10 things that annoy you in aviation.
 

Nothing gets me more than inefficiency or reluctancy for change "just because it's always been done this way". Aviation is the king of this.

Obviously, text below should be taken cum grano salis and with tongue firmly planted, but still......:}

1. The TAF's and Metar's. I get it - they have to be abbreviated to able to send over telex. Problem is the telex died, what, 30 years ago? Why on earth are we still reading an incomprehensible abbreviated piece of text?

2. Why aren't TAF's and Metar's combined? Give me the actual weather and the forecast. All in one. Madness having to look in two different places.

3. And IF you're going to use a standard, please make it a standard across the board. It's nuts to have different TAF and Metar values depending on region (one more reason to write it out in plain English - so as to avoid confusions). The US and European TAF's and Metar's are significantly different.

4. You're busy approaching an airport for landing. You have to comply with ATC and spot 5 different other aircraft whilst reading a checklist and a map, at night, all at once. Would it kill the manufacturers to have a toggle that had different settings for Taxi, Climb, Approach, Landing? That way you could just turn a knob to Landing, and the landing light and gear would come out/on. Done deal. When you've landed switch to Taxi and the taxi light comes on etc. Why have a million checkpoints on a list, when one button could accomplish all of it?

5. Why can't I get weather beamed to me in Europe to some device in the aircraft? I can get it on my Iphone, but not to my aircraft?

6. Notams pertaining to your route into the aircraft? Forget it.

7. If you take your FAA PPL in a multi engine, you're not allowed to fly single engine aircraft. WTF? At least JAA has got that one right.:eek::ugh:

8. Bigger fuel tanks. Yeah, so I get it - if I want to fly around 6 relatives all the time then I can't fill the tank up. But when I'm alone, have starved myself to a strand for 30 days and fly naked, I'd like to be able to fly a little bit longer than 450NM. Carrying empty tanks full of air doesn't cost anything.

9. Which way again? Would it kill the publishers of all the worlds VFR and IFR approach/airport plates to print the RWY pattern visually? I don't want to have to read my way through half a page of miniscule font in a shaking plane just to find out that Rwy 21 has a right hand pattern and that so-and-so nimby little village mustn't be overflown...

10. Why on earth can't I carrier wave open the landing lights at most European airports? Would they rather I ditch in the sea in darkness than use their precious facilities after they've gone home at 5pm?

International standard. One can read the format pretty easily (with practice) and since aviation is driven primarily by airlines (pilots who do this all day), the pressure for change is nil.

As above.

True, but again the only people who are routinely exposed to both, and who have any say, are airline pilots, and they are not bothered.... so no pressure to change.

Not sure how that could be implemented without some complexity, and aviation design is rarely done by the sharpest knives in the drawer :)

BTW you don't read a map at night (nothing to see; it is IFR) :)
Some 99% of private pilots are VFR-only, doing £100 burger runs, and they don't need it. The UK ones are mostly so tight you could not get a tightly rolled up fiver up their back end so they would not pay for it.

But you can get it e.g. this. It just costs a huge pile of money, and (because in Europe the Met Offices have set up a cartel to sell their prime data even if produced with taxpayer money) the data is much less extensive and much more expensive than in the USA. And because Europe does not have the market for a satellite channel (supposedly) it is done via the very expensive Iridium satphone network.

I have satellite data in my plane (tafs/metars currently) for long flights, using a Thuraya satphone but it isn't a neat integrated system.

It's technically feasible but back to my comment about tightly rolled up fivers :)

It's on a website. Narrow Route Briefing.

The fact that nearly all notams are irrelevant garbage (because they are so easy to squirt out) is another matter...
Really?

I agree a lot of tanks could be bigger. My TB20 (86USG) could carry at least 100-120USG simply by moving the bulkheads which form the outer tank limits further out. I guess the mfg decided to put a limit on the spar stress...

Yeah, VFR = very frequently random :)
Yes. It's called Proper Airmanship :)

I have no idea why it's banned here; really stupid.

However, I could think of bigger things to moan about...

PPR
PNR
PPR for Customs
PNR for Customs
etc
Airports not replying to communications (crap management)
Limited airport opening hours (= lack of GA utility).
Lack of hangarage at most airports (discourages the basing of a half decent plane there).
Hardly any GA airports have instrument approaches.
Mandatory ATC for an instrument approach (UK) ensuring GPS approaches are never likely to have much relevance because most ATC airports already have a conventional IAP.

and other stuff like that. In comparison, obscure TAF formats are a non-issue, IMHO.

I've had notams relayed to me by controllers on more than one occasion. Such as "did you know that after you took off a piece of airspace at such-and-such has been notamed closed because of an unexploded bomb?".

