What was your most embarassing moment in Aviation?

RotaryWingBob said:
Ahhh, Ken. That's why what you refer to the dark side, isn't!

Too high, too fast, too low, too slow, no biggie, ya can still land that sucker :D
Click to expand...
Your ship stays together by the grace of God with all those moving parts and that funny-looking propeller over your head. I can just glide if my propeller stops turning. :)
 
RotaryWingBob said:
Ahhh, Ken. That's why what you refer to the dark side, isn't!

Too high, too fast, too low, too slow, no biggie, ya can still land that sucker :D
Click to expand...

Yes but with that intermittant stall warning horn (Gear warning) you won't be taking off again anytime soon;)
 
but you can slide to such a nice, firm stop!!


beep...beep...beep...

"what's that noise?"

...scraping sounds...

"... dammit..."
 
Tom's post makes me think of another embarrassing moment.

I'm a new student pilot with maybe 3 hours under my belt. We're taking off from KASH, to head out to the practice area. Marker beacon is set to audio. We rotate, climb to about 100-200 ft....then

"bepbepbepbepbepbepbepberpbepb" inner marker goes off. I nearly had a flipping heart attack. I had no idea what it was, but it sounded like a freaking master alarm from Apollo 13. lol. I think I see why there are not many inner markers.
 
RMCN172RG said:
Yes but with that intermittant stall warning horn (Gear warning) you won't be taking off again anytime soon;)
Click to expand...

I like to pull Ken's chain as much as he likes to pull mine. I don't have a stall horn much less an intermittent one -- if the skids fall off, a warning wouldn't help much :D

Of course, my landing checklist is so simple that it's not even printed in the POH. It consists of exactly nothing (as in nada) -- ya just come in and land :yes:
 
Bob, if they just weren't so damned expensive to rent, own or operate... :)


My favorite "one-liner wisdom"...

"don't take the helicopter intro lesson at the airport!"
 
yea nick, i need to add "Marker Beacons - OFF" to the post IFR flight checklist. that scares the **** out of a lot of primary students.
 
etsisk said:
Bob, if they just weren't so damned expensive to rent, own or operate... :)


My favorite "one-liner wisdom"...

"don't take the helicopter intro lesson at the airport!"
Click to expand...

Well, there is that, Tom. Tell you what, though. When we owned our R22 (5 way partnership, 3 of us got our initial ratings in that ship), we charged ourselves $70/hr wet at the beginning, and $100/hr as the ship got older and needed more maintenance. That was enough to cover everything.

It's also true that we bought it with something like 350 TT on it for 155K and sold it with more than 1200 TT for 148K. So I don't figure it was all that expensive.

The R44 costs more to operate (about twice as much) and the insurance is a bunch more since it's worth about 3 times as much. Still, I don't know that it's all that much more expensive to operate than a new 182, for example, would be.

Rotors rule!
 
etsisk said:
My favorite "one-liner wisdom"...

"don't take the helicopter intro lesson at the airport!"
Click to expand...
No kidding. BTDT. What I have to show for it is an extra line on my certificate and on my resume which definitely raises some eyebrows. It was a lot of fun though, and something I needed to do at the time.

Speaking of embarrassing, me trying to go out an fly a helicopter today would fit into that category. :redface:
 
Well, after spending a lot of time on VATSIM and in the motion sims in one week, I went up in a Cessna N14205 and answered about 5 calls from Potomac and Harrisburg as "COA863" enroute to Lancaster.
 
TMetzinger said:
Well, after spending a lot of time on VATSIM and in the motion sims in one week, I went up in a Cessna N14205 and answered about 5 calls from Potomac and Harrisburg as "COA863" enroute to Lancaster.
Click to expand...

You mean you're not the only one?

Probably my most embarrassing moment was in Martha's Vineyard last August. On a night dual XC, we landed, hand a quick cup of coffee, and got going around 10pm. My CFI and I completely forgot 10 minutes earlier, the line guy chocked our nosewheel so of course we both plopped in, started the engine and had one of those "Are you holding the brakes?" conversations. Was funny nonetheless.
 
