A course in Aviation Stupidity
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Think of a happy place. Think of a happy place. Think of a happy place
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A course in Aviation Stupidity
Is there such a course around that looks at stupid things in Aviation.
I know it would be a year long full-time course, however I've heard some really silly and funny things that pilots have done. (and owned up to).
I remember a few years ago hearing about a student pilot on a solo to the training area, who thought it would be a good idea to see if he could fly the aircraft with one butt cheek on each seat and one foot on opposing rudder pedals etc. It was apparently going well until the aircraft encountered turbulence and the intrepid (stupid) pilot was knocked unconscious and ended up trundling along until almost out of the training area boundary. He came to and headed back to the flying school where he then told his instructor, who ended up spreading the word. Talk about luck and good aircraft trim.
Any other stories that would make the final list for the “Darwin Awards” would be greatly appreciated.
==================================================
Landing an aircraft is just like throwing yourself at the ground and NOT missing.
==================================================
I know it would be a year long full-time course, however I've heard some really silly and funny things that pilots have done. (and owned up to).
I remember a few years ago hearing about a student pilot on a solo to the training area, who thought it would be a good idea to see if he could fly the aircraft with one butt cheek on each seat and one foot on opposing rudder pedals etc. It was apparently going well until the aircraft encountered turbulence and the intrepid (stupid) pilot was knocked unconscious and ended up trundling along until almost out of the training area boundary. He came to and headed back to the flying school where he then told his instructor, who ended up spreading the word. Talk about luck and good aircraft trim.
Any other stories that would make the final list for the “Darwin Awards” would be greatly appreciated.
==================================================
Landing an aircraft is just like throwing yourself at the ground and NOT missing.
==================================================
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Not where i want to be!!
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hey timebomb ted
are you fair dinkum about that story? that seems unbelievable!
I heard of a c210 pilot in the territory who hand swung the prop without the handbrake on and must have a high throttle setting coz the thing took off and crashed. It was his old man's 210 as well. Cant vouch for that story but hear of similar things happening every now and then.
are you fair dinkum about that story? that seems unbelievable!
I heard of a c210 pilot in the territory who hand swung the prop without the handbrake on and must have a high throttle setting coz the thing took off and crashed. It was his old man's 210 as well. Cant vouch for that story but hear of similar things happening every now and then.
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Nirvana
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Maxi Taxi
A pillik(pilot),who was being line checked in a small piston twin, and
had a very dubious history, started up no. 1 Engine, carries out the afterstart checks, reports taxiing, and starts to taxi out to the
active runway.
First flight of day, overlooks runup checks and lines up on the active threshold. Check pilot looks at pilot as he is about to apply TO power, and pillik asks if he is ready. Answer, no, return to apron, and advises him that it would have been a good idea to have started no. 2 Engine, and completed the runup checks.
Fortunately he was terminated that day. It was believed that the pilot concerned had both emotional and substance abuse problems. Really Really Stupid, and quite sad.
had a very dubious history, started up no. 1 Engine, carries out the afterstart checks, reports taxiing, and starts to taxi out to the
active runway.
First flight of day, overlooks runup checks and lines up on the active threshold. Check pilot looks at pilot as he is about to apply TO power, and pillik asks if he is ready. Answer, no, return to apron, and advises him that it would have been a good idea to have started no. 2 Engine, and completed the runup checks.
Fortunately he was terminated that day. It was believed that the pilot concerned had both emotional and substance abuse problems. Really Really Stupid, and quite sad.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: North son, I say go North..........
Posts: 599
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hand Swung C210 story re BTI very true indeed!!!
Same bloke undercarriage problems in C210 gets hand held elt which was on a rope (musta been a marine one) and tried to pull the main gear into the lock posi - then dropped the ELT! Oh and had a wawa flying while he tried it!!!
Being LAZY I nearly taxied a Seneca into a C206, taxiing in the am didn't wipe of the early morning dew into sun no radio head up ar*s storm window open for forward vis!!! Gut feeling and corner of eye worked at same time brakes applied, jumped out to see an ole fella running from his C206. I missed his prop with my prop by about 6".
Fella in the straights years ago in a B58 did a gear up, no no the gear handle was down the gear was down I don't know why it collapsed? On the runway wheel track got thinner and thinner then stop. Aircraft jacked masters on gear comes down.
The list goes on and on...
Same bloke undercarriage problems in C210 gets hand held elt which was on a rope (musta been a marine one) and tried to pull the main gear into the lock posi - then dropped the ELT! Oh and had a wawa flying while he tried it!!!
Being LAZY I nearly taxied a Seneca into a C206, taxiing in the am didn't wipe of the early morning dew into sun no radio head up ar*s storm window open for forward vis!!! Gut feeling and corner of eye worked at same time brakes applied, jumped out to see an ole fella running from his C206. I missed his prop with my prop by about 6".
Fella in the straights years ago in a B58 did a gear up, no no the gear handle was down the gear was down I don't know why it collapsed? On the runway wheel track got thinner and thinner then stop. Aircraft jacked masters on gear comes down.
The list goes on and on...
Heard of a guy who taxied out in a cherokee 140. Thought it was a little sluggish and being no fool he double checked that the park brake was off. To his great relief it was....to his sheer horror there were a pair of gouge marks trailing him from under each of his wings.
Yup, he had forgotten to untie the the concrete tiedown blocks and got (I heard) as far as 150m before he realised.
