Pilot Egos

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Mtns2Skies

Final Approach
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Mtns2Skies
Well here goes nothing. Cleared into the track, Rant on.

Today I flew down to Greeley (GXY) Runways 17/35 and 10/28 to Beegles aviation to (successfully) trade my old bench seat for some pull handles for my C180. After doing so I decided to get some practice in and do some landings at Greeley while I was there. The winds are calm and a couple other aircraft are taxiing over to 35 for departure so I go ahead and join them.

I'm third in line for departure behind a 182RG with the last digits of the N# 57C, I would post the whole tail number if I knew it. The first aircraft a 152 using call sign "Commuter" which I had never heard before, just thought it was interesting, departed to the south. Then the 182RG departs and I do the same in the 180.

We've done a couple T&G's on this runway when I notice several ~3 or 4 aircraft in the runup pad for runway 28. After the first one departs I decide to accommodate the departing aircraft (I assumed the 182RG was going to follow suit) I announce that I'd be switching to left traffic for runway 28. 57C doesn't stop using runway 35 even as now two aircraft are in the pattern for the perpendicular runway. As I announce my next pattern 57C keys up on the radio in the most condescending voice you could possibly muster "You realize that runway 28 has right traffic and runway 35 is the DESIGNATED calm wind runway right?".

He was completely correct about 28 having right traffic, I adjusted accordingly without comment and responded, gritting my teeth because I know a fight over the radio isn't good "Right traffic for the Skywagon and yeah we were trying to accommodate departing traffic." and I figure MAYBE with another plane in the pattern and several about to depart he'd switch to runway 28. Nope.

Technically he's right 35 is the designated calm wind runway, but I'm going to be more concerned about safety and going with the flow of other aircraft than a stupid little line in the AFM. I decided to take my ball and go play elsewhere because the dude's ego was way too big to fly safely. I flew south and did a few landings at a dirt strip Easton (11v). After doing this I departed northbound back to my home field Cheyenne and overflew Greeley again tuning into CTAF. Now there were THREE other aircraft in the pattern for runway 28 and this douchenozzle STILL on runway 35 convinced he's right.

I don't care that he was correct, he had way too big of an ego to fly safely. Even though he was an ass I corrected my incorrect pattern, but I was NOT about to fly an intersecting pattern with other aircraft. A calm wind runway is advisory not mandatory and he created a VERY unsafe condition.
 
He must be a superior pilot,or he thinks he is. Some people,it’s all about them.
 
This rant has some passion but fails to convince the casual reader of the serious nature of not just intersecting patterns but for all practical purposes intersecting runways. While the runways don’t quite touch, landing traffic to each will potentially conflict at low altitude. Add in the fact the ranter was non-compliant with the ANG demanded right traffic and we have a ranting mess. At best this rant can only be given only two out of ten. Perhaps the ranter can beg the listless Sac to mentor their rant game to acceptable levels.
 
X3 Skier said:
Seems like a good idea to review the aircraft gun thread for some suggestions:rolleyes:

Cheers
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Okay... not trying to be a fuddy-duddy, but I think this is an asinine comment.
Plus this type of talk does not help the pro gun cause.
 
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Don’t worry about it. Can’t control the other guy. If that’s the worst that happened to you, you still had a great day in your awesome new plane.

If it was bad enough or illegal enough, you could have *maybe* done something more about it. Wonder what the other guys in the pattern thought. Would’ve been interesting to land and stick around for some hangar chat and see what they say about one another. Local field soap opera crap I’m sure.
 
It’s unfortunate that certain pilots have to act that way. I’ve encountered more than a few, both on the ground and in the air that have given me condescending attitudes, mainly due to the fact of being a younger kid on the playground.

These are the guy’s you have to watch out for. A cocky demeanor calls for a swift kick you know where. Best to do as you did and get away! You made the right call. :thumbsup:
 
Have run into that same stupidity at GXY. Don’t know why, but that place loves to have half the airplanes making laps on 28, and everyone else shooting instrument approaches to landings on 35.

Part of it is nobody wants to taxi from the far end of 35 to the terminal for lunch, but there’s something else that causes it there.

Of course 35 didn’t exist or wasn’t usable back in the day... that concrete monster was added and I have no idea why, but someone got some serious coin for pouring that thing. :)

Anyway. Yeah. GXY gets stupid.

Also as a warning unless they’ve gotten over their “terrorism” security stupidity. Don’t plan GXY for an after hours departure after flying in during the day. They will NOT give you a gate code and they’ll tell you that you have to call a number and wait for an on call counter/desk person to come open the doors and let you walk to your plane. And they’ll charge you $35 or something like that for the privilege.

I’ve got family up there we used to fly up for afternoon stuff and dinner with. Now if we do that we tell them to drive over to FNL. I won’t give money to GXY while they have that policy.

The gate has a code reader too.

I hear there’s new management up there. Maybe they’d listen if I flew up and chatted with them about how dumb that pay to get to your airplane policy is. I’ll happily buy gas. But don’t lock me off the ramp and make me pay $35 for someone to punch a code. Dumb dumb dumb.
 
