Senior Moments

[Gertrude the Wombat]

If the checklist is interrupted always start again at the beginning, or Mr. Murphy will ensure that you start one item below where you stopped - which might be you miss the fuel selector !

Done that, didn't do the whole check list "just to taxi to the fuel pumps", and then skipped "the bits I'd already done" when starting up again.

But whoever wrote the club check list had thought of that one ... there was FUEL BOTH for a third time in the just-before-take-off checks, at which point I spotted it.

[GroundBound]

Too many to list

One sticks in my mind though - after a practice forced landing I was given traffic information on crossing aircraft, so kept a good lookout. Got distracted from checks. Returned to base couldn't understand why the performance and balance was so bad - but nothing revealed itself on the engine settings or carb front. I found the reason when I tried putting the flaps down - no need was there!

[Phororhacos]

Returning to Shoreham, I was told to join overhead for 02, readback correctly then joined overhead for 20. (It was much easier when it was 03 and 21). I only noticed when I called crosswind and the kind controller kindly pointed out that if I turned right and right again I'd be nicely lined up on final for the correct runway.

[dany4kin]

During preflight checks on one aircraft, my instructor and I had to change aircraft last minute, I can't remember why. I did the shutdown checks and we jumped out, only to find a flat battery on the new aircraft so we piled back into the original one. I was feeling a little pressured by the instructor to get us going and he 'helped' by speeding up the departure checks.

The engine ran for maybe 2 minutes before I realised I had turned off the fuel without turning it back on. When I restart my PPL training I'm going to follow my checklist and try not to allow myself to feel as pressured, or at least recognise it and try to compensate if I am.

On my second ever set of solo circuits at Biggin, trundling down towards 21 a couple of pheasants were on the taxiway. They duly moved off as I approached, and I went over the upcoming circuits in my head. Clear takeoff, full power, 40...... 50 knots....... 2 pheasants on the centerline!

I luckily had airspeed enough to clear them without giving them a haircut although chastised myself for not twigging that they were headed for the runway.

My third (so far!) and most stupid was during PFL's with my (poor!) instructor. During my 'touch' drills I ACTUALLY changed tanks, without the fuel pump, engine idling, at less than 1000ft.... said instructor was pretty gracious about it.... even when the engine coughed a little in the climb out....

[ExSp33db1rd]

Our club a/c - an LSA / Microlight - has two fuel selectors on the centre console, both must face forward for ON ( everything forward for speed ! ) and be turned 90 deg across the console for off.

The left tank sucks faster than the right, so we usually turn the left one off for periods, partly to balance fuel left to right, but also to ensure that there is fuel in the left tank for the overshoot - nobody has had the courage to let the left tank run empty, to prove that the engine won't suck air momentarily ( I know, I know, but Murphy is always hiding just behind the hedge looking for a laugh )

Another club, same type, taught a student to do just the same, so downwind he knew he had to switch back to both tanks ON, and that he had to 'match' the fuel selectors , so he did - across the console. Murphy won. We now have 2 very large arrows painted on the console - facing forward !

[ChampChump]

With or without a checklist, the senior moments haunt all but the saintliest of us.

There is no absolutely, copper-bottomed, wire-locked, foolproof way to check the checks, or check the checks for the checks (etc), but one tip I was given seems to help: it's a touch drill. The tactile approach certainly helps prevent some of the 'oh I did that already' screw-ups.

If you're one of the few who haven't yet missed something blindingly obvious, we in the confessional await your input. And isn't confession so good for the soul?

Fly soon, fly lots.

[Cat.S]

Done most of my flying on a PA 38, but had recently converted to a PA 28. As we crossed the coast, reached out for carb heat without looking, as distracted by ATC traffic message, pulled lever that hand was on and wondered why the sudden silence. It's not even as if carb heat and mixture levers feel the same!! Doh.

[Sensible]

Started taxi with one wing tie down still attached and aircraft started to turn in spite of operating full oposite rudder! DOH

Distracted on base after spotting another aircraft conflicting on long final without communicating (later found out that the other pilot didn't have a working radio so didn't want to join the circuit) put flaps away and flew an orbit to allow it to land (it was a very quiet uncontrolled airfield), joined final again forgetting to put the flaps down at all and wondering why I was sinking fast. In hindsight, I should have aborted the landing and flown a full circuit again.