OOOH, one more, not radio related. My CFI and I sitting in an Archer, trying to get to start one cold night It would turn over but not fire. we were very careful to observe the duty cycle on the starter, and after about 30 minutes of trying, we called for external power, and started over. So we run the start checklist again for external power, and discover the magnetos turned off on the overhead panel. Amazing how quick it fired up with them on. The CFI and I looked at each other and cracked up.
 
KennyFlys said:
Your ship stays together by the grace of God with all those moving parts and that funny-looking propeller over your head. I can just glide if my propeller stops turning. :)
Click to expand...

Yeah... Imagine trying to do the fixed-wing equivalent of an autorotation: Your engine fails, so you point the noise straight at the ground to keep the prop turning, pulling up at the absolute last possible second to keep from becoming a pancake in a smoking hole. :hairraise:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Yeah... Imagine trying to do the fixed-wing equivalent of an autorotation: Your engine fails, so you point the noise straight at the ground to keep the prop turning, pulling up at the absolute last possible second to keep from becoming a pancake in a smoking hole. :hairraise:
Click to expand...
If his rotor seizes and won't turn during autorotation... :eek:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Yeah... Imagine trying to do the fixed-wing equivalent of an autorotation: Your engine fails, so you point the noise straight at the ground to keep the prop turning, pulling up at the absolute last possible second to keep from becoming a pancake in a smoking hole. :hairraise:
Click to expand...

Sounds good but it's not even close to the idea of an auto. Tell you what. I can do an auto into a very, very small area. 100' is easy. Can you glide into a small spot like that. I don't think so :D
 
KennyFlys said:
If his rotor seizes and won't turn during autorotation... :eek:
Click to expand...

Google sprag clutch, Ken. They may fail, but I've never heard of it happening :no:

Of course, consider this too. Engine failure over forest. Do you want to glide into the trees or settle down gently at zero airspeed. I know which I'd rather do :D

Rotors rule! Fixed-wings drool!
 
Just got back from a very nice flight to Mansfield, OH (KMFD) for dinner. Jumped in to come home, started running the engine start checklist, then remembered this thread and the chocks still under the nose wheel. Near disaster: averted.

I also have a tendency to not turn the volume on the radio up far enough. I was trying to call Mansfield Ground for 2 or 3 minutes before I figured out what was up. A year or so ago, I'm sure Cleveland Approach was none too happy with my repeated calls for flight following.
 
My most embarrassing moment was in the Minneapolis class bravo shortly after getting my private. Departure assigned me a new squawk code and I read it back. I went to set it in the transponder and had forgotten it already. I asked again, read it back, and forgot again. I asked, read it back correctly, and forgot it again 4 times in a row. I was distracted by other things and finally gave it the attention it needed and apologized to the controller.
 
Gosh, there are so many I don't even know where to start, nevertheless decide which one was the worse. :redface:
 
My final student requirement, long cross-country into Quad Cities, the tower was very helpful and encouraging and told me to expect rway 13 and I proceeded to set up and the tower must have said to me something like "report on downwind" so I called in and the controller said to me, "uh, you're set up for rway 9 but go ahead and land there anyway." Felt like a total dumb a**. Thankfully it was a quiet day in the heartland. After I took off the tower asked me if I wanted flight following ..... I'm sure they thought I needed all the help I could get!
Elizabeth
 
bluesky74656 said:
Just got back from a very nice flight to Mansfield, OH (KMFD) for dinner. Jumped in to come home, started running the engine start checklist, then remembered this thread and the chocks still under the nose wheel. Near disaster: averted.

I also have a tendency to not turn the volume on the radio up far enough. I was trying to call Mansfield Ground for 2 or 3 minutes before I figured out what was up. A year or so ago, I'm sure Cleveland Approach was none too happy with my repeated calls for flight following.
Click to expand...

I've done that, too. That's why I'm now in the habit of pulling the volume control out to open the squelch and set the volume before calling ground or anyone else.
 
