Distraction in flight
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 289
From: Poplar Grove, IL, USA
Here is my reverse distraction story: I was a student pilot flying an enstrom. We were doing touchdown autos. At the end I kept drifting left of the centerline and could not put it down on the spot regardless of how much I was pressed to do so. On one entry the instructor changed tactics. He says "Hey, tell me about the girl with the (some ananomical detail) that you (censored) back in college." My list of such experiences were painfully short but I played along anyway and said "which one?" So we continue to violate the sterile cockpit rule, bantering back and forth, and I nailed the auto. It was perfect and the centerline was split exactly between the skids. Proof that there is at least some zen-like quality to flying. Reach too hard for something and it eludes your grasp.
-- IFMU
-- IFMU
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 779
Likes: 0
From: Londonish
The auster door reminded me of this: Watching someone practicing low level aeros (decathlon); he enters a fairly low level bunt/outside loop - then hesitates an inverted 45deg down angle before bailing out positive. Everyone holds their breath, he misses the floor, makes a quick comment about the door over the radio.
Comes in quite gently, when he shuts down it takes a couple of people to pull the door out of the cabin where it's bashed his head into the opposite side door, complete with blood splatter and blocked the stick from going forward properly - the front top hinge failed, best as we could figure it had gone out to the strut, then smashed back in through the hole with some force. I'm still amazed he kept it together.
Comes in quite gently, when he shuts down it takes a couple of people to pull the door out of the cabin where it's bashed his head into the opposite side door, complete with blood splatter and blocked the stick from going forward properly - the front top hinge failed, best as we could figure it had gone out to the strut, then smashed back in through the hole with some force. I'm still amazed he kept it together.
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
From: UK,Twighlight Zone
I found an Auster door in a wood once ... bet that distracted who ever was flying it when it fell off!
SS
SS
Joined: Mar 2004
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 347
Likes: 49
From: Hong Kong SAR
Loss of ASI in Pilatus B-4
Aerotow launch from Ringmer. On becoming airborne, realise that the ASI is not working. Stay with the launch to 2,000 ft. On clearing the tug, carry out gentle check stall to calibrate my ears with the slipstream noise. Carried out the rest of the flight using Mk. 1 lugholes as ASI.
On landing back at Ringmer, verified that the reason was due to disconnected pitot plastic plumbing. Never told anyone about this before - put it down to experience, but always included a more thorough check in my pre-flight inspections and on rigging the beast.
On landing back at Ringmer, verified that the reason was due to disconnected pitot plastic plumbing. Never told anyone about this before - put it down to experience, but always included a more thorough check in my pre-flight inspections and on rigging the beast.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Olney, Bucks
When my No 1 daughter was sick I found it perfectly simple to put her out of my mind and fly & land normally. However, when No 2 grandson was sick I was completely distracted and, when Tower told me to land on 18 instead of 21 lined up on 36. Fortunately the controller spotted the error. Something about a greater sense of responsibility for a child than an adult perhaps.
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 131
Likes: 2
From: Cornwall
QXC has a door come open while attempting to join downwind for runway 09 at East Midlands
Forgot the most basic of rules "fly the plane" and attempted to close it and flew straight over the 27 numbers.
Lucky nothing was taking off and i got a good bollocking from atc when i landed and they refused to sign the form so i had to do it again the following week
Forgot the most basic of rules "fly the plane" and attempted to close it and flew straight over the 27 numbers.
Lucky nothing was taking off and i got a good bollocking from atc when i landed and they refused to sign the form so i had to do it again the following week
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: UK
On my second ever set of solo circuits out of Biggin I narrowly (very narrowly) missed 2 partridges straddling the 21 centerline on my first takeoff of the day.
Managed to clear them after making the split second decision to continue rather than stop. Came off runway heading a bit but kept a beady eye on the ASI. Couldn't relax for the rest of the session though.
I'd already had to wait for them to move off the taxiway as I was heading for the hold.
The fact it didn't register in my mind that these two daft ground dwelling birds were heading for the runway I was about to use still bugs me to this day...
Managed to clear them after making the split second decision to continue rather than stop. Came off runway heading a bit but kept a beady eye on the ASI. Couldn't relax for the rest of the session though.
I'd already had to wait for them to move off the taxiway as I was heading for the hold.
The fact it didn't register in my mind that these two daft ground dwelling birds were heading for the runway I was about to use still bugs me to this day...