Flying a revalidation check ride with an instructor in a PA28, parking the aircraft and then pulling up the flap lever - I must have thought that it was the handbrake in the car! and yes, he did notice!

[BackPacker]

Flying a revalidation check ride with an instructor in a PA28, parking the aircraft and then pulling up the flap lever - I must have thought that it was the handbrake in the car! and yes, he did notice!

Not unusual in a Robin - the flaps are not strong enough to support the weight of a person when up, so you would normally put them down when parking the aircraft.

There's your excuse for next time...

[Final 3 Greens]

Best one for me was checking out in a rented Arrer in California, the day after arriving in the evening.

I fought the damn thing all the way down final, cursing the ineffective controls and making a good touchdown with a very short roll out.

The FI complimented me on a very fine demonstration of a short field landing.

Some time later, I realised that the Arrer had a MPH speedo and I was using knots

[LowNSlow]

Oops

Taking of with 40 degrees of flap in a 150. Went up like a lift but didn't go forwards very fast! This was because I'd been distracted by a machine gun like noise when I was doing my pre-flight which was caused by my seatbelt buckle banging on the fuselage in the prop wash.........

Taking off the other day and wondering why my steed was taking longer than normal to levitate. No need to retract the flaps on the climbout then.......

Filling up my Piper Cub wing tank and forgetting to close the valve to the wingtank. Found out just how loud Whirlybird could scream when the (already full) front tank overflowed all over her feet! Sorry Whirls!

Nearly took off with the pitot tube cover in place after deciding to go flying after test running the engine. Thanks Mike!

[Pegpilot]

Or then there's the time I took off in a glider on an intended cross country and within minutes felt a growing damp patch where the sun don't shine. Looking down, I realised I had taken off sitting on the nozzle of my "Camelbak" water carrier, which had then duly dispensed a litre and a half of water into the seat pan in two minutes flat. On landing (rather more quicky than I had intended), I was then asked to fly a rather fetching young lady visitor, and found myself having to explain that the very large damp patch on my trousers was not caused by incontinence !

[tmmorris]

I've done several of the above including:

flying most of the way to France in a Robin with takeoff flaps;

taking off on 08 at Old Sarum in a C152 with carb heat on (wondering why the hell we weren't reaching Vr in any kind of a hurry);

taking off in a PA28 with one fuel cap detached and sitting on the wing - it fell off during takeoff and was retrieved somewhat dented by a rather sarcastic ATC...

changing tanks in mid-flight in the same PA28 and turning the fuel selector to 'off' (one of those moments when time slowed down... I realised immediately what I'd done but still had time to plan my mayday call!)

Tim

[Oldpilot55]

My mate managed to take off on one set of mags. With two fatties onboard it was a struggle!

[Penny Washers]

Here's one you can all try!

I put the headsets (already plugged in) on the back seat while strapping in and then by mistake picked up the passenger's one and put it on. Air Traffic said they could only hear the carrier signal on transmit, and then me "very faintly" when I shouted!

One's first thought is that the radio is on the blink, then that the jack plugs are not fully home, and then finally that - erm - oh dear! A smug response from Air Traffic: "We thought that might be it!"

But surely I cannot be the first?

[Gertrude the Wombat]

But surely I cannot be the first?

I've had "station calling xxx, carrier wave only". Don't recall seeing that in CAP413, but I worked out what it meant.

[King Bladud]

King Bladud

1966, as a brand-new co-pilot I was in the right hand seat of a Bristol Britannia -my first flight with passengers on board. It was 2.00 am in the morning and we were crossing the Alps northwest bound on a glorious moonlit night. The very experienced captain said "I'm just going to close my eyes for 5 minutes, stay alert and wake me if there's a problem" (this was a period when we flew 120 hours per month and everyone was tired) I nodded nervously and sat slightly taller in my seat as I assumed my new role as temporary commander. After a few minutes the captain was fast asleep. I turned to give a reassuring worldly smile to the flight engineer: his head was already on his desk, gone to the world!
Slightly concerned by the turn of events I concentrated on the task, but all was well and I slowly relaxed and then became curious about the small black lever down on the side of the centre consol. "I should know what that does I thought", and leaning down gave it a tweak. The ensuing silence was deafening as all four throttles fell back to their stops and the big Proteus engines ran down to idle. The silence didn't last, as captain and f/e woke with a start and pointed what a silly chap I was to relax all of the throttle friction in one go.