Yeah Joe your right I do need to fess up hmmmm lets see I think the most embarrassing two were both on the same flight. It was my first solo XC in my PPL training. The flight was from KPNE ( north east philly) to KWWD (wildwood NJ) I plotted a track to the east up the Rancocas River to get out under that Bravo then south to WWD using uncontrolled fields , railroads and time for pilotage. I was in an AA1C. As I got further south and things got more rural I got kind of discombobulated. I ended up over a large Airport and Immeidatly thought OH SHUCKS!! I busted ACYs Class C. So I start to circle and tune in ACY APP and said I think I'm in your Charlie. They gave me a squwak and told me to ident. They then told me I was just north of KMIV Milleville, no where near ACY and just slightly very slightly west of my intended track. They gave me a heading and told me to maintin VFR. I knew nothing of squwak codes except 1200 and the the 7500,7600 and 7700 codes so I thought maintain VFR mean squawk 1200 and change frequncy to something else and stop bothering us. I flipped back to 1200 and over to WWDs CTAF and flew to WWD came in hot landed three times in one landinng.

When I got back a CFI who is now a good friend told me ACY thought they lost me and keep calling me with no answer when I flipped to 1200 and changed freq. He knew because he was on an IR training flight to ACY and tuned in to ACY APP

Man did I feel like a smacked ass.

And yes it really was my pilot mentor who tried to taxi with the tail still tied down.
 
I think it was when I forgot to untie the tail tie down...no wait, the time I called up on the tower frequency for clearence...no no, it was definitely the time I forgot to pull the wheel chock...or maybe when I tried to taxi after runup with the brake on...

...ahhh nevermind.
 
About 4 weeks ago I stopped at the self serve pump to fill up 89S before putting her to bed. It wasn't until I cranked her after filling did I realize I never set the parking brake and she lurched forward. Did I mention the folks a couple hangers down were also waiting to fill up?

I was reminded about getting sloppy with holding the brakes during start up since the parking brake was repaired last year.:redface:
 
first flight with a passenger after getting my ppl. I took a friend up to 10C. managed one of the worst landings I have ever done (flared high, dropped a couple feet onto the runway). He still hasn't let me live that down...

and then there was my instrument check ride which was an utter embarrassment. Couldn't do a hold with the gps - it tells you exactly what to do! and I still botched it!
 
Re: What was your most embarrassing moment in Aviation?

It might have been the time I wrecked an airplane. That "embarrassing moment" went on for days. One of the guys at the airport started calling me "Crash"...it was my nickname for awhile.

The most significant lately was blowing out the bottom of the box in front of people the first time they ever saw me fly, in Kansas City, but I already mentioned that in my article. Seems like doing aerobatics provides ample opportunities for embarrassing moments.

And then there was the time I picked Chip up at Lamar and flew him back to the farm for a fly-in and bounced big-time in front of everyone and went around. He didn't say a word, but he DID kiss the ground when he got out of the Citabria. ;)

And then there was the time I was leading a flight of two into SGF for radio work for the second airplane that couldn't transmit, but could receive. I couldn't seem to find the runway and flew around the airport having a conversation with the guy in the tower who kept trying to help me and give me different runways to land on and he finally said..."OK, now you are lined up with Runway 14, why don't you just go ahead and land on that one". He was very patient. Meanwhile Tom and the other guy were following me all over the sky while I was trying to find the runway. :redface:

There's lots more.........
 
Oh, I didn't mention some of my radio work. Like asking Center if they saw the shooting star, thinking I was on an air-to-air freq taking to another plane flying with me.

Or (TWICE!), after listening to ATIS at the BIG airports around here, not turning up the volume in the COM1 and transmitting in the blind on ground, without thinking why it was so quiet. That one resulted in my departing the bigger one of them squawking 1200 instead of the code that they apparently gave me while I couldn't hear!:hairraise:
 
Hoping that this thread has run its course and nobody is reading it any more....

On my first flight in a Lear with the owner and his son in back it was my job to open the clamshell door once we stopped on the ramp. The bottom section stuck a bit. I was not not ready when it released, and I went flying out the door and landed pretty hard on the asphalt. After they all realized I wasn't hurt (other than pride), it was a pretty good laugh.
 
Gee, so many to choose from....

Early in my PPL training, practicing short-field takeoffs. At a towered airport, busy saturday afternoon, cleared for takeoff, responded appropriately, then talked with my instructor through the steps (flaps, brakes, power setting, etc) for a short field takeoff... not realizing I was still transmitting......

