Turning close call into self-promotion?

Turbo-Arrow-Driver

Turbo-Arrow-Driver

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Not sure this belongs under Mishaps...moderator can move elsewhere if that makes more sense.

So, I ran across this story in the NY Post: https://nypost.com/2022/09/05/2-planes-nearly-collide-in-midair-above-orlando-airport/
...and the photo of this guy standing next to a single engine Piper in a captain's uniform seemed pretty...I dunno what, unusual let's say. And there's a comment down below the story from an airline pilot who thinks this is a publicity stunt.

First of all, the Skyhawk in question, N5254K appears to be a training a/c and I sort of suspect the pilot is a student pilot. I found the flight in question on ADS-B exchange, it was on 8/17/22. Departing Ft Lauderdale, landing at Orlando before returning to Ft Lauderdale.

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?ica...3.7&showTrace=2022-08-17&timestamp=1660756630

The story mentions the pilot's name (Malik Clarke) and I could not find anything in the airmen's database...can anyone else find him? Would it be there if he only had a student pilot cert?

Anyway, I am wondering if this is being blown out of proportion.
 
It was real, and he *might have* saved the day.

That said, I do have a couple of thoughts…
First, he should keep his yap shut during the investigation.
Second, he looks like a goofball in uniform next to the Piper.
 
Turbo-Arrow-Driver said:
...and the photo of this guy standing next to a single engine Piper in a captain's uniform seemed pretty...I dunno what, unusual let's say. And there's a comment down below the story from an airline pilot who thinks this is a publicity stunt.
Click to expand...
I'd just assume that that photo comes from a culture that is present at some flight schools that are geared towards the airlines. To them, it's "cool" because they eventually want to be a real captain.

Here's a flight school photoshoot that would lead a student to want to do stuff like that.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfo9IhRr5zm/

You and I aren't part of that segment of aviation culture, so it's easy to see how silly that looks to us, but it's probably mostly harmless.
 
So, a 757 is climbing up at you. Naturally your first reaction is to out climb it - in a 172.
 
RyanShort1 said:
I'd just assume that that photo comes from a culture that is present at some flight schools that are geared towards the airlines. To them, it's "cool" because they eventually want to be a real captain.

Here's a flight school photoshoot that would lead a student to want to do stuff like that.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfo9IhRr5zm/

You and I aren't part of that segment of aviation culture, so it's easy to see how silly that looks to us, but it's probably mostly harmless.
Click to expand...
Gotta disagree with harmless.
 
aftCG said:
So, a 757 is climbing up at you. Naturally your first reaction is to out climb it - in a 172.
Click to expand...

Yep, and I say “we’re going ballistic Mav” as I did it.

I believe all part 141 commercial/ATP programs require the uniforms, at least it seems that way.
For us amateurs, it’s not required.
 
Kritchlow said:
It was real, and he *might have* saved the day.

That said, I do have a couple of thoughts…
First, he should keep his yap shut during the investigation.
Second, he looks like a goofball in uniform next to the Piper.
Click to expand...
And third if he had time to pull out his phone he wasn’t in that much of a pinch.
 
This guy's time as a pilot is coming to an end, I believe.
 
I thought someone here already posted the ATC/video made on this. Although it was a good move on pilots part. This making bigger news to me seems like the case of a slow news day. The pictures probably some stock picture from flight school of the pilot.
 
luvflyin said:
Gotta disagree with harmless.
Click to expand...
"Mostly" lol.
Mind you, I'm of the opinion that most of these politicians that allegedly quit over some photo taken of them 20 years ago where they were in a costume for Halloween - the pictures were also "mostly harmless."
 
dbahn said:
I'm not worried about him wearing the uniform nearly as much as I'm worried about him taking the video while flying in that airspace.
Click to expand...
Some of us do that kind of thing (taking photos, videos) regularly. In fact, as a job... wearing a uniform of sorts.
Tarheelpilot said:
And third if he had time to pull out his phone he wasn’t in that much of a pinch.
Click to expand...
Or, if he was solo and wasn't paying attention, he might have not maintained good directional control while focusing on the video and that might have contributed to the problem.
 
