Do any of you have a horn on a Light Aircraft?
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Do any of you have a horn on a Light Aircraft?
I've not seen an intercom with a PA facility. or a horn fitted to GA Aircraft.
There are times when this would be very handy, to alert or attract the attention of people near the aircraft.
Why isn't this a thing?
There are times when this would be very handy, to alert or attract the attention of people near the aircraft.
Why isn't this a thing?
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There was a Pitts Model 12 operated at White Waltham fitted with air horns. Alan Cassidy used to do a low flypast at extremely high alpha, tooting the horns, very amusing. Otherwise, I think the police use a shouty thing on some aircraft, but you'd probably not really be able to make out what they're saying while you're running from justice.
Seriously, what would the point be in real life. Most aircraft make a significant racket to attract attention, anyway. Hopefully you shout 'CLEAR!' loudly enough to wake the dead before starting...
TOO
Seriously, what would the point be in real life. Most aircraft make a significant racket to attract attention, anyway. Hopefully you shout 'CLEAR!' loudly enough to wake the dead before starting...
TOO
I have a friend who has a horn fitted to his (ICAO) plane, and another with airhorns on his light sport. Fun, not really very useful.
Had Skyshout in Northern Ireland, interesting and fun, also not really very useful! The nightsun, on the other hand, was a lot of fun and very useful!
Had Skyshout in Northern Ireland, interesting and fun, also not really very useful! The nightsun, on the other hand, was a lot of fun and very useful!
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I do recall a long time ago, a ground marshaller was inattentive while I was approaching the spot he was supposed to be marshalling me into. I sensed this was a potential hazard for him. So I stopped, and selected reverse on that engine, and blew him out of my way. It was icy, so he moved easily. Otherwise, I have found that apron control [of people] is the best way to assure safety. If you, as the pilot, are uncertain that people are safely away, you should shut down until the path is clear. Having a horn would suggest that it's okay to have unattended people on the apron with running airplanes - it's not.
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A guy at a flying club was renovating an old, slow glider and was proud to have sourced a (cheap) handlebar grip from a bicycle shop for his control stick, instead of the original and expensive grip. So we gave him a pushbike bell to go with the grip. He actually put it on for a few days and used it to summon the tip walkers when he wanted to take-off. After a few days the novelty wore off though.
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Might have helped at least one engine-out landing on a populated beach.
Some bicycle air horns are pretty loud, not heavy, and charged by hand pump or compressor. There must be some light weight electrical/electronic audio warning devices. What are the back-up beepers on construction equipment?
Some bicycle air horns are pretty loud, not heavy, and charged by hand pump or compressor. There must be some light weight electrical/electronic audio warning devices. What are the back-up beepers on construction equipment?
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I have a friend who has a horn fitted to his (ICAO) plane, and another with airhorns on his light sport. Fun, not really very useful.
Had Skyshout in Northern Ireland, interesting and fun, also not really very useful! The nightsun, on the other hand, was a lot of fun and very useful!
Had Skyshout in Northern Ireland, interesting and fun, also not really very useful! The nightsun, on the other hand, was a lot of fun and very useful!
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John Blake
'...and now, from the Black Sheds end'.
I do recall him regaling us with how he lost his arm, but a little while later giving someone else an entirely different story! It didn't really matter, it was wonderful just listening to him.
TOO
Helo's, aircraft and ultralights used for cattle mustering are often fitted with a siren or multi-tone air horns to encourage those recalcitrant beasts get a move on.
Shark spotting aircraft also come with a siren to warn swimmers that something nearby is looking for lunch.
In days gone by it was usual during gliding competitions to carry either a starting pistol or a bicycle bulb type horn to alert other glider pilots that you were in the same thermal, electronics have taken over that role these days.
CC
Shark spotting aircraft also come with a siren to warn swimmers that something nearby is looking for lunch.
In days gone by it was usual during gliding competitions to carry either a starting pistol or a bicycle bulb type horn to alert other glider pilots that you were in the same thermal, electronics have taken over that role these days.
CC
I could have done with a horn on a few occasions. Mainly when flying into grass strips. Once at Newmarket, 2 fools deep in conversation were walking straight down the strip. I didn't see them until I had touched down. Too late to go around ( you cannot at Newmarket anyway) they saw me with feet to spare.
When I was working in aerial forest fire suppression operations I started out as a bird dog pilot ( ie basically like a forward air controller). The airplane had a siren so that you could warn the fire fighters on the ground a tanker drop was imminent. It also had a loud speaker system so you could pass instructions to people on the ground. Needless to say it was very loud to ensure it could be heard over the noise of the engines and at a distance..
I used both on the ground once when we were in the thick of a big fire action. I had dropped in to a nearby small field to get gas leaving the tankers circling over the fire. When it was time to leave, the taxiway to the runway was blocked by some guy in a C 172 head down, going through the 100 item flight school check list, so I gave a blast of the siren and yelled at him on the loud speaker to get out of the way.
The look on the poor guys face was rather priceless but the desired result was achieved. There have been several other instances in other aircraft when I wished I had the same ability to reach out and touch some moron doing something silly on the ground......
I used both on the ground once when we were in the thick of a big fire action. I had dropped in to a nearby small field to get gas leaving the tankers circling over the fire. When it was time to leave, the taxiway to the runway was blocked by some guy in a C 172 head down, going through the 100 item flight school check list, so I gave a blast of the siren and yelled at him on the loud speaker to get out of the way.
The look on the poor guys face was rather priceless but the desired result was achieved. There have been several other instances in other aircraft when I wished I had the same ability to reach out and touch some moron doing something silly on the ground......
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The first time we were tasked to use it was to warn people in the vicinity of a chemicals factory that there had been a dangerous acid gas leak drifting their way, so they must stay indoors and close windows and doors etc. Unfortunately it had the opposite effect, people came out to see what all the noise from the helicopter was about - so we bu££ered off quick and I don't think we ever used it again in my time on the unit.