If you're going to steal a plane, it's best to at least know how to taxi

flyingron

flyingron

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www.nbclosangeles.com

Small plane stolen at flight school crashes into building at Van Nuys Airport

A small plane crashed in a building at Van Nuys Airport after it was stolen from a flight school, NBC4 Investigates has learned. A trespassing suspect broke into the school at about 4 a.m. at the general aviation airport in the west San Fernando Valley and took the single-engine Cessna, Los...
www.nbclosangeles.com www.nbclosangeles.com
 
Years ago, I showed up for a flight lesson at HEF early one Saturday morning. There was absolute carnage on the ramp. Four planes were wiped out. A beautiful Lance was clearly sliced up by a propeller. I couldn't figure out how it happened because it was all between seemingly undamaged planes on the ramp and the fence.

When I got to the flight school, I got the story. Apparently, some guys got into one of Colgan's planes (King Air or the like) and got one engine started and managed to spin it around in a circle taking out the neighboring planes. One of the flight school's planes was in the wreckage. Going back out to my car the TV news crew popped up and stuck a microphone in my face and wanted to know why the tower didn't see it. I pointed out that given the number of beer cans around the scene, that it likely happened after the bars closed and the tower closes at 11PM.

Later old man Colgan is interviewed on TV. "Has to be an inside job. These things aren't easy to start. Unless you know how. Then it's easy." I pointed out to others that there was probably this book inside the cockpit that had some instructions on it.
 
flyingron said:
Years ago, I showed up for a flight lesson at HEF early one Saturday morning. There was absolute carnage on the ramp. Four planes were wiped out. A beautiful Lance was clearly sliced up by a propeller. I couldn't figure out how it happened because it was all between seemingly undamaged planes on the ramp and the fence.

When I got to the flight school, I got the story. Apparently, some guys got into one of Colgan's planes (King Air or the like) and got one engine started and managed to spin it around in a circle taking out the neighboring planes. One of the flight school's planes was in the wreckage. Going back out to my car the TV news crew popped up and stuck a microphone in my face and wanted to know why the tower didn't see it. I pointed out that given the number of beer cans around the scene, that it likely happened after the bars closed and the tower closes at 11PM.

Later old man Colgan is interviewed on TV. "Has to be an inside job. These things aren't easy to start. Unless you know how. Then it's easy." I pointed out to others that there was probably this book inside the cockpit that had some instructions on it.
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Huh. I worked for Colgan as a lineman way back in the day (Pretty sure it was 1984). They had one Beech 1900 and a few 99s at the time - This would've been before or after I was there, or my memory's gotten real bad, as I don't remember it!
 
For as much as we complain about these things being finicky to start. It's not a good look for us when this dude's able to get it fired up without the ability to taxi.
 
I know of at least one J3 that never had a key. The theory being, if you can start one without killing yourself, and taxi it to the beginning of a runway without crashing, you probably can get past the key part pretty quickly.
 
In a related story…

There is a post in a facebook group this morning by a CFI candidate who says he failed his checkride on one task. He didn’t do a before-taxi brake check. He’s looking to borrow an airplane to taxi for the retest.
 
Albany Tom said:
I know of at least one J3 that never had a key. The theory being, if you can start one without killing yourself, and taxi it to the beginning of a runway without crashing, you probably can get past the key part pretty quickly.
Click to expand...
Half of the airplanes I've owned didn't use keys.
 
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