I think I'd rather have that then yet another gadget to learn how to use, remember to switch on, and take time away from looking out the window.

1 People who go on about how the FAA and JAR are different
2 People who whine because there's not an app for landing their aeroplane
3 People who make up words like reluctancy
4 People who think everyone else should want to fly their way

That's it, only four, I'm quite content really.

Please do - I saw this as a springboard for a good moan thread!:ok:

Well, I did read the map as I'm doing my FAA PPL right now, as part of the syllabus is 3 hrs night flying. And trying to navigate in the LA basin, at night, with constant ATC and trying to spot at least 3 other aircraft in the pattern at Santa Monica (where both right hand and left hand circuits to same rwy take place simultaneously) is quite a lot to do when you have to read a checklist and flick switches that are in the dark. I'm sure it's just because I'm not used to the plane or the workload, but I thought that there must be a better way.

Maybe you can print that on your little pocket memorizing card?

Ehrm.... it's cum grano salis (sorry, Latin roots kicking in).
And while I'm in pedantic mood, reluctance does have an alternative spelling.

Changed.:ok:

Only three things then, even better.

I'm unlikely to forget.

1. 3rd world countries; not everywhere has the technology for this system from what I've been told!

2. As confusion could easily occur between the two and the content is completely different. Want them together? Print them out on the same page. :ok:

ah, achem!

1. The TAF's and Metar's. I get it - they have to be abbreviated to able to send over telex. Problem is the telex died, what, 30 years ago? Why on earth are we still reading an incomprehensible abbreviated piece of text?

Not everywhere. Some palces still use AFTN/SITA. And ACARS sends them in the same format. I see you have an iPhone. Get the Aero Weather APP. It translates them.

2. Why aren't TAF's and Metar's combined? Give me the actual weather and the forecast. All in one. Madness having to look in two different places.

They have different validities. METARs are published every 30 or 60 minutes, TAFs every 3 or 6 hours. You could publish the lates TAF with every METAR, but not everyone would want that, especially environmentalists.

5. Why can't I get weather beamed to me in Europe to some device in the aircraft? I can get it on my Iphone, but not to my aircraft?

You can. It's called ACARS, but it costs.

6. Notams pertaining to your route into the aircraft? Forget it.

Again, by ACARS.

Maybe you don't but I do. There's plenty to see.

Answer to the original question... JOBSWORTHS!

Things that annoy me in aviation:

1) Know-alls who hang around pilots' internet forums havering tosh. See point 2). :hmm:

2) As someone mentioned above, people who think everyone should fly their way, i.e. everyone should use this method of navigation, everyone should fly this aircraft, everyone should do this, that, whatever. Pish. I'll fly the way I want, i.e. the way I was taught, as long as it is entirely safe, legal, sensible and doesn't cause any hassle to others. You do the same. :hmm:

3) People who arrive near busy CAS/airports without a clue of local procedures and expect everyone to bow to their wishes. GPS junkies (not all GPS users, rather the magenta-line-followers who don't have a clue how to use it properly and end up staring at the display all day) are sometimes bad at this, requesting direct transits that take them through ILSs, approach paths etc., completely ignoring VRPs, lanes etc. Causes ATC endless hassle. Check procedures before you go and follow them, so that you don't get the controller distracted from directing several 757s on the approach around about you whilst you err and emm on the radio as you faff about asking for a silly transit that you won't get. :rolleyes:

4) People who complain about aircraft noise. Easy remedies for that... Stick earplugs in. Go and listen to music. Put the washing machine on. Switch on the hoover. Or bugger off and live somewhere else where you can mump and whinge for the rest of your miserable sodding life to some other poor sod. :rolleyes:

5) The green movement, which has a considerable chip on their shoulder against our hobby/career. Fack off and leave us alone. :=

6) The government, which has a considerable chip on their shoulder against our hobby/career. Solution as per that of point 5). :=

7) Folks who continually ask how much it costs to fly.

Picture scene if you will; talking to colleague at work, old friends I haven't seen for a while, chatting up bird in nightclub, whatever.

"So what hobbies do you have then?"
"Oh, I'm a pilot."
"Really? How much does that cost then?" :ugh:

What does it matter to anyone else how I spend my meagre wages? Without fail the first question uttered when the "P" word is mentioned.

Rant levers to idle. :)

Smithy

Fuel gauges.

Why is it that in every aircraft I have flown I do not have an accurate or RELIABLE way of knowing how much fuel I have in the tanks? Im not talking about fuel planning, but how has technology moved on so far and left fuel gauges in the past.

I say "fuel sufficient" only because I know that I am flying around with 4/5 times more fuel than I actually need because the gauges cannot be used and no matter how well you try and calculate fuel burn, the actual will always be different.

