Geico266
Touchdown! Greaser!
Yesterday, I got a kitchen pass and headed to the airport to jump in the 8 and fly to a local once a year fly in breakfast. Been there every year for 12 years. Sever clear, but strong winds aloft. It was early, and I knew I would be the first one there, or so I thought.
I took some time on the way out to change the data fields on the 496 info page, and I thought about what a nice job the privous owner had done building the plane. 5 miles out I begin to think of how lucky I am to be able to fly. To climb in a machine and leave the earth, to look around and see the seasons change. I'm now 3 miles out and make my second position call with no response except the guy on the ground saying "No reported trafic". "Great!" I say to my self as I enter the 45 to the down wind.
All of a sudden there was an Ercoup 100' in front of me and to my left. I thought to my self he is on the wrong frequency or something. My plane rocks as I hit his wake, and I do a 360 to give us some room, and follow him in to land.
I talked to him and he has no radio.
Then I calmed down and rethought the whole flight. I was behind him and above him, but did not see him........ because...... I did not even look. I wanted so bad to be mad at him, but the facts were he had done nothing wrong except not look either.
My head was just not in the damn game! I was messing with the panel, auto pilot, thinking about **** I should not have been thinking about that close to an airport, on a Sunday with a flying breakfast! duh! Double duh!
We had breakfast together and talked about what just happened. It is amazing how fast the strikes add up so slow, and things happen so fast when you aren't paying attention.
Be safe out there! Keep your head in the game!
I took some time on the way out to change the data fields on the 496 info page, and I thought about what a nice job the privous owner had done building the plane. 5 miles out I begin to think of how lucky I am to be able to fly. To climb in a machine and leave the earth, to look around and see the seasons change. I'm now 3 miles out and make my second position call with no response except the guy on the ground saying "No reported trafic". "Great!" I say to my self as I enter the 45 to the down wind.
All of a sudden there was an Ercoup 100' in front of me and to my left. I thought to my self he is on the wrong frequency or something. My plane rocks as I hit his wake, and I do a 360 to give us some room, and follow him in to land.
I talked to him and he has no radio.
Then I calmed down and rethought the whole flight. I was behind him and above him, but did not see him........ because...... I did not even look. I wanted so bad to be mad at him, but the facts were he had done nothing wrong except not look either.
My head was just not in the damn game! I was messing with the panel, auto pilot, thinking about **** I should not have been thinking about that close to an airport, on a Sunday with a flying breakfast! duh! Double duh!
We had breakfast together and talked about what just happened. It is amazing how fast the strikes add up so slow, and things happen so fast when you aren't paying attention.
Be safe out there! Keep your head in the game!
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