Turbo-Arrow-Driver said:
The story mentions the pilot's name (Malik Clarke) and I could not find anything in the airmen's database...can anyone else find him? Would it be there if he only had a student pilot cert?
Click to expand...


Yes, a student pilot cert would be in the database.

Possibly he’s a foreign pilot. He spoke with an accent. Sure, the photo looks goofy to us, but it might not be so goofy in a different culture in a different country.
 
Turbo-Arrow-Driver said:
...and the photo of this guy standing next to a single engine Piper in a captain's uniform seemed pretty...I dunno what, unusual let's say.
Click to expand...
When I was flying on the Florida coast, I would see guys from the pilot mills nearby all the time dressed like this. It's part of the school... rules. Not unusual to see three guys pour out of a Piper Warrior all wearing this type of outfit. In July. When I'm dying in shorts and a t-shirt. But they have no choice.
 
Half Fast said:
Why? So far this looks to me like an ATC screw-up.
Click to expand...

I went back and re-watched the video. From about 0:37 - 1:03, is where they have the audio of the aircraft (N5254K). The person working the radio is not the young man being interviewed, which is why I missed it.

Based upon what they reported "fly 090", then I agree it appears to be an ATC error.

If it is as cut and dried as it seems, it will be easily verified via recordings. In which case, I will retract my statement.

I will be interested in any follow up that comes from this.
 
The uniform looks silly, sure, to some.. but it doesn't actually bother me and it goes along with the theme of 'dress for the job you want not the one you have'

To ridicule a pilot for it seems cheap
 
kind of like full biker leather regalia while riding a moped?
 
guest user said:
I went back and re-watched the video. From about 0:37 - 1:03, is where they have the audio of the aircraft (N5254K). The person working the radio is not the young man being interviewed, which is why I missed it.

Based upon what they reported "fly 090", then I agree it appears to be an ATC error.

If it is as cut and dried as it seems, it will be easily verified via recordings. In which case, I will retract my statement.

I will be interested in any follow up that comes from this.
Click to expand...
I have flown Panama City to Sebastian more times than I can count. With one or two exceptions, I have always been vectored to fly directly over the center (as in over the tower) of MCO at 3,000'. Get a little too far north or south and they get antsy. These guys were only at 2,000' and well north of any track I've ever flown over MCO so I'm guessing that controller is getting a talking to.
 
Comparing the video, news story and flight track and pondering a bit, I think this may be what happened. Does it make sense?

I was going to look for the full audio on Live ATC but there are a huge number of feeds for KMCO and I have no idea which departure frequency they may have been using. Sounds like they had already changed to a departure freq. when the problem occurred. Any ideas on that?

Anyway, the Skyhawk departed 36L and may have been told to turn to 090 and overfly departure end of 35L, but instead delayed the turn to 090 until they were well past the departure end, thus creating the conflict with Delta 757 departing 35L...?
 
Turbo-Arrow-Driver said:
Comparing the video, news story and flight track and pondering a bit, I think this may be what happened. Does it make sense?

I was going to look for the full audio on Live ATC but there are a huge number of feeds for KMCO and I have no idea which departure frequency they may have been using. Sounds like they had already changed to a departure freq. when the problem occurred. Any ideas on that?

Anyway, the Skyhawk departed 36L and may have been told to turn to 090 and overfly departure end of 35L, but instead delayed the turn to 090 until they were well past the departure end, thus creating the conflict with Delta 757 departing 35L...?
Click to expand...

The tower cleared him for takeoff and to fly a 090 heading, nothing regarding the departure end. Not sure where any lack of compliance is coming into play here, seems pretty straight forward. And if you know the MCO layout, the video clearly shows them doing what was asked until they needed to maneuver to avoid.

