Over the festive period I had occassion to be at a flying club (not one anyone who knows me would be able to guess) taking a few friends up for a nice tool around the local area.
Now not wanting to be an ostentatious prat I left my flightcase and flash gear at home and pitched up instead with a Tesco bag full of headsets, Airways chart and odd pens (but no GA Map). As a safety aid I took along my Garmin GPS Pilot3 which is a Very Nice Toy Indeed.
Upon clocking this kit spilling out of my Tesco bag I was mildly suprised to be accosted by Captain BusyBody of the local PPL Police. Who to my slack jawed amusement began to harang me for being a GPS nit wit who couldn't fly for toffee and had I considered the imminent arrival of IMC conditions..?!?! Your type make me sick type comments also followed.
Whilst I initially took this interference with good grace and smiled indulgently at my new found self apointed guardian. He continued to enquire rather rudely whether I held an IMC rating.
To which I said No and in a thrice he was down my throat with all kinds of nonsense about an impending warm front of Biblical proportions. Layer upon layer of trecharous stratoform (sic) clouds were just waiting to imprison me hopeless and alone above 8/8ths.
By the time he ran out of breath I had decided that I should indulge this prat no longer.
"I don't have an IMC rating becuase I have an Instrument Rating, being as I am a fully qualified Instrument Rating Instructor with over 1000hrs on this type of aircraft. For which I am also a Class Rating Examiner. I have extensive knowledge of the local area and if necessary have prepared not one but 2 diversions with differing types of instrument approaches available to well below forecast weather minima. In addition I am carrying a backup GPS unit, IFR charts and plates and a fuel reserve of twice that I predict I will burn. Now if you don't mind I would like to go and commit aviation now unless that is you would like me to conduct your biannual flight test for you beforehand? Hmm? Thought not. Good day Sir."
I exited stage left with my passengers and witnessed the undisguised glee and grins of the club regulars and staff who had suffered at the hands of this self appointed flight safety prat before.
It made me smile for days.
There are just as many prats in aviation as in any other walk of life.
The upside is that aviation contains more than its fair share of tremendous people.
Don't lets the ******s grind you down.
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