Sometimes it pays not to insist on the right of way….

Fearless Tower

Fearless Tower

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Fearless Tower
Went up yesterday to do knock out my Flight Review in a Citabria. Near the end, just as I'm turning onto the downwind, a Cheyenne comes blasting in on a very wide downwind. We are lower and already in the traffic pattern, but Cheyenne driver keeps making announcements like he's going to try and beat us to the runway. CFI in the back points out that we have the right of way, but recognizes that the situation could get ugly, so he asks me what I want to do.

Not feeling like pushing things, I announce that I'm coming slightly left and slowing down to let Cheyenne guy land ahead of me.

The Cheyenne hits a turkey on the runway…..right through the left prop leaving three good carcass chunks about a third of the way down the runway.

Sometimes it is good not to be in a hurry…..
 
Wait until the lawsuit when he claims you shouldn't have let him in since you had the right of way, it's all your fault! :)
 
You're going to have to explain which regulation you thought gave you the right of way. Being lower or already in the pattern doesn't give you any rights. Lower applies only to final.
 
flyingron said:
You're going to have to explain which regulation you thought gave you the right of way. Being lower or already in the pattern doesn't give you any rights. Lower applies only to final.
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It's in the CFR Etiquette supplement.
 
flyingron said:
You're going to have to explain which regulation you thought gave you the right of way. Being lower or already in the pattern doesn't give you any rights. Lower applies only to final.
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I disagree. In the op it is described that both aircraft where in the downwind and the other craft was higher. I believe this applies.

When two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of landing, the aircraft at the lower altitude has the right-of-way
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Schadenfreude
 
Think it ALWAYS pays to not insist on right of way.

I can't think of a time I was like, man I should have gone first, but tons of times I was like, meh maybe I should wait for a second at the green light as some lizard driving a caddy blows through it, wait for a student pilot to land, or maybe not hold my tack in a small sailboat as some bud light gargling bay line goes plowing down the lake.
 
James331 said:
Think it ALWAYS pays to not insist on right of way.

I can't think of a time I was like, man I should have gone first, but tons of times I was like, meh maybe I should wait for a second at the green light as some lizard driving a caddy blows through it, wait for a student pilot to land, or maybe not hold my tack in a small sailboat as some bud light gargling bay line goes plowing down the lake.
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Agree.
 
James331 said:
Think it ALWAYS pays to not insist on right of way.

I can't think of a time I was like, man I should have gone first, but tons of times I was like, meh maybe I should wait for a second at the green light as some lizard driving a caddy blows through it, wait for a student pilot to land, or maybe not hold my tach in a small sailboat as some bud light gargling bay line goes plowing down the lake.
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Yeah, unless you are driving an old beater car or truck built like a tank, it is best to give way to an idiot even when you are in the right. In the air or in the water, giving way is always the best idea. Sort it out later when on solid ground if you must.
 
James331 said:
bud light gargling bay line goes plowing down the lake
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LOL. My dad would always insist we had right of way since we were sail, made for some hairy last minute gybes. I agree, I don't think I've ever really regretted not being first in these types of situations
 
flyingron said:
You're going to have to explain which regulation you thought gave you the right of way. Being lower or already in the pattern doesn't give you any rights. Lower applies only to final.
Click to expand...
91.113
(g)Landing. Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right-of-way over otheraircraft in flight or operating on the surface, except that they shall not take advantage of this rule to force an aircraft off the runway surface which has already landed and is attempting to make way for anaircraft on final approach. When two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of landing, the aircraft at the lower altitude has the right-of-way, but it shall not take advantage of this rule to cut in front of another which is on final approach to land or to overtake that aircraft.
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Fearless Tower said:
CPK. We get all kinds of crazy wildlife on the runway here: snakes, turkeys, deer, turtles, bears. You never know what is going to crawl out of the swamp.
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:yeahthat:, You can see all kinds of creatures on that runway. Glad it wasn't you @Fearless hunting for a early Turkey Day dinner...:rollercoaster:
 
Tantalum said:
LOL. My dad would always insist we had right of way since we were sail, made for some hairy last minute gybes. I agree, I don't think I've ever really regretted not being first in these types of situations
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The unwritten "Law of Gross Tonnage" applies, even when I'm under sail. If he's bigger than me, I stay out of his way. And some of the ships coming in the channel (I know, they have the right of way being a vessel constrained by its draft) are WAY bigger than my boat. Sure could have been an issue years ago sailing on San Francisco Bay. :)
 
When it comes to the water, sailboats only come in at number 5 on the 7 line priority list. They're only ahead of standard motor boats and seaplanes. There's a whole bunch of motor vessels that have right of way over a sailboat!
 
Ghery said:
The unwritten "Law of Gross Tonnage" applies, even when I'm under sail. If he's bigger than me, I stay out of his way. And some of the ships coming in the channel (I know, they have the right of way being a vessel constrained by its draft) are WAY bigger than my boat. Sure could have been an issue years ago sailing on San Francisco Bay. :)
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On the road, this is the rule of lug nuts-whoever has the most will likely win in a collision, regardless of right of way...
 
the second mouse gets the cheese...
or pre-carved thanksgiving dinner in this case.

plus you don't need to clean your bloody prop
 
I get that the "right of way" rules help keep people moving with some degree of coordination but, sometimes a little patience and situational awareness pays off.
 
Had the same situation a couple of years ago. Approaching home airport (extremely quiet) after I announce inbound the FBO indicates the FAA is there and I'm the winner of a ramp check after landing:confused::mad:

On base I get cut off NASTY by a Cirrus that is off frequency and have to do a go around. Come back around land and the Cirrus pilot cuts me off WALKING into the FBO (really rude guy). FAA guys asks which of us is the Tiger pilot, and I indicate that I am ... he then ramp checks the Cirrus guy instead:D

Had another rude pilot get his panties in a wad up in Ruidoso a couple of years ago regarding fuel and yelled at FBO guys to get his bird first ... I wasn't in a hurry, but was nearly connected to the fuel truck and told them go ahead and take care of Mr Personality first. He departs and 10 minutes later returns asking the fuel guy to roll the fire truck as he has smoke in the cockpit. He lands in CAVU about mid way down the runway, nose first, and folds the nose gear under (no injuries). The line guys told me a couple of weeks later Mr Personality spilled oil on his exhaust before take off. I still have the photo of his bird on the runway.

Being nice pays off ...:D
 
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