Dropped a clanger (Literally)
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 898
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From: Do I come here often?
Pace/Chubbychopper;
If I remember rightly the keys down the intake was Arnold Palmer the golfer.
All our aircraft keys have red remove before flight flags on them and stow on a hook in the cockpit just to help avoid that one.
Whilst parked for any length of time they go in the external power socket so that all crew know where they are. We started that after a member of PPRUNE left an aircraft (locked) in Las Vegas and jumped on a flight back to the UK with the aircraft keys in his pocket, and the new crew and all the passengers in Vegas!
SND
P.S He's reading this as I type, reckon my next sim trip may be a bit interesting..................
If I remember rightly the keys down the intake was Arnold Palmer the golfer.
All our aircraft keys have red remove before flight flags on them and stow on a hook in the cockpit just to help avoid that one.
Whilst parked for any length of time they go in the external power socket so that all crew know where they are. We started that after a member of PPRUNE left an aircraft (locked) in Las Vegas and jumped on a flight back to the UK with the aircraft keys in his pocket, and the new crew and all the passengers in Vegas!
SND
P.S He's reading this as I type, reckon my next sim trip may be a bit interesting..................
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Herts
Nearly got knocked out by the fuel cap after having left it on top of the tank of my tiger moth. As I started the take off run and the tail came up, the cap flew off just missing my head!!! Then spent half an hour looking for it having aborted the take off. Won't do that again !!!!!
but is now on hook just behind pilots and on checklist.
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,042
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From: Oxford
I've done exactly that on a PA28 fuel cap and (can't be bothered to search but...) posted on here, too. There's no chain (you're probably thinking of Cessnas though in my experience they are often broken).
My then five or six year old son prodded me just after rotation and said 'Daddy! Daddy!' I told him to shut up but luckily he ignored me.
I'd left the fuel cap on the wing; ATC recovered it from the threshold a little less well painted but otherwise in good nick.
Tim
My then five or six year old son prodded me just after rotation and said 'Daddy! Daddy!' I told him to shut up but luckily he ignored me.
I'd left the fuel cap on the wing; ATC recovered it from the threshold a little less well painted but otherwise in good nick.
Tim
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 516
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From: Northampton
I used to work for an operation that used diesel (Thielert) engined 172s, and as such the wing tanks had to be absolutely airtight, so they were installed with the 'flip up' and twist type fuel caps which, if you've ever used them, you will know how tight they can be to, well, flip up! Especially in the cold morning!
So it became routine for me to climb up, pull out my car keys, use them to lever the catch up, lay them next to the hole (too lazy to put back in my pocket immediately), etc etc.
Heh... It was about 7 hours later one day, after 3 separate flights around the country, and after landing and going to my car that I realised they weren't in me pocket!
It was a grass strip... With about 1.5 miles of grass (some of it long) taxiway in total...
So it became routine for me to climb up, pull out my car keys, use them to lever the catch up, lay them next to the hole (too lazy to put back in my pocket immediately), etc etc.
Heh... It was about 7 hours later one day, after 3 separate flights around the country, and after landing and going to my car that I realised they weren't in me pocket!
It was a grass strip... With about 1.5 miles of grass (some of it long) taxiway in total...
Last edited by Halfbaked_Boy; 11th May 2012 at 17:01.
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 2
From: Oxford, UK
Yes, but did you find your keys?
I lost the bolt that fastens the tailplane on my pegasus glider at RAF Benson in the tall grass. Didn't realise it was missing until attempting to rerig the glider next morning.
Fortunately my son in law had a metal detector.
We rolled up to the gate at Benson, were escorted to the scene of my arrival the day before, and fortunately the tracks were still visible in the grass...
The Military Policeman said "that looks like a neat gadget, can I have a go?"
and on his first sweep over the grass it got all excited. There, hiding, was the bolt, still firmly clutched in the grip of the derigging tool!
I lost the bolt that fastens the tailplane on my pegasus glider at RAF Benson in the tall grass. Didn't realise it was missing until attempting to rerig the glider next morning.
Fortunately my son in law had a metal detector.
We rolled up to the gate at Benson, were escorted to the scene of my arrival the day before, and fortunately the tracks were still visible in the grass...
The Military Policeman said "that looks like a neat gadget, can I have a go?"
and on his first sweep over the grass it got all excited. There, hiding, was the bolt, still firmly clutched in the grip of the derigging tool!
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,113
Likes: 2
From: 23, Railway Cuttings, East Cheam
I had the a/c keys in my hand the other day, God knows why, mind in neutral as normal. I was refuelling a Cessna, fuel hose over shoulder, nozzle in same hand as keys, nozzle in tank delivering fuel when keys slipped from hand.
You know when you make a putt and the ball doesn't quite make it into the cup but has a good look on it's way round? I just managed to grab the key fob as it entered the tank, fuel happily gushing all over the wing.
We live and learn.
You know when you make a putt and the ball doesn't quite make it into the cup but has a good look on it's way round? I just managed to grab the key fob as it entered the tank, fuel happily gushing all over the wing.
We live and learn.
Last edited by thing; 11th May 2012 at 23:24.
Joined: Jun 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 7,177
Likes: 297
From: Nanaimo (CAC8)
Whilst parked for any length of time they go in the external power socket so that all crew know where they are.
Hmm, that's a nice G-V. I wonder if they left the keys?
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 407
Likes: 9
From: UK
I think leaving the fuel cap off is one of the few basic errors I've not yet made, but there's still time...
PS - my favourite example of, shall we say, over-enthusiastic "literally":
PS - my favourite example of, shall we say, over-enthusiastic "literally":
"With that report he literally shot himself in the foot."
Pity he didn't notice the report was loaded.
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,178
Likes: 0
From: BFS
Good on you for coming clean. And I'm sure everyone who reads this will be a touch more aware.
Happened to us once at an RAF base. The fuellers (plural, there always seems to be three of them) had left one of the caps off. Luckily the last item on the start Cx was "props, fuel caps all clear" which picked it up.
Happened to us once at an RAF base. The fuellers (plural, there always seems to be three of them) had left one of the caps off. Luckily the last item on the start Cx was "props, fuel caps all clear" which picked it up.
so the owner can be persuaded to buy a nice modern CJ2 plus.