R
RobertGerace
Guest
Ok, well, last night pretty much sucked.
I mean...score one for General Aviation, because I got to spend time with my family and make a business trip -- that would not have been possible on the airlines...but oh, the price I paid.
It turns out that LZU's two FBO's (Piedmont-Hawthorne and Aircraft Specialists) both close at 10pm. I knew I was 'on empty' from my return trip from XNA eariler in the week; so I called Piedmont and asked if I could get fuel after 10pm. The nice lady said yes, but I might need to leave a message and wait for the truck.
So, I leave a message and I wait. And wait. And wait. So I call back, and wait, and wait. So I call Aircraft Specialists...and leave a message and wait.
Now, it is like, 11pm and it's going to take about 3 hours to get to BWI. Signature is expecting me at midnight...no big deal...but I hate to be 'late.' My hotel is confirmed...but I hate it when they give your non-smoking room away at 2am and you get the last room (smoking).
So I finally get ahold of the guy at Piedmont and he tells me they ran out of fuel...and that I should call Aircraft Specialists. So I call and get the machine.
Frustrated, I get in, start both engines, and begin to taxi in front of Aircraft Specialists...ONLY TO SEE THE 100LL TRUCK GO SPEEDING OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AIRPORT AS I'M SHUTTING DOWN THE SECOND ENGINE!
LONG story short, at midnight I'm taking off with full fuel.
(Yes; I am tired today...sigh...)
Now the question: Everybody tells me that a private hangar is the only way to go because a damaged airplane is a question of WHEN not IF. But I don't have time to be running to the airport to fuel up when I want to leave late at night. What do people do?
I'm thinking if I were in the community hangar at Epps (at PDK) last night would have never happened...sigh...
Sorry for the rant...I'm not nice on 3.5 hours of sleep between 7 hours of flying in turbulence and IMC.
I mean...score one for General Aviation, because I got to spend time with my family and make a business trip -- that would not have been possible on the airlines...but oh, the price I paid.
It turns out that LZU's two FBO's (Piedmont-Hawthorne and Aircraft Specialists) both close at 10pm. I knew I was 'on empty' from my return trip from XNA eariler in the week; so I called Piedmont and asked if I could get fuel after 10pm. The nice lady said yes, but I might need to leave a message and wait for the truck.
So, I leave a message and I wait. And wait. And wait. So I call back, and wait, and wait. So I call Aircraft Specialists...and leave a message and wait.
Now, it is like, 11pm and it's going to take about 3 hours to get to BWI. Signature is expecting me at midnight...no big deal...but I hate to be 'late.' My hotel is confirmed...but I hate it when they give your non-smoking room away at 2am and you get the last room (smoking).
So I finally get ahold of the guy at Piedmont and he tells me they ran out of fuel...and that I should call Aircraft Specialists. So I call and get the machine.
Frustrated, I get in, start both engines, and begin to taxi in front of Aircraft Specialists...ONLY TO SEE THE 100LL TRUCK GO SPEEDING OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AIRPORT AS I'M SHUTTING DOWN THE SECOND ENGINE!
LONG story short, at midnight I'm taking off with full fuel.
(Yes; I am tired today...sigh...)
Now the question: Everybody tells me that a private hangar is the only way to go because a damaged airplane is a question of WHEN not IF. But I don't have time to be running to the airport to fuel up when I want to leave late at night. What do people do?
I'm thinking if I were in the community hangar at Epps (at PDK) last night would have never happened...sigh...
Sorry for the rant...I'm not nice on 3.5 hours of sleep between 7 hours of flying in turbulence and IMC.