Hello everybody, here is an example of conduct that two Ex Training Captains witnessed today, whilst transiting from Elstree to Duxford, to attend an Airline Reunion of old Pilots.
My ex colleague invited me to take a ride with him in a Club PA38, rather than drive down the M25 and then M11, as the Reunion was to take place at Duxford. I was rather pleased as the Motorway was solid.
That said,the flight along the still active Olympics corridor was quite interesting, especially as the Events have now ceased. We duly arrived at Duxford to be told to join downwind left for 24, which we did, we were number 2 on finals, and soon became number one.
At approximately 500 feet, so on short finals, Harvard 'PB called that he was entering the runway ready for take off, and was so cleared as the ATC is advisory only!!
Instead of departing he sat on the end of the runway not making any further RT calls and remained there forcing us to make a go around! This may be acceptable at a Flying Club, when ab initios are doing circuits, but with a Warbird, one would expect the Pilot to be not only professional in his conduct but courteous.
We could have been a Club PA38 with private low houred pilots on board, who might well have been spiked by this and landed over his head, or screwed up the go around from a low level.
We went around, and not a word was spoken, not an apology or anything. This incurred some 10 minutes extra flying time, for which my colleague was duly charged, but that is not the point!
The Harvard Pilot had heard our call on short finals, and was cleared for immediate take off, which he did not do, thus could have imperilled the little craft on short finals.
In my day, this would have at least been a full apology, and furthermore a full round of Beers in the Bar later.
I would point out that I have nearly 2000 hours on Harvards, from 30 years ago, in my Log Book, and suggest the reason for his remaining on the Runway was in fact finger trouble in not selecting the Hydraulic Power lever to energise the system for deploying Flap and raising the Gear, except in a MkIV! In which case it was pure bloody mindedness.
This is normally done after the run ups before lining up (950 PSI is required from memory).
The fact that nothing was said, let alone apology, and that it cost money, pissed me off to the extent I am writing this now. More to the point, at the Reunion, it was seen that a Tomahawk had been made to go around by the Harvard stuck on the end of the runway, and when it was stated to be us, we were told it was operated by Mr JR and that he often tends to operate at Duxford as" God".
This pissed me off even more, as in my day when operating with Ormande Haydon Baillie on his Sea Fury and T33, both of which I flew, the said JR was the Tea Boy in "Blenheim Palace". How time flies when this self taught Engineer, now self appointed chief display pilot acts in such an unprofessional, and discourteous manner.
If it was another Pilot then I apologise to Mr JR, and pass my complaint to the real idiot responsible. I thank God I have done all that and got the Tea Shirt and survived into retirement!!!!!!!!!!!!
It should a Beer for all who witnessed it - A fair reminder for the pilot, A La Taxiing showing your slip, or with the Flaps or Airbrake still deployed, which was SOP" a Beer for All for witnessed said transgression".