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Don't be "That Guy"


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I have had several experiences of pilots (having already fueled their plane) proceed to block access to a self-serve pump to unload/load their plane and use "The facilities"...

Don't be "That Guy".

Move your plane after you fuel it to allow others arriving or departing to get access to the pumps.

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And don't taxi back to the hangar swinging the plane around in front of and facing away from the door!  Prop slipstream does a thorough job throwing dust all over the place inside the hangar!

Had a guy doing that with his Diamond right in front of community hangar believe it or not. He was so ignorant but thought he was cool trying to impress his female companion! Wasn't cool when he got a mouthful right in front of his girlfriend from someone who just had enough of his BS!

Edited by PTK
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Since we're on that note, today we were practicing landings at Princeton, NJ. One 172 was flying a pattern larger than a 747, and I would know because I have flown a smaller pattern in a 747. We did two 80-knot 360s on downwind waiting for them to complete their no-kidding 5 mile final at 60 knot landing.   This was after waiting until they were on crosswind to takeoff after them. 

The fun didn't end there. They would also brake like mad and miss the midfield turnoff, then release the brakes and taxi at 10 knots to the end to turn off.  That took two minutes.  All those airplanes going around because of that I don't think they even thought about. 

Edited by jetdriven
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And don't be the guy who shows people 5 minute videos of themselves flying straight and level when the topic of being a pilot comes up.  If it's not Mt Everest, a hurricane, air racing, or being chased through the grand canyon by aliens (who would have obviously had a more well funded space program than us) then the video is less interesting to other people than you think.

 

 

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And don't be the guy who shows people 5 minute videos of themselves flying straight and level when the topic of being a pilot comes up.  If it's not Mt Everest, a hurricane, air racing, or being chased through the grand canyon by aliens (who would have obviously had a more well funded space program than us) then the video is less interesting to other people than you think.

 

 

Almost as exciting as having friends over to show them videos of your baby being born?

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Since we're on that note, today we were practicing landings at Princeton, NJ. One 172 was flying a pattern larger than a 747, and I would know because I have flown a smaller pattern in a 747. We did two 80-knot 360s on downwind waiting for them to complete their no-kidding 5 mile final at 60 knot landing.   This was after waiting until they were on crosswind to takeoff after them. 

The fun didn't end there. They would also brake like mad and miss the midfield turnoff, then release the brakes and taxi at 10 knots to the end to turn off.  That took two minutes.  All those airplanes going around because of that I don't think they even thought about. 

One of my biggest peeves!  Super sizing patterns and flying a looooooooooooong final is rediculous. Really, don't be that guy!

 

Flying magazine or AOPA Pilot should print this thread as a list of things not to do!

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Airport misconduct is in the eye of the beholder.

Like VFR pattern entry, everyone has their idea of what is safe, what the "rules" are and how they were trained, what is proper.

We just have to "live and let live" as long as someone else's habits do not threaten our safety.

For anyone who has been a newbie, or had a first day at a new task, tolerance by others is greatly appreciated and will garner respect.

I wonder how many potential aviation careers have been nipped in the bud by the self-appointed airdrome police.

Don't be that guy.

 

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Or... Don't be the guy doing practice touch and goes or  just doing "pattern work" at a busy uncontrolled airport like Jack Edwards on a holiday weekend when the pattern is crazy busy with holiday air traffic trying to get in or out. Drives me crazy. .

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And don't conduct a flight instruction debrief in the cockpit before fueling the trainer.

It's very much like the behavior at boat ramps.  Boating pilots will understand.

  KGAI on Friday. Blue and white 172. I'm sitting there idling just a plane length away while they talk maneuvers in the cockpit after fueling at the self serve. I can see the student making airplane motions with his hands. After 3 mins or so they started up and taxied away.

Edited by Shadrach
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That's why it is nice when you are at an airport thar uses one runway for IFR procedures and another for besting up the VFR pattern. USAF pilot training bases are much more efficient at those procedures. BTW, being able to come up initial and bleed energy in the turn allows extremely quick landings.

For GA flying, I try to not get too bent out of shape for we all were learning and messing up pattern ops and radio calls.

Sent from my Galaxy S5 via Tapatalk

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You know what I see as the common theme here? Everyone complains but nobody does anything about it. How many of you have actually informed these people of the inconvenience they are causing others? They may be honestly and beninely ignorant of their mistakes! Or maybe they really don't give a crap about anyone else.

