Lost student mistakenly lands at Indianapolis Intl!

First solo? Maybe his CFI should have told him that his three takeoffs and landings should be at the same airport?

I hope they meant 'first solo XC'. Even so...
 
yea, it happens. my school, long long ago, had a student mistakenly land at Des Moines International. Class C and of course he didnt know he was there so he didnt talk to anyone. Also managed to lock up a brake and blow a tire on the 152. the FSDO was on the field back then. Instructor got a phone call and a little 'counseling'
 
It was probably his first solo XC not his first solo. But still, that is a pretty big mistake. I have flown to both airports and they are not all that close nor do they look alike.
 
I like how my instructor handled my XC's.

First solo XC was a repeat of a DUAL XC we'd done before.

Long solo XC was to 2 airport we'd been before, and one that I had not, but that was near to one I had (KOXB). Worked well, and prepared me for what to look for, in general.
 
I like how my instructor handled my XC's.

First solo XC was a repeat of a DUAL XC we'd done before.
That is how mine went too. It was a good idea as there was a lot less anxiety about what to expect.

Long solo XC was to 2 airport we'd been before, and one that I had not, but that was near to one I had (KOXB). Worked well, and prepared me for what to look for, in general.
I did request to do this different and with much longer legs. I went to two Class C airports and each leg was 150NM long. Talked it over with my CFI before hand and he was comfortable with my flying and with the plan otherwise he would not ahve approved it.
 
I was thinking the same thing Chuck. My first solo X-C was to an airport I had flown to a couple times with the CFI.

I have to wonder if the CFI and the student spent enough time on his flight plan prior to departure. Secondly, each of my X-C's as a student was with flight following but it appears this gentlemen wasn't using the service for whatever reason.

If you haven't read the comments attached to the article, it reinforces the ignorance the non-flying public has about what we do.
 
I like how my instructor handled my XC's.

First solo XC was a repeat of a DUAL XC we'd done before.

Long solo XC was to 2 airport we'd been before, and one that I had not, but that was near to one I had (KOXB). Worked well, and prepared me for what to look for, in general.

Wow...same here, almost to a T!
 
Well my long X-C back in '94 was from OSH to Rheinlander and then via Iron Mountain to Escanaba, MI. I hadn't visited any of them prior to the Long X-C, but I had the help of an early Magellan GPS. The most High Tech device bay far in our old Cherokee 140.

Pete
 
wow when i read the topic title, i though Indianapolis Intl referred to Indianapolis International Speedway. Now that is a student pilot who needs some more instruction.
 
I guess it happens but ya gotta know what to do. I mean if Lafayette tower didn't answer him wouln't he think hey what is up here? And do a little cross checking.

On my first Solo XC to WWD I thought I was lost but wasn't. About 1/2 way into my flight the haze got bad and vis dropped. I thought I was outside the ACY Charlie and didn't want to bust it. So I circled and called ACY APP told them where I thought I was and circled. They gave me a squawk and confirmed I was not far off course gave me a vector and off I went. The guy should have had the local APP Freq on his knee board at the least.
 
I can't see myself endorsing a student for a XC without him or her being fully capable of triangulating their position with VORs. Any other CFI thoughts on this one?
 
I can't see myself endorsing a student for a XC without him or her being fully capable of triangulating their position with VORs. Any other CFI thoughts on this one?

how do you know he hadnt proven to himself and his CFI that he wouldnt get lost?

its hard to relate unless you've ever really been lost.
 
He might have.

I think there's 3 possibilities here:
1) Honest to goodness lost after adequate training
2) CFI didn't train properly
3) Student went off on his own

Each case merits different results...
 
I have to say some of the comments are pretty dang funny.

Top two so far:

The plane had its left turn signal on for an hour prior to landing.
It was the only flight to arrive on time that day.
 
Kenny,
im excited for when you start instructing. you will learn alot about the completely bizzare reactions and rationalizations that people make when they are overloaded and stressed.
 
gawd i started reading through all the comments and now everyone at work is looking at me funny. im nearly curled up in a ball on the floor laughing.

Charles Lindberg, Gilligan, and Kenny Tarmac (Hey guy, we just landed!) all chimed in. I loved gilligans comment about Wrongway Feldman (Corrigan).

and this gem:

Give the guy a break. I once was so drunk I got lost 2 miles from my house. I could see how this could happen, pilots are supposed to be drunk right?