Kritchlow said:
Okay... not trying to be a fuddy-duddy, but I think this is an asinine comment.
Plus this type of talk does not help the pro gun cause.
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You mean pro freedom and pro America?
 
denverpilot said:
Now if we do that we tell them to drive over to FNL. I won’t give money to GXY while they have that policy.
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FNL gets stupid too. Well atleast people usually go the correct direction but the sheer amount of traffic that ends up there makes it a bit hairy at times. It'll be nice when it has the tower.
 
midwestpa24 said:
So with two aircraft using 35, several other pilots chose to use the intersecting runway and conflict with the aircraft already in the pattern. I see more than one ego at play here.
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midwestpa24 said:
So with two aircraft using 35, several other pilots chose to use the intersecting runway and conflict with the aircraft already in the pattern. I see more than one ego at play here.
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Regardless of who was right I defaulted to what I felt was the safest course of action. The aforementioned pilot did not, because he had to be "right". As far as planes taxiing to 28, well it's like lemmings, after one does it they all follow.
 
The dude probably lives under where the left traffic WOULD be. That would explain his sore rear about it
 
So you are the one showing an attitude of righteous indignation but he is the one with the ego because he pointed out that you and possibly the others there were wrong? As Mom used to say if everyone was jumping off the bridge would you jump too?
 
TheGolfPilot said:
The dude probably lives under where the left traffic WOULD be. That would explain his sore rear about it
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It’s a little weird. Not many/nobody lives under the left pattern. Colorado ANG has a facility under the left pattern and they don’t want overflights. The AF/D used to specifically say to avoid flying over the ANG buildings. Dunno if it still does. Also dunno if the long runway was added to support ANG. I think the long runway was a dream about commercial service.

Security protests aside GXY is a nice airport that wants to someday grow up and have a tower.
 
Sometimes pilots who are doing things wrong need a good verbal kick in the pants every now and then. Ego? Don't think so. Annoyed because pilots aren't following the procedures? Probably.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Sometimes pilots who are doing things wrong need a good verbal kick in the pants every now and then. Ego? Don't think so. Annoyed because pilots aren't following the procedures? Probably.
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Agreed... A couple of weekends ago I followed others even though I knew it was going to be a tailwind landing... Cost me a go-around... so its not always a good idea to follow the sheep to the slaughterhouse... That said, with others nearby, sharing the airspace, is not the time to assert your being right... get in the flow, or land and wait until things get more sane...
 
steingar said:
I try not to do repeated patterns at busy airports. Lots of airports where I live.
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Folks usually cooperate at GXY and FNL. Every now and then ya get someone who knows better than the rest.

EIK used to get interesting when the LSA club was there. They were teaching 747 patterns in 65 kt pattern aircraft. That sorta sucked.

LMO was usually good for t-n-gs even with the jumper-dumper operating but every now and then one of their home-built ya-hoos would decide to do things their own way. Opposite traffic landing and entering the pattern from above were prolly the most common sins.

BDU has water strategically located all around that makes things interesting with downdrafts. Early in the morning it isn’t bad but pacifistic peaceloving Boulderites are known to complain about the noise from an airport that has been there forever.

That about wraps up the public airports north of Denver. I’ve skipped one on the northeast side. With a 40’ wide north-south runway it isn’t real popular. It does have cheap gas usually. Then there is Easton which Austin already mentioned. It’s never busy except for crop dusters.

There are a couple or three private airport communities. One has its very own notch in the DEN surface area. I went in there on a VAC flight. Another one is northeast of EIK and is good for emergency landing training. Ya don’t actually land but if there was a problem bringing power back up it would be available. Of course all the farm fields in the area are nice and flat and many have irrigation ditches and trenches which would be happy to take the gear off. Also lots of McMansion clusters around as farmers cashout to the developers.
 
This is one reason I really dislike busy uncontrolled fields. I'd say you handled things well. You don't like the food, eat somewhere else.

Interesting N-number enquiry. I wonder if it was a CFI...
 
DFH65 said:
So you are the one showing an attitude of righteous indignation but he is the one with the ego because he pointed out that you and possibly the others there were wrong? As Mom used to say if everyone was jumping off the bridge would you jump too?
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That's it. Accommodating other traffic is righteous indignation :rolleyes:

The traffic pattern isn't really the best place to make your stand on proper procedure.
 
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In and very nearby my little one horse town there are 9 airports of various stripes, with lots more located just outside. It has never been big deal to find one that hasn't lots of traffic.
 
steingar said:
In and very nearby my little one horse town there are 9 airports of various stripes, with lots more located just outside. It has never been big deal to find one that hasn't lots of traffic.
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Unfortunately CO's front range is pretty saturated as @Clark1961 alluded to. On a nice flying day it really is pretty hard to find an empty airport nearby.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Unfortunately CO's front range is pretty saturated as @Clark1961 alluded to. On a nice flying day it really is pretty hard to find an empty airport nearby.
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There are a couple of strips east of CYS that are rather sleepy to say the least. And a bit further is a 'grass' strip at the state park. The 'grass' is prolly only green for a few minutes in the spring and the ground is prolly harder than concrete by mid-July...
 
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