I remember coming into an uncontrolled airport on downwind, flying a normal tight pattern, when a skyhawk (possibly skylane but who cares) cut me off in the pattern by jumping in on base. He announced base but I couldn't spot him anywhere I looked. Finally I saw him on base over 3 miles out. I resisted a strong temptation to just cut in on a 1 mile base and be on the ground in less than a minute. Instead I did the courteous thing and announced that I was on downwind, number two with cessna in sight. Once committed to going number two, I was already slowing way the heck down. Doing slow flight, S turns, you name it, I had to struggle not to run into the guy on final after being forced to fly a ginormous pattern. Then the Cessna lands long and taxis to the end of the runway. I landed and pulled off midfield. I expected to get to the pump before him cause he had to taxi all the way back but he must have gunned it cause he just managed to cut me off again at the taxiway intersection. Drove me nuts but I don't recall if I said anything.

It's the same as when you're in the left lane passing someone slow and then they jump into your lane ahead of you!

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Some people are rude soma are courteous being a pilot does not change that. In my short flying experience I have seen many examples of both. I just try to figure out what others are doing and adjust my own actions to make it safe and not make a contest out of it. For the record I have encountered way more courteous than rude. 

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Some parts of aviation courtesy are plain common sense, even for a newcomer like me- e.g. not blocking the fuel pump any longer than needed. Others may be a bit less intuitive - e.g. thinking about how your pattern might interfere with other people's operations, then communicating proactively on CTAF in a way that anticipates other people's needs and contributes to safety.  This is more subtle and requires a level of multitasking ability that takes time to develop - I'm definitely still progressing at it. Listening to the courteous subset of experienced pilots on the radio helps a lot. Theoretically one should pick up much of this from a CFI during primary training, but I certainly didn't- he was pretty much an self-important jerk about this stuff in retrospect.  It also didn't help that I did most of my training at a towered field.  

Based on above discussion, I'm going to be more careful where I turn on the ramp when near an open hangar.   If I can do anything else better if you see me out there, y'all please let me know...

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Ok, a positive twist. My airport has regular glider activities to the grass strip next to the paved runway. One day while flying back to the airport, I entered the downwind on a 45 and announce my position. I hear a glider release from the tow plane and then I hear the tow plane announce he is descending to a right base to the airport. I begin to slow anticipating us meeting on base. I announce my current position and hear nothing from the tow plane. I let him go ahead of me and fly an extended downwind. Just as I am turnings a long base, the glider he just released announces he is on downwind. I turn final and see that the tow plane is on the runway and he won't be able to clear in time for me to land and clear for the glider. So... I break off the final and begin climbing for an upwind leg. The glider turns a tight base and lands.

After I completed the second pattern, I land and go over to the fuel pumps for refueling. The tow plane comes over to the pumps and the pilot gets out. He walks up to me and apologizes for cutting in on the pattern. A few minutes later the glider pilot walks over and he too apologizes for the tow plane making me do a go around.

So, even though people pull a jerk move, doesn't mean they aren't apologetic for it...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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For anyone who has been a newbie, or had a first day at a new task, tolerance by others is greatly appreciated and will garner respect.

I wonder how many potential aviation careers have been nipped in the bud by the self-appointed airdrome police.

Don't be that guy.

 

I know nothing about your flying background, but those are the words of judgement, experience and an even keel.  You're probably somebody that's a pleasure to fly with.

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Which reminds me of another one: Don't fly a leisurely 10 mile straight in final on an IFR approach to an uncontrolled field in broad daylight CAVU VFR!

Kindly cancel IFR and properly enter the pattern in sequence.

Edited by PTK
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Which reminds me of another one: Don't fly a leisurely 10 mile straight in final on an IFR approach to an uncontrolled field in broad daylight CAVU VFR!

Kindly cancel IFR and properly enter the pattern in sequence.

if traffic is light or non existent, why?    And what is improper about a ten mile final 

Edited by jetdriven
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One of my most frequently flown routs has me flying a straight in as soon as I depart heading for home. As I get closer to home and start listening to home CTAF for any traffic If I don't hear any I start making position reports and announce my intention to fly a straight in. So I guess I am that guy. If there is any traffic in the area I announce that I will make for the 45 so I guess I'm not that guy.

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I was not refering to light or nonexistent traffic. Obviously when you have the runway all to yourself no problem.

I was referring to cases with traffic in the pattern. Say you have a few planes in the pattern and VFR conditions. The safe thing to do is cancel IFR and enter the pattern. Not barge straight in expecting all to move aside. Or worse show up unnannounced and cut somebody off who is turning final or on base. This has happened to me. Luckily I was still downwind about to turn base. I extended to give him room.

Midairs happen like this when somebody throws a wrench and doesn't do what others in the pattern normally would expect them to do.

http://flighttraining.aopa.org/pdfs/SA08_Nontowered_Airport_Ops.pdf

Edited by PTK
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You neither said that not implied that. Not everyone is a VFR private pilot in a single engine piston.  

 

"Which reminds me of another one: Don't fly a leisurely 10 mile straight in final on an IFR approach to an uncontrolled field in broad daylight CAVU VFR"

 
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