steingar
Taxi to Parking
Took the Free Bird up to Ft. Wayne yesterday to see an old friend. Lots of airplanes out, and very welcome to see. I haven't seen this much activity in years.
That said, I there are lots of rusty pilots out there, my buddy included. I sent him up for three take-offs and landings for currency, from which he came back breathless with excitement from other aircraft behaving inappropriately. From what I could gather the controller on duty wasn't quite up to the challenge either.
I had him take the flight to SMD, during which the common frequency was just full of chatter. Again, hadn't heard that in an age. We started to follow a NORDO aircraft into Smith field (making appropriate radio calls) when the fellow turned around and started back-taxing on the runway (I usually go to the run off area at the end, turn around, and look for traffic before back taxing, silly me). Went around and finally landed, and had a nice visit with my old pal. Best quote, when told we referred to his spouse as Jabba the wife, he got visibly upset, said that was a horrible insult, and we shouldn't say such bad things about the hut. He is obviously in a very unhappy marriage.
We took off between two other aircraft doing pattern work at Smith. Back at the home field, I initiated a left downwind (the tower having closed some time before) until I heard a helicopter on right downwind. I went ahead and did a quick 360 to keep out of his way, then reinitiated my downwind, making calls the whole time. Turning base, I heard an aircraft call a two mile final (as his first call) and saw him a few miles back. I don't mind anyone doing a straight in approach, but a few radio calls when someone is in the pattern seems like a damn good idea.
I was closer and lower, so I continued my landing, which went fine. The other guy went around and landed, and a guy came in after him. I honestly haven't seen this much traffic in years. And it sounds like a lot of guys are pretty damn rusty. Be careful out there.
That said, I there are lots of rusty pilots out there, my buddy included. I sent him up for three take-offs and landings for currency, from which he came back breathless with excitement from other aircraft behaving inappropriately. From what I could gather the controller on duty wasn't quite up to the challenge either.
I had him take the flight to SMD, during which the common frequency was just full of chatter. Again, hadn't heard that in an age. We started to follow a NORDO aircraft into Smith field (making appropriate radio calls) when the fellow turned around and started back-taxing on the runway (I usually go to the run off area at the end, turn around, and look for traffic before back taxing, silly me). Went around and finally landed, and had a nice visit with my old pal. Best quote, when told we referred to his spouse as Jabba the wife, he got visibly upset, said that was a horrible insult, and we shouldn't say such bad things about the hut. He is obviously in a very unhappy marriage.
We took off between two other aircraft doing pattern work at Smith. Back at the home field, I initiated a left downwind (the tower having closed some time before) until I heard a helicopter on right downwind. I went ahead and did a quick 360 to keep out of his way, then reinitiated my downwind, making calls the whole time. Turning base, I heard an aircraft call a two mile final (as his first call) and saw him a few miles back. I don't mind anyone doing a straight in approach, but a few radio calls when someone is in the pattern seems like a damn good idea.
I was closer and lower, so I continued my landing, which went fine. The other guy went around and landed, and a guy came in after him. I honestly haven't seen this much traffic in years. And it sounds like a lot of guys are pretty damn rusty. Be careful out there.