New nickname: Blocker and it has stuck for quite a few years now.
Yup, he had forgotten to untie the the concrete tiedown blocks and got (I heard) as far as 150m before he realised.
New nickname: Blocker and it has stuck for quite a few years now.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Australia
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Heard about a student at a certain flying insitution who on final approach managed to remove the fibreglass off the bottom of the maingear spat, behind the wheel, on a fence post (fence was about 3-400 yards from the rwy threshold) landed, then took the end of the wing tip off on a large supporting post when taxying in. When asked by his instructor how his flight went, his reply was " vewy good sir"!!
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Oz
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here's one for you.
A certain Female CFI departs on a night charter:
Notam current for main RWY due MAE. RWY 12/34 Lights NA,
Use RWY 56/78.
She clicks on the lights......."Hmmm they dont work tonight"!!
Decides to take off on the unlit RWY anyway, misses Workmen and vehicles by metres.
Ooops.
A certain Female CFI departs on a night charter:
Notam current for main RWY due MAE. RWY 12/34 Lights NA,
Use RWY 56/78.
She clicks on the lights......."Hmmm they dont work tonight"!!
Decides to take off on the unlit RWY anyway, misses Workmen and vehicles by metres.
Ooops.
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 802
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Awesome photos by the way.
How about sailors, I heard one about a guy who after buying his first boat found that it was very sluggish and didn't handle very well at all, and was much slower then supposed to be.
He took it back to the dealers and after they couldn't find anything wrong they sent a diver down to examine the keel, the diver found that the boat trailer was still attached to the bottom of the boat! Haha...
How about sailors, I heard one about a guy who after buying his first boat found that it was very sluggish and didn't handle very well at all, and was much slower then supposed to be.
He took it back to the dealers and after they couldn't find anything wrong they sent a diver down to examine the keel, the diver found that the boat trailer was still attached to the bottom of the boat! Haha...
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Think of a happy place. Think of a happy place. Think of a happy place
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know of another pilot who thankfully is now flying for a large carrier, who went to scare the cows off a runway but managed to get a little too close and wiped out one of the main gear legs. Killed the cow in the process. Managed to get it to a local RAAF airfield and have the fire crews ready to go.
He didn't even go back to get the "steaks"
===============
Are we there yet?"
===============
He didn't even go back to get the "steaks"
===============
Are we there yet?"
===============
Don Quixote Impersonator
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Australia
Age: 77
Posts: 3,403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Beautiful clear starry night.
NGT VMC in a C172 coz the C182 was US, gets to 8000ft crz, adjusts mixture control out to start of gentle stumble for fine leaning procedure and starts winding "the vernier" mixture control for cruise listening and watching for economy mixture indicator to peak
hmmm...... no change, keep winding then.
just starting to get the ragged edge at least it sounded like it,
then.............click...............sproinggg ....... button and spring on end of mixture control thingy disappears into the baggage area behind the rear seats.
Bargger............ C172 doesn't have a vernier does it
......will I be able to find the bits and how will I get this thing into rich for descent and landing and will it run if I cant. 
Ah well back we go and set up a circling approach from overhead Secondary at 8,000 just in case.
eh eh eh eh pax in back become fairly motivated and actually find all the bits in amongst the coats, jumpers and garbage that accrues. Trusty Leatherman to the rescue and all ends well.
NGT VMC in a C172 coz the C182 was US, gets to 8000ft crz, adjusts mixture control out to start of gentle stumble for fine leaning procedure and starts winding "the vernier" mixture control for cruise listening and watching for economy mixture indicator to peak
hmmm...... no change, keep winding then.
just starting to get the ragged edge at least it sounded like it,
then.............click...............sproinggg ....... button and spring on end of mixture control thingy disappears into the baggage area behind the rear seats.
Bargger............ C172 doesn't have a vernier does it
......will I be able to find the bits and how will I get this thing into rich for descent and landing and will it run if I cant. Ah well back we go and set up a circling approach from overhead Secondary at 8,000 just in case.
eh eh eh eh pax in back become fairly motivated and actually find all the bits in amongst the coats, jumpers and garbage that accrues. Trusty Leatherman to the rescue and all ends well.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: All over the show like a madwomans crap
Posts: 494
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
C210 in Auckland, owner well known for continued stupidity. One fine day while taxiing, he sees someone he wants to talk to, so sets brakes (he thinks) leaves engine running and hops out. Meanwhile, airplane takes off across tarmac, strikes several cars before cuddling one of the hangers!! No-one even had to guess who it was, as like I said above, well known for his stupidity. Another example, same guy, same airplane, from cold start to wheels up, 30-45 seconds!! The take off consists of full flap, and wheels and full flap retraction at about 30 feet. Saw him do this and don't know how he did'nt just sink back onto the runway, mind you he nearly did!! Only a matter of time before he kills himself, and hopefully no-one else.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Springfield, USA
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cap'n Bunghole
Not too many people know about this incident, be it quite funny at the time.
Wouldn't be a former "Tiger Cub" by any chance?
If so, sent me an email. Would like to catch up.
And no, It wasn't me in the Tiger Cub.
Not too many people know about this incident, be it quite funny at the time.
Wouldn't be a former "Tiger Cub" by any chance?
If so, sent me an email. Would like to catch up.
And no, It wasn't me in the Tiger Cub.
