Airside common sense

[Tone]

Had a spendid day at the WAC at Silverstone on Saturday - absolutely brilliant, stomach churning flying.
There were dozens of aircraft there, must have been many hundreds of movements over the week and all mixed in with lots of ticket holding visitors wandering about airside. Talking to some of these people it was very evident that many of them were not regular visitors to airfields but they were there simply to enjoy themselves. No accidents that I heard of - and not a single Hi-Vis jacket in sight.
If they can do it at Silverstone why can't the gormless nupmties who run our small airfields do the same?
T

[Ryan5252]

Went flying last weekend. We done a short cross country hop to a nearby airfield. We landed fine, parked up and went away for a coffee, de-brief and to plan the return leg. All set up and refreshed we made our way back airside and were requested to show photo ID. Fortunately, I happened to be carrying my wallet and was able to present my driving licence. A quick glance followed by a 'OK' from this alleged 'security' guard and we made our way back to spamcan to depart. It got me wondering; other than establishing that I was in fact 'me' and I do indeed hold a valid UK driving licence what this had to do with airport security is beyond me!! I didn't let it bother me as I am generally quite a relaxed individual. But come one, seriously? It should also be worth noting that this is a small airport (if you could call it an airport), there is indeed a runway, an apron, some parking, a few hangars, control tower, coffee shop and pilots lounge. It is not a port of entry and does not handle commercial flights.

[Dit]

Firstly apologies for wander in, airline pilot here, not a private flyer.

Airside commen sense is sadly missing at my base, I need a high vis to walk 20 yards from one door to another, although airside is seperated from the apron a massive bus stop area that passengers use (without a high vis on...)

I also can't walk down any of the airside painted pedestrian walkways without a high vis on, despite the fact that passengers (who spend a lot less time around aircraft than myself) can.

Enough to drive you nuts, ah well, at least its not Cagliari, where there is a €2000 fine for being caught airside without a high vis on!

My advice is not to shout about it, you'll only attract unwanted attention!

[SNS3Guppy]

Most of the world manages to get around on the airfield without a high-visibility vest or jacket on, too.

Then again, I doubt there's any question that it enhances safety...is is enhancing safety a bad thing?

[flybymike]

I don't taxi my aeroplane into people even if I don't like the dull non reflective non flammable clothing they are wearing.

[n5296s]

I don't taxi my aeroplane into people even if I don't like the dull non reflective non flammable clothing they are wearing.
It's this kind of attitude that has taken all the fun out of flying... nothing like chasing pedestrians round the airport trying to turn them into hamburger with the propeller. With a cooperative tower to tell you the best place to find them, it really makes a $100 hamburger a much more satisfying experience. Unfortunately here in a land where common sense seems to have a stronger hold on reality than in my native shores, they're hard to spot because they don't wear hi-viz jackets.

(Just kidding, before some elf & safety n*z* gets too wound up and reports me to someone).

[SNS3Guppy]

Unfortunately here in a land where common sense seems to have a stronger hold on reality than in my native shores, they're hard to spot because they don't wear hi-viz jackets.


That's why we have concealed weapon permits, and in most western states, can be issued a hunting license for Californians, with a 10 bag limit.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<If they can do it at Silverstone why can't the gormless nupmties who run our small airfields do the same?>>

Popham is a brilliant place, with first class marshallers during fly-ins, where people can enjoy the aeroplanes.

[Jumbo Driver]

I agree, Popham is very good at handling both leg-borne visitors and aircraft - even the odd shorts-clad motorcyclist with side-car, rushing about, rounding up any delinquents ... :ok:

It is at events like this, where only the marshallers wear high-vis (so you can pick them out against the crowd when you are taxying), that common-sense shows how it both should and can be done.


JD
:)

[ChampChump]

I think each fly-in attended this year has been at that same gold standard: only the marshallers in high-vis, access to all, and the sort of air/ground radio that allows pilots to, in effect*, talk to each other. Result - happiness.

* Please note that qualifier. Without all the heavy ATC, there's time for pilots to announce their position, succinctly, which is about all it needs. I'm not suggesting the radio on the ground is redundant, but when things are busy it's the pilots who will sort themselves out.

:ok:

[Escapade-UL260i]

A couple of freinds of mine recently flew into a well known airfield, parked up and walked to the booking in area crossing the airfield and over the live apron, but had fogotten to don the awfull hi viz jacket that they left in the aircraft.

When they asked where to book in they were ignored repeatedly until some one said you do not have a hi Viz on and will not be atended to until you do. They said they had left them in the aircraft, and were promptly told to go back and get them.

This meant they had to walk back over the live apron and airfiled to their aircraft ( highly dangerouse as they were obviously invisible :rolleyes: ) put the Jackets on and walk back. Theye were then politly attended to straight away as if nothing had happened.

Crazy, as they would have had to walk back to the aircraft any way to leave so why not just a reminder and a smile instead of the rudness and having to make them walk the walk 4 times.

Mark ( who has a Grey jacket with Hi Viz emblasoned on the back and left chest in Red Writing :ugh:)