I once had some 'business' cards printed as follows:

'Happily, advancing age does not appear to be a noticeable factor in pilot related incidents. Presumably because the detrimental effects of aging on the cognitive process are mitigated by the beneficial effects on judgement that increased operational experience affords.......' So there!

[IFMU]

Is it a sign of advancing memory when you need reminders of your senior moments?

Originally Posted by tmmorris

flying most of the way to France in a Robin with takeoff flaps;

My flap screwups were not really senior moments. More like junior ones, I was in my 20's and still getting used to the darn things. I learned to fly in a PA12 without flaps (and a lot of other stuff people seem to think vital).

After I had 100+ tailwheel hours in the flapless PA12, I got checked out in the C152. One x-c flight to Portland, Maine I was not making much airspeed. I had been stuck with the doggiest C152 the school had, so I put it down to the crappy airplane. About 15 miles out of Portland, during my traffic scan I happened to notice the flaps were down about 5 degrees. The C152 has a flap position lever, so the flaps go to the position indicated by the lever. I had the flaps down for preflight. After takeoff I slapped the lever all the way up, except it bound a little bit and didn't get all the way to the top. When I carefully pushed it up the rest of the way, I picked up 10 or 15 kts. I felt kind of dumb.

My other flap issue was my single most humiliating experience as a pilot. No wonder I forgot it until tmmorris reminded me. So here I am, a young 20-something going for a little flight in the C152. I'm preflighting the airplane, some little hottie is preflighting the 152 next to mine. All is well in the world. Now I'm in the airplane, about to start it up, and I hear banging on the wing. Look up, said hottie is asking to come over. Turns out something was wrong with the other 152, she needed to go to Goodspeed airport about 20 miles away, wanted to know if I was a student or rated and would I be willing to drop her off there. Life is good.

Now, before I get to the humiliating part, a little background about my primary training. I was taught tight patterns, power off approaches, steep enough that losing the engine in the pattern is never an issue. I'm not trying to launch this thread into that debate, but right or wrong that is how I was taught and how I was flying.

We get to Goodspeed, not an overly long runway, and I set up the first approach. But for some reason I've completely blown it, way too high, and I go around. I do the same thing a second time. The third one she talks me through it, going way further out on downwind, shallower descent than I'm comfortable with, and we land ok. She was fairly laughing at me, as I remember. Or maybe I'm remembering the nighmares. So on the flight back, I'm questioning my flying ability. How could I be so screwed up? I fly steep turns, stalls, it feels like I'm right on though I haven't been flying enough lately. Go back home, where I know the pattern and ground references extremely well having learned there, and my first approach I'm way too high. This can't be happening. Finally I figure it out. That stupid binding flap lever stopped at about 22 degrees of flap, and losing the last 8 degrees makes a huge difference in the drag and descent angle. I get the flaps all the way in and all of a sudden it's like I know how to fly again. I never tried to search her out to explain the flap issue, I know that anything I said would make me seem like more of a loser than I already appeared!

-- IFMU

[ShyTorque]

Was once flying as leader of a four ship close formation. Although the Bulldog wasn't exceptionally well blessed in the thrust department, it was a good aircraft for formation flying.

We used to take off as two pairs with 10 second spacing and would join up into a four asap. This time the CFI was number four. As we climbed steadily out, he was nowhere to be seen. After a few seconds he called, in a grumpy voice "Buster, BUSTER! "

(Buster meant "Back on the power, I can't keep up").

I slowed down. He still took a long time to join up. He made some further comment about climb power settings. I looked back at him and said just one word. "Flaps"! At the same time someone else in the formation transmitted the same word.

He said nothing more but I watched his face:

[stillin1]

Stuff happens!
If you can be honest with youself to find out / try to find a reason then you are IMHO just another pilot who has made a mistake. The secret now is to try to find a way to stop repeating it