:rolleyes:
 
Kenny,
im excited for when you start instructing. you will learn alot about the completely bizzare reactions and rationalizations that people make when they are overloaded and stressed.
Hey, right now I'm just trying to figure out how to move the center of the cowling a foot to the right!
 
Several of the comments asked how he got a license and call for it to be revoked. What part of "student pilot" didn't they understand?
 
The plane had its left turn signal on for an hour prior to landing.


Now that shows bad training right there...talk about a lack of professionalizim, leaving the turn signal on for that long :no:
 
I thought you were supposed to leave it on while in the pattern? Well unless it is right traffic and then you turn on the right one. :cheerswine::dunno::D

No no no, 400 feet before the turn. You don't want to confuse other people in the pattern about when you're going to turn!
 
Several of the comments asked how he got a license and call for it to be revoked. What part of "student pilot" didn't they understand?

in those individuals defense, the original article didn't note he was a student pilot, even though I put 2 and 2 together that he was based on it denoting it was his first solo flight...

I especially liked the comments by somebody by the name of PoA rules... interesting... ;)

Luckily the Blue Angels weren't delayed.... as always, they put on a great show yesterday. I need to review my pictures, and if any are any good, I will post them.
 
in those individuals defense, the original article didn't note he was a student pilot, even though I put 2 and 2 together that he was based on it denoting it was his first solo flight...

I especially liked the comments by somebody by the name of PoA rules... interesting... ;)

Luckily the Blue Angels weren't delayed.... as always, they put on a great show yesterday. I need to review my pictures, and if any are any good, I will post them.

Steve,
Do you have anymore info on this since he may be from up in your neck of the woods sorta speaking?
 
Yeah, some of the comments are pretty good. I just added my 2c as "New PPL ASEL". Comment #101.
 
Steve,
Do you have anymore info on this since he may be from up in your neck of the woods sorta speaking?

nope, I've not heard anything else. I didn't even know about it until somebody mentioned it at work this morning.

I'll watch the local news and see if they mention it...
 
I wonder if the subject of this thread and the subject of "Short Final" are related?

[FONT=arial,helvetica,geneva]Short Final[/FONT]

Piper 123: “They keep extending my route. If they keep extending my route I’m going to be low on fuel. Why can’t I go direct?”

Potomac Approach:: “Piper One Two Three, unable direct. Direc twill take you over P-40. Proceed direct Hagerstown, Victor 501, Martinsburg, then as previously cleared.”

Piper 123: “But if they didn’t keep extending me I wouldn’t get low on fuel.”

Approach:: “Piper One Two Three, if you feel you are low on fuel I advise you to stop somewhere and get fuel.”

After two more exchanges:

Approach:: “Piper One Two Three, I’m not doing this to you. You cannot fly over P-40. Are you familiar with P-40? It’s Camp David.”

Piper 123: “I know about Camp David, but I didn’t see any TFRs. This is making me get low on fuel.”

Approach:: “Piper One Two Three, if you fly over P-40 you’re not going to be worried
about fuel.”
 
Kenny,
im excited for when you start instructing. you will learn alot about the completely bizzare reactions and rationalizations that people make when they are overloaded and stressed.

While I was doing my commercial dual x-ctry with my back-up CFI, he says to me, "Kaye, I like flying with you." I asked why? He calmly says, "You're not trying to kill me."
 
Kenny,
im excited for when you start instructing. you will learn alot about the completely bizzare reactions and rationalizations that people make when they are overloaded and stressed.

Ain't that the truth!!

What's the most common question an instructor asks a student? "Where the hell did THAT come from?"

Students who otherwise have demonstrated good judgment and adequate command of the aircraft can do the most surprising things...

Maybe that's the basis for a new thread.
 
Maybe that's the basis for a new thread.

yes i think it would be. ive found that all the stuff that i thought was BS about the instructor being a 'practical psychologist' is very very true. i find it quite entertaining to watch most of the time.
 
While I was doing my commercial dual x-ctry with my back-up CFI, he says to me, "Kaye, I like flying with you." I asked why? He calmly says, "You're not trying to kill me."

yes that is a very comforting feeling to fly with a student that can actually fly.
 
It said he was 69 yrs old. That's just too old to be flying. Old people
should stay in the rocking chair.
 
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