Put a fuel gauge in aircraft that works and I can use please.

Geez....must have been a serious bout of bad weather in the UK!

A lot of grumpy moany people....get out and fly some more....it will put you into a better mood! :ok:

Surely flying is all about having fun, and enjoying yourself, and not about finding as many things as possible to moan about!

Captain Smithy:

"7) Folks who continually ask how much it costs to fly.

Picture scene if you will; talking to colleague at work, old friends I haven't seen for a while, chatting up bird in nightclub, whatever.

"So what hobbies do you have then?"
"Oh, I'm a pilot."
"Really? How much does that cost then?"

What does it matter to anyone else how I spend my meagre wages? Without fail the first question uttered when the "P" word is mentioned."

My suggestion is to answer that question by saying that you have absolutely no idea how much your hobby costs.... thus neatly openning a completely different can of worms.;)

People who drop in to conversation how many hours they have. As if this is supposed to reflect a high level of skill or experience.

Lazy R/T.

Controllers who raise their voices at nervous or hesitant private pilots.

Ignorant management at airports who choose not to answer e-mails.

Precious flying club committees and the divisions created between local pilots and aircraft owners.

Pilots who don't indicate when entering a roundabout, making you wait then turning off before they get to you. Pilots who drive in poor vis on sidelights. ATC that vectored me right round their zone because my mode C had gone tits up.

1. People who ignore the POH - notably those who add a few knots for luck.
2. Egos and arrogance - pilots who don't accept they are fallible.
3. Carburettors - why do the manufacturers still peddle them?
4. People who believe the only GA aircraft type is a Cessna/Piper.
5. Pilots who bring an aircraft back with minimal fuel and then expect the next pilot to fill it up.
6. Kneeboard/headset discussions.
7. "How fast is your Arrow?" discussions.
8. People who cut you up in the circuit.
9. Flying clubs where two geriatrics who have hardly flown in the last decade still have overwhelming influence.
10. Pilots who extend flaps/gear etc at limiting speeds.

The early evening long TAF that gives you hope that tomorrow will be flyable - and then it isn't :ugh:

1. Students who don't show up;
2. Students who show up late;
3. Students who are not-prepared (didn't read up on exercise/no equipment etc);
4. Spanish ATC who let aircraft in ahead of you - as long as they are Iberia and in the Northern Hemisphere;
5. French ATC who let every Air France aircraft take-off ahead of you, provided they have their engines running;
6. The stewardesses who ran a poll for 'sexiest pilot in the airline' and when asked told me I wasn't even on the list!;
7. Refuellers who think the World revolves around them;
8. Trial lesson candidates who don't tell you they feel unwell until they splurt it all out;
9. BA strikers - especially when the country is in recession, airlines are on their knees and vast numbers of people out of work why should they complain about their already preferential terms and conditions? (I don't like to criticise but it all seems very badly considered); and finally
10. Security procedures and personnel (how do you permanently remove someone's sense of humour - and be consistently good at it everywhere in the World?!)

KR

FOK

Well, I'm going to buck the trend and say 'none'.

I have always felt privileged to be able to fly, and recognise how fragile (financial, medical, etc) that privilege is. I've never quite been able to get over the fact that every time I line up I'm being 'allowed' to commit aviation.

A cantankerous and sometimes cruel mistress but never an annoying one:ok:

They exist but cost a lot of money. For less, you can install a fuel totaliser (flowmeter) e.g. Shadin or JPI and forget the gauges...

GA aircraft electrics are not yet at the 1972 Vauxhall Viva stage, for the most part.

You are not wrong ;)

Mind you, today I did some ILS receiver testing... very satisfying to compare the tracking with a GPS in the OBS mode, set to 0.3nm FSD :)
Or faxes, or they hang up when they hear you speak English. Or airports whose published GA contact # is the passenger flight hotline ....

TBH, emails are not the method of choice for reliable comms anyway. The majority of published emails don't work for businesses generally, not just airports.

people who claim to have flown everything

people who claim to be qualified flying instructors but actually are CRI's

people who claim to run legitimate AOC charters

People who claim to have a professional licence ( CPL or ATPL)

People who lie about there total hours experience

people who spend too much time on these forums and dont actually fly very much

:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O

Anyone involved in aviation who doesn't know how to spell the name of the building that aircraft are kept or maintained in. :(

Well, for me it's quite a high workload. I've not flown at night much before and the ATC and various Bravo airspaces with different floors around this area certainly keeps me on my toes.

