Watch your 6

[DownWest]

Not wishing to drift Gengis' thread, I was reminded of a friend, who was flying joy-rides out of Peterborough when the Cessna blew a pot. Plenty of height, so he flew a fairly normal circuit and approach, only to find a Tiger Moth turning onto the runway and doing it's checks as he was committed to finals. He saw the TM gun it's engine just as he came over the fence and the (non radio) TM pilot got the fright of his life as the Cessna passed close over his head.
He told me this story as we trudged back to the tower after dead sticking a Mooney at the same airfield from an engine failure on climb out. I think it was Barry Tempest who leaned out of the tower and congratulated friend on his THIRD dead stick at the field. Forum rules prohibit the actual terms used.


I forget what the other event was, but not so dramatic as the two above.

[chevvron]

Ferrying a C152 from Blackbushe to Lasham for the maintenance guy to fix an unpressurised nose oleo. I flew overhead to ascertain landing direction; thankfully it was 27 and we (3CAC) had an agreement that we could land on the grass north of the runway, the maintenance shed being just west of the main hangar. This was in the days before Lasham had a dedicated A/G frequency so I made blind calls on 129.975.
As I turned onto final, I could see a glider and tug combo lined up with the glider having its wings level, meaning it was about to launch, so I landed on the grass (which was quite wide) to its right and taxied to the shed. Hardly had I shut down when some guy wearing a flying suit and very thick glasses turned up and started telling me off for landing in an area which had white crosses in it. I hadn't seen any white crosses and told him so, then I explained I had landed where I did in order not to interfere with the glider and tug about to launch. He replied I should have LANDED IN FRONT OF (ie over) THE GLIDER AND TUG!
Now I do have some gliding experience and I am aware that the glider pilot's pre takeoff actions would include checking 'all clear above and behind' but even so, bearing in mind it wasn't an emergency, I would never contemplate landing over someone about to depart.
Did I act correctly? I think so.

[foxmoth]

turning onto the runway and doing it's checks

Surely not doing checks AFTER lining up!?

[DownWest]

FM
The Moth paused after lining up, so was doing something. This was a long time ago '74? So I may not be entirely accurate on the détails. Also, we had just made a forced landing across the runway after the engine quit, so had a few other things on our mind as well:)not least, relief on not bending, or worse, the a/c.