Don't Try This....

GMascelli

GMascelli

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Jul 27, 2005
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Display name:
GaryM
I was holding short waiting for traffic when these two almost ran each other over on down wind. It gets better, they both turn base then final and land, see for yourself.

How does Bruce put it...We have met the enemy and he is us.

Runway facts - 3580x60 displaced 350'
 

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Any announcements that they were flying tandem? I watched a similar thing a few weeks ago at one of the untowered fields around Austin but they had radioed intentions all the way around...I stayed out of the way and watched.
 
There were a flight of five RV's that did similar all the time at Conroe. It was a pain on Saturdays when things were quite busy when they also wanted to do the flyover and break off as if they were some performance flight team.

Even announced, I don't think it's a good idea. There are just too many things to go wrong.
 
I've definitely seen that team of RV's out and around TX. Yea they do somethings that may not be considered legal, let alone smart!

At first i thought his gear wasnt down, but if you look under the right side, you can see the gear door is clearly open, but i dont see any other gear... but I'd guess it was down or we would have read bout that.
 
Yeah, his gear is down, it just is hard to see in the clutter of the background trees. If you adjust the image a bit, you can see them, though it's still tough.

geardown.jpg
 
Thanks Troy. You're now the POA official for graphics analysis. :)
 
Nope not in tandem. I made a radio call to give them a heads up that they were almost on top of each other, here's the play by play.

We have been monitoring two aircraft inbound, one crossing midfield to enter the left down wind and another shooting an approach for runway nine that said he was going missed off to the left. Ok quick mental picture here, his heading is 090 so breaking off to his left would put him on the north side of the airport, right?. I think this guy needs to make the letter L with his left hand, this would have assured he was indeed stepping to the left. It gets better, oh, how so you ask? The Bonanza is now on the downwind and the plane that doesn't know left from right is at the Bo's 7:00. I call out on the radio that they are right on each other and they both wiggle wings and look, thankfully they now see each other. Meanwhile Jeff and I are sitting at the hold short taking it all in. It still gets better, how so you ask? The "lefty" plane turns base and the Bo also turns base. Ok, this is looking interesting. lefty lands and the Bo is still coming, he touches down while the first plane is still rolling out. The Bo pulls in the reins and turns off at the same time lefty does. I make my call that we are departing runway 27 and add, now that the show is over. I secretly hope this is not an indication of things to come.
 
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Man, Troy, are you secretly an analyst in the CIA or something?
 
Makes you want to run out there with a 2x4. Or maybe just run the video camers.
 
bbchien said:
Makes you want to run out there with a 2x4. Or maybe just run the video camers.
Click to expand...
I think there has been some public shame handed out here.

There is a web board for ham operators that publicly shame jerks who rip people off by selling dead equipment. It is called Bad Hams. I wonder if there is any sort of 'scarlet letter' type of boards for the bad pilots too?

I know one jerk we flies interesting patterns, nordo at my field that I would like to post on there.
 
Hmm. Looks almost like Arlington during the NW EAA fly-in there. The temporary control tower commonly lands two planes simultaneously on the same runway.

Okay, I won't try that unless told to.
 
GMascelli said:
I was holding short waiting for traffic when these two almost ran each other over on down wind. It gets better, they both turn base then final and land, see for yourself.

How does Bruce put it...We have met the enemy and he is us.

Runway facts - 3580x60 displaced 350'
Click to expand...

As long as the guy up front doesn't sit on the runway, I don't see a problem. Things are that close at OSH, I'm not even going to describe what happens at a field host Ag planes on a bug run.
 
yea man, those ag guys dont seem to care about conventional rules...
"what's a traffic pattern?" "what's a radio call?" "why would i climb up to 1000feet agl before i land?"
 
ntbjounin said:
yea man, those ag guys dont seem to care about conventional rules...
"what's a traffic pattern?" "what's a radio call?" "why would i climb up to 1000feet agl before i land?"
Click to expand...


Exactly, we get paid by the acre, and don't waste time as time=fuel=profit=bonus. Besides, it's all legal, read pt.137.

One advantage entering a pattern at 200' is you have a good view of who else is in the pattern ahead of you, that angle makes you easy to spot. Just keep your speed up and clear the runway ASAP, we won't hit you.
 
I too have seen that team of 5 RV's - they are pretty regular at La Grange (3T5) for the first Saturday BBQ that the EAA chapter there puts on.
 
Bo pilots in general are not as bad as RV pilots...in general. And I will gladly share space with Ag pilots...they know what they're doing.

That brings to mind a quote made long ago from a NASCAR driver. Something like: "I'd rather race at 200 mph in the pack than 60 mph on the freeway. On the track everyone knows what they're doing."

Here in Page the tour operators land and depart 1/4 to 1/2 mile in trail. The new guys freak out, some never get up to speed. I liked it from the start...as long as everyone knows what is to be expected.

Like formation flying.... Some guys I will never ever fly with again.
 
Richard said:
"I'd rather race at 200 mph in the pack than 60 mph on the freeway. On the track everyone knows what they're doing."
Click to expand...
True, true. It's educational for fledglings like myself to watch a pattern full of clearly very-experienced pilots. Old hands mixed with noobies in the pattern usually isn't too bad- scares the noobies but the old hands have the big picture, and the smarter noobies learn something.
The trouble starts when there are the "in-between" types who perhaps think they know what they're doing, and probably do not consider the experience level of others in the pattern... we all have met or will meet them at some point; they show up at every airport sooner or later.

Assume nothing; trust but verify; head on a swivel, etc. etc...
 
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