But when they come in from Malibu/Palisades or North West, they fly a right hand circuit to rwy 21 as advised by the TWR. That's what happened the other night - multiple aircraft coming from NW joining a right hand downwind, whilst we came from the mini-route above KLAX and joined the lefthand circuit. I'd never encountered this before and it was hard to spot all of them whilst doing all the other stuff.

10 things....?
 

Sorry, I wouldn't know when to stop...:}

Another thing I grow somewhat tired of is the inevitable comparisons, nay cliches, mostly from non-aviation folks, drawn from a certain Hollywood movie of 1980s vintage about a group of US Navy pilots. Many references when talking about anything/anyone aviation-related are made to said film and its prat actor, fancy sunglasses, flying jackets with badges all over, chatting up females, pratting about on motorbikes and F-14s etc. The sound track was decent but that's about it :rolleyes:

There again like most things in life I just laugh them off. Hope I didn't come across as being some cantankerous git in my previous (flippant) post :)

Aviation is great. Some minor irritances, mostly from outside quarters, but great nonetheless.

Smithy

• People who suggest "the 10 best/worst things" lists.
• Student pilots who slag off the CAA 'cos it's trendy and makes you sound like one of the guys. Get some experience first.
• Student pilots who get their licenses and then have to buy a set of Raybans, a square box pilot case and a headset "to look like a pilot".
• Pilots who can't navigate and expect a GPS to do it for them.
• CRIs who think they know everything, but who couldnt quite make FI.
• Panshanger.
• Retired pilots who insist on calling themselves "Captain"
• Baby Instructors with 300hrs who wear epaulettes and captains bars. Also Flying schools who insist on it..
• Pilots who havent got a clue about propwash and it's effects at a crowded parking area.
• Guardian reading NIMBYs who move next door to an airfield and then expect it to close "because it's against our human rights" !
• People who waste time and sound like a miserable git completing lists like this

:E

My life in aviation is amazing. I spend my days listing the things that make flying, and it's people great.

I count on appreciating those aviators who try to avoid fulfilling Chuffer's list!

As my Dad used to say, "There's no bad beer. Only beer and good beer".
Same applies to aviation. :)

1. The cost.
2. The dire state of the 1960s fleet of GA training aircraft.
3. The cost.
4. The CAA.
5. The cost.
6. The British weather.
7. The cost.
8. Flying club coffee.
9 The cost.
10. The resident flying club expert who has to regail you of his anecdotes and advice without bothering to find out who you are or what experience you have. All clubs have one and you can usually spot him because he's wearing a flying jacket with badges of aircraft of which he has never flown.

I think what you mean is that sex is like a pizza: even when it's bad, it's still very very good :)

Oh, I dunno. Ever had a Tesco pizza? :}

Sorry, was on a roll and just couldn't stop...:ok:

1. The moment of advancing the throttle(s) as you begin t/o
2. Braking out of the clouds just at minimums and seeing the rwy in front of you
3. When a student finally learns shomething after doing it wrong for a million times
4. Flying a single engine piston in uncontrolled airspace on a beautiful summer evening
5. The smell of JetA/100LL
6. The camaradery among pilots
7. Pulling 6G
8. Taking someone up for the first time and seeing them smile and remembeing that what is normal and everyday to you is still special for most.
9. The rush of performing a very complicated task at the very edge of your capability and getting it right.
10. The view

Rubbish...hate it, everything about it...:}

Yeah Northrider, you've got it...

I'd like to add:

Having to slightly roll the ailerons during a landing, to see if you're on the runway, 'cause you cold not feel yourself touch,

Feeling the slight acceleration as the second float comes out of the water during a glassy water takeoff,

Doing a helicopter toe in landing in a rocky mountian river confined area, so small that after you flew over it the first time, you lost it,

Having the tower controller ask you if the plane you just landed is STOL equipped, when it's not,

Finally getting the gear down after an hour of flying around with a landing gear failure,

Finding a lost boater in the middle of the lake at night, and leading rescue teams to them,

I could go on.... even past 11!

Some good suggestions you bring up.

The thing that annoys me overall is just how dated most things to do with flying are. Similar to your comments about telex and tafs etc

I also like your idea of different modes for landing/cruise/takeoff etc

;)

PilotDAR is right that there are many joys in flying, which no doubt is why we hang in there despite all the crap we European have to put up with.

However I think it is useful (in a perverse kind of way) to focus on the crap with a view to developing procedures to minimise its effects, for that makes flying (especially going places) a lot easier.

I actually think EASAs JAR, when fully implemented, could clarify and be beneficial to European aviation. Most of the problems today stem from differences between the Euro countries (but under the veil of JAR). Once one rule fits all, then everything will become a lot clearer. Even if that means that maybe a loved national rating or procedure falls by the wayside.

Flying is great and wonderful. It's just the crap around it that sometimes gets you down.