Three strike rule

[TangoWhiskey]

Three strikes, I'm out?

Have tried to fly three times this week (for currency). First time, got a > 200 drop on the L mag, couldn't get it to clear with leaning, took the plane back. Two days later, went out and had the audio panel problem (at an airport busy enough where I want radios working).

Rescheduled for o-dark-thirty this morning--figured I might as well get my night currency reset at the same time, and not interfere with work, plus it's FINALLY comfortable temps here in Texas!

So I got up at 4:15, and went to the airport... here's what I found:

A little frustrated that they left me with nearly empty tanks, as now I need to stop and fuel up before heading over to nearby Alliance airport (trying to get my 3 stop and goes in before 6:08 AM, 1 hour before sunrise, and it's 5:30 now).

Go over and ground the airplane:

Go to select '100LL, 40 gallons', and find this:

Which caused me to then notice this new sign that wasn't there last month:

Considered (briefly) flying over to Alliance (5 minutes, tops) and getting fuel there, but I know their FBO doesn't open til 6am... so had to scrub my third flight this week.

Just venting! Can't believe the FBO stages the plane in a locked hangar and gives me the code so I can do a before-they-open flight, but puts it in there with nearly empty tanks...

 

[denverpilot]

You are sounding more and more like a ready-to-go candidate for aircraft ownership.

It's this kind of BS and people beating up the rental aircraft that eventually drive one to do it. Just like rental cars...

 

[ScottM]

You are sounding more and more like a ready-to-go candidate for aircraft ownership.

It's this kind of BS and people beating up the rental aircraft that eventually drive one to do it. Just like rental cars...

Exactly. It was stuff like what the OP experienced that made me go out and buy a plane.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

It's exactly why I'm building one!

Correction: building TWO.

 

[ScottM]

It's exactly why I'm building one!

An RV???

Just wondering if you are practicing overhead breaks if you are?

 

[TangoWhiskey]

An RV???

Just wondering if you are practicing overhead breaks if you are?

I'd started an RV-7, then sold the empennage after I got it done. Want more of a building experience than just "mate, drill, debur, prime, assemble."

Now I'm scratch-building a metal airplane and a wood airplane.

One of these:

And one of these (yes, with a radial engine):

 

[AggieMike88]

Somehow I get the sense you're trying to out do many of us on the fun quotient.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Somehow I get the sense you're trying to out do many of us on the fun quotient.

I want to have a couple of fun airplanes when I retire and have that ranch house and hangar on a grass strip somewhere...

 

[dell30rb]

I want to have a couple of fun airplanes when I retire and have that ranch house and hangar on a grass strip somewhere...

Hey me too! What a coincidence!

 

[steingar]

I've never "had" to do flights for currency. You own an airplane, you fly constantly. You have to.

 

[wsuffa]

An RV???

Just wondering if you are practicing overhead breaks if you are?

I was considering an RV (in my spare time, of course) 'till I read the thread about how bad the drivers are, and decided I didn't want to be lumped in.

 

[BillTIZ]

Did they ever say why the self service pumps have time limits and are not operational 24 hours a day?

Did they NOTAM the fuel operations limitation? (and you missed it n the NOTAM check?)
If I was planning on them for a late X-C fuel stop, I would have been more than ****ed at the FBO/Airport Manager.

Time to have a heart to heart with the flight school owner.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Did they ever say why the self service pumps have time limits and are not operational 24 hours a day?

Did they NOTAM the fuel operations limitation? (and you missed it n the NOTAM check?)
If I was planning on them for a late X-C fuel stop, I would have been more than ****ed at the FBO/Airport Manager.

Time to have a heart to heart with the flight school owner.

I did check NOTAMS and did a full CSC DUATS briefing. No notations except for a NOTAM barring banner tow ops from 52F unless prior permission was obtained. Not sure why the restriction was put in place, though I know the hours specified correspond to the fuel lady's office hours.

The fuel operation is not associated with the FBO, though I am very surprised I was not contacted with either an apology/explanation nor to reschedule... Despite both an email with the same pictures shown above and a written comment on the dispatch form in the plane.

This is out of character with my typical experience at this particular FBO, though I have noticed a decreasing level of communication effectiveness as of late.