Aztec Driver
Line Up and Wait
Even for the little things, like after landing items.
It really IS important to turn off the electric fuel pumps before shutdown. Because on a fuel injected engine, if you turn on the master, in the time it takes to hear that the pumps are still on, and you shut them off, you have flooded the engines and it will be darn near impossible to start in under a half an hour, even with ground power assist.
And there is very little more embarrassing to the pilot, and very little more disconcerting to the passengers, than an engine that won't start because it is flooded.
I spooked the passengers so bad that when I taxiied up to within 30 feet of the hold short line for the runway in use, they both screamed that an airplane was coming right at us from the sky. Of course, it landed safely on the runway, just like it is supposed to do.
Every landing that day was smooth as silk, except, of course, the one where I had the passengers. No, that one I had to come in fast, flare, and balloon up and drop down with a thud. More of an arrival than a landing. But we can use the plane again.
This passenger must be a jinx. I have flown him 3 times, and all 3 times, something has not gone well.
There are some days I really enjoy being a charter pilot. Unfortunately, they seem to be few and far between.
It really IS important to turn off the electric fuel pumps before shutdown. Because on a fuel injected engine, if you turn on the master, in the time it takes to hear that the pumps are still on, and you shut them off, you have flooded the engines and it will be darn near impossible to start in under a half an hour, even with ground power assist.
And there is very little more embarrassing to the pilot, and very little more disconcerting to the passengers, than an engine that won't start because it is flooded.
I spooked the passengers so bad that when I taxiied up to within 30 feet of the hold short line for the runway in use, they both screamed that an airplane was coming right at us from the sky. Of course, it landed safely on the runway, just like it is supposed to do.
Every landing that day was smooth as silk, except, of course, the one where I had the passengers. No, that one I had to come in fast, flare, and balloon up and drop down with a thud. More of an arrival than a landing. But we can use the plane again.
This passenger must be a jinx. I have flown him 3 times, and all 3 times, something has not gone well.
There are some days I really enjoy being a charter pilot. Unfortunately, they seem to be few and far between.