Personally, without any other instructions, I’m not making that turn until at least 400’ AGL, or better, a few hundred feet below pattern altitude.
 
Flying Keys said:
The tower cleared him for takeoff and to fly a 090 heading, nothing regarding the departure end. Not sure where any lack of compliance is coming into play here, seems pretty straight forward. And if you know the MCO layout, the video clearly shows them doing what was asked until they needed to maneuver to avoid.

Personally, without any other instructions, I’m not making that turn until at least 400’ AGL, or better, a few hundred feet below pattern altitude.
Click to expand...

Okay, I confirmed that ... found Live ATC recording for Twr West #2 at KMCO has a 737 cleared for t/o 36R at 05:17 timecode, then at 06:00 this:

N5254K, caution wake turbulence, traffic departing parallel runway, 737 northbound, turn right heading 090, climb and maintin 2000, rwy 36L, cleared for t/o.

The recording does not have N5254K being told to contact departure and I cannot find any departure recording with that a/c either. Someone with local knowledge may be able to add more, but you're right about departure instructions.

Perhaps video was being captured by instructor in right seat...?
 
Turbo-Arrow-Driver said:
The story mentions the pilot's name (Malik Clarke) and I could not find anything in the airmen's database...can anyone else find him? Would it be there if he only had a student pilot cert?

Anyway, I am wondering if this is being blown out of proportion.
Click to expand...
It took me <30sec to find his CSEL/CMEL/IA in the registry. I think it's being blown out of proportion all around.

Nauga,
hiding in plain sight
 
So help me learn here...what web page did you use to search for his data in the registry, and what search terms? I could not get that to work for me.
 
Turbo-Arrow-Driver said:
Anyway, the Skyhawk departed 36L and may have been told to turn to 090 and overfly departure end of 35L, but instead delayed the turn to 090 until they were well past the departure end, thus creating the conflict with Delta 757 departing 35L...?
Click to expand...

I wondered this as well. It seems like there must have been some assumption as to where the 172 would make the right turn. The timing of the two aircraft's takeoff rolls would make a difference as well. Did someone sit there for a moment and create an unexpected delay?
 
Taking evasive action without talking to ATC could compound the incident. He did get his 15 minutes of fame.
 
dbahn said:
I'm not worried about him wearing the uniform nearly as much as I'm worried about him taking the video while flying in that airspace.
Click to expand...

Tarheelpilot said:
And third if he had time to pull out his phone he wasn’t in that much of a pinch.
Click to expand...

It's not a video, it's a synthetic recreation.

When the pilot contacted departure, he informed them of the erroneous instructions by the tower and that he was on a 150° heading. They acknowledged and directed a return to 090° since the conflict had been resolved. VASAviation has the tower and departure comms.
 
Turbo-Arrow-Driver said:
Not sure this belongs under Mishaps...moderator can move elsewhere if that makes more sense.

So, I ran across this story in the NY Post: https://nypost.com/2022/09/05/2-planes-nearly-collide-in-midair-above-orlando-airport/
...and the photo of this guy standing next to a single engine Piper in a captain's uniform seemed pretty...I dunno what, unusual let's say. And there's a comment down below the story from an airline pilot who thinks this is a publicity stunt.

First of all, the Skyhawk in question, N5254K appears to be a training a/c and I sort of suspect the pilot is a student pilot. I found the flight in question on ADS-B exchange, it was on 8/17/22. Departing Ft Lauderdale, landing at Orlando before returning to Ft Lauderdale.

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?ica...3.7&showTrace=2022-08-17&timestamp=1660756630

The story mentions the pilot's name (Malik Clarke) and I could not find anything in the airmen's database...can anyone else find him? Would it be there if he only had a student pilot cert?

Anyway, I am wondering if this is being blown out of proportion.
Click to expand...

This one?

 
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