Another; early in the commercial training, I'm taxiing out with my instructor, we come to a point where we need to make a turn on the taxiway - my brain was obviously thinking, since we're on the ground, we can turn by turning the yoke like a steering wheel..... the instructor looks at me, asks with a laugh, "what the he!! was that?"; we laughed, but i don't think I've lived that one down fully yet...

And, after a long flight and a night landing, Grant and I land at one of the more remote airports so i can pick up the car, and drive it back to our home airport. Having taxied so well in the plane after my flying leg, I continue the excellence by deftly exiting the airport's parking lot in the car.... staying squarely on the yellow line all the way...
 
Lance F said:
Hoping that this thread has run its course and nobody is reading it any more....
Click to expand...
Fat chance. :D

Lance F said:
The bottom section stuck a bit. I was not not ready when it released, and I went flying out the door and landed pretty hard on the asphalt. After they all realized I wasn't hurt (other than pride), it was a pretty good laugh.
Click to expand...
:eek: OH, my. I'm not laughing! Well, I am, but only since you didn't get hurt. ;)
 
lprellwitz said:
Gee, so many to choose from....


And, after a long flight and a night landing, Grant and I land at one of the more remote airports so i can pick up the car, and drive it back to our home airport. Having taxied so well in the plane after my flying leg, I continue the excellence by deftly exiting the airport's parking lot in the car.... staying squarely on the yellow line all the way...
Click to expand...

I thought you were gonna say you tried to steer the car using the gas and break like rudder pedals. LOL

I'd like to see you explain that one to the cop.

Leslie: But officer I was just flying a long XC and ...

Cop: Mame please just blow into the tube.
 
ouch lance. the image of you flying to the ramp is sorta funny but dang im glad only your ego was hurt. i managed to whack myself with the latch on the bottom airstair door on the 421 last week and STILL have a huge bruise on my leg to prove it. At the time I wouldn't have been surprised if it started bleeding. These airplanes are dangerous and out to get us!
 
Lance F said:
Hoping that this thread has run its course and nobody is reading it any more....

On my first flight in a Lear with the owner and his son in back it was my job to open the clamshell door once we stopped on the ramp. The bottom section stuck a bit. I was not not ready when it released, and I went flying out the door and landed pretty hard on the asphalt. After they all realized I wasn't hurt (other than pride), it was a pretty good laugh.
Click to expand...


Lance, you are man of consummate dignity and good character.

As a result...


...that there is FUNNY!
 
Lance F said:
On my first flight in a Lear with the owner and his son in back it was my job to open the clamshell door once we stopped on the ramp. The bottom section stuck a bit. I was not not ready when it released, and I went flying out the door and landed pretty hard on the asphalt. After they all realized I wasn't hurt (other than pride), it was a pretty good laugh.
Click to expand...
Don't feel bad about that, I've seen it happen more than once, thankfully not to me. That's one of the first things we teach pilots new to the Lear, how to operate the door. While you're pulling on the cable and releasing the lever, make sure not to have your weight forward over the steps because the weight of the steps could pull you off your feet. I also brace myself on the bulkhead between the pilot's seat and the door.
 
Not too long after IR, I went to BWI to pick up my in-laws. Thunderstorms came in overheard right after they arrived, so we went to dinner to wait out the weather. It was fairly nasty for a while, so flights were pretty well stacking up.

Got loaded up, started up, and dialed the ATIS (which is over a vor freq). Then called to get my departure from clearance delivery. It was silent. I thought that was odd, as it should have been crazy. Tried several times. Made sure I had the right freq. Then, finally, realized that I had never turned Com1 back up after turning it down to hear the ATIS. God knows how many people in big iron I stepped on NOT hearing my clearance. I got the clearance then, delivered in a tone of voice that definitely said "get it right and get the h--- off my freq!". At that point, little skyhawk slinks down taxiway, and quietly departs, feeling VERY stupid...

My wife insists her best to date is more embarrasing though. Shooting practice approaches, goes to tell the little one in back she needs to be quiet, as we are on final, keys the mike, and says "Sweetheart..." Several pilot/controllers come on, with "is she calling me sweetheart, etc".

Jim G
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top