KDYR FBO does a good job

[TWinter]

So the Cessna 172 pilot and his wife fly into DYR this morning. No big deal. The pilot appeared to be  fairly newly minted, but a very confident pilot, one of those that might be slightly over-confident. He checks in with the FBO and ties the plane down. A few minutes later he and the wife get picked up by a car and leave the plane tied and parked. Again, no big deal.

 

At 1600 they return and have small talk with the FBO. The wife not too chatty, but the husband/pilot is very chatty. He has flown here and there etc..and done it well!

 

So the small talk is over and the pilot and wife head out to the plane. The lone FBO operator and another friend continue to chat in the office. A few minutes pass and the FBO and friend look out the window and the guy obviously done the worlds fastest pre-flight or none at all. He has already fired the Cessna up and getting ready to taxi. The FBO and friend notice the pilot did NOT take the tie-downs off the wings, the pilot starts to give more and more power as he still does not notice the ropes (mind you this is a high-wing...how the heck to you forget both tie-downs staring you in the face?). FBO runs out yelling and waiving arms to STOP!. Pilot powers down and he has the FBO take the tie-downs off. He never shuts the plane down..maybe too embarassed. The pilot gives the FBO thumbs up as thanks for removing the ropes and he taxis to depart.  

 

I was on a 10 mile final and got the full story when I landed...The FBO and friend were still amazed that he just kept appying the power to try to get the plane moving not realizing why he was not moving. He did not even shut down for the safety of the FBO while she removed the ropes. We all get in a hurry sometimes, but to miss all the tiedowns..come on, pay attention. Sometimes you just have to wonder what people are thinking. May have been a great pilot, but I'm sure this event will not be one he shares during hanger talk. He was headed north...I landed from the southeast..thank goodness. No chance of crossing flight paths.

 

Good job by the FBO at DYR..It was her first week on the job.

[Ned Gravel]

Ouch.

 

Endangered species there.

[carusoam]

I've seen that before. Newly owned C150 with a hired mechanic outside... Should have hired a flight instructor instead.

Best regards,

-a-

[N601RX]

I saw something similiar at the St. Andrews boat ramp a few years ago. Someone had a brand new Tocama and was trying to pull a 25 ft or so boat up the ramp. It would only move 4 or 5 inches and stop. He cursed the truck and said he should have kept the Chevy. He finally ask someone with a 1980 Ford Bronco if he would help tow the truck/boat up the ramp. A tow strap was attached and it still didn't move. He then asked the Bronco Driver to give him a Snatch. On the second snatch there was a horrible sound and the boat came up the ramp, minus the outdrive. He had forgot to trim the outprive up and it was catching on the end of the cement ramp.

The Tocoma transmission was ruined as well as the outdrive/transom of the boat. No he did not seem to be intoxicated.

[Seth]

Ouch.  That's quite a story about the boat. 

 

And I too agree, how do you miss a tie down on a CESSNA high wing.

 

I'm actually pretty paranoid about misisng tie downs and chocks.  I'll finish my pre-flight, get in the plane, get ready to fire up, second guess myself, and get back out of the plane even though I went through my preflight because I think I was distracted or may have forgotten to check one of the wheels.

 

One time - in July 2010, maybe the 8th or 9th at Rapid City Falls in South Dakota - I forgot to remove the nose chock.  I cranked, added power, it didn't move, I knew I had missed something, was about to power down when a member of the FBO ran over, put up his hand and signalled to me that he would pull the chock, I though about stopping the engine, but decided since he had already ducked under, to not change a thing.  He pulled out it, gave me the thumbs up, and I taxied out.  Only time I've ever forgotten a tie down/chock.  Still remember the airport, morning, everything.  It was early in the morning and I was rushing to get going as I had to be in Minneapolis by a certain time.  I guess this is part of the "Get-There-Itis" that Ihave fallen prey to in the past.  I've really worked hard to stop falling prey to "Get-There-Itis."

 

Anyone else have any stories of making a mistake like that with a tie down or chock? Maybe why you made the mistake so we can learn?  I've heard of the towbars attached during take off or tail ropes flying behind C-172s like banners.

 

-Seth

[N601RX]

I've always been worried about leaving the tow bar connected.  I have made a point about never laying it down when I pull the plane with it.  When I get the plane where I want it I remove the tow bar and go put it in the luggage compartment.

[Hank]

Yeah, I missed removing a chock once when I had been on the ground for ~30 minutes. Ran in the FBO for a pit stop and phone call, and waited while my buddy pre-flighted across the ramp. Since I had not chocked the plane, I didn't think to look for one when I went back to get in; I did check the leading edges and gave her a quick once-over, but didn't look for the [unpainted, wooden] chocks that a well-meaning FBO employee slid under while I was inside. Nobody does that at home, mostly because there is nobody to do it.

 

He did come out and pull the chocks while the engine was stopping. Meanwhile, a CFI and new student were getting in the 172 beside me . . .