I’m climbing in they push their plane forward, closing the gap where I could have taxied through (the fuel hose was plenty long enough to reach where they originally were). Grrrr again, I climb back out, turn my plane around the other way to go around the back side of the pumps, climb back in and start up, and taxi back to my hangar.
Grrrr.
