Stapleford and the mud
 

Anyone fly into/from Stapleford yesterday afternoon? I was holding for 22L at about 4:20pm when I heard the r/w was obstructed and all traffic was advised to hold - looking down 22L I saw what looked like one of the flying club's hire PA28s stuck in mud just to the side of the r/w. Anyone know what happened and why he didn't just backtrack like everone else?

Yours curiously,
LB.

I got back to Stapleford at about 17.15 local and everything was clear by then. Everyone who flies from there either in club aircraft or private ones based locally know that you have to keep off the grass as it is still too soft, so I assume that this guy just thought that he knew better.

Just after 1800, another PA28 taxied up the grass on 28, but was lucky to get away with it. Everyone just stood there shaking their heads in disbelief that someone could be so stupid. Pilots of non club aircraft have been warned that if they get bogged down they will have to extract themselves, but did he take any notice? No.

The other Sunday morning we were having breakfast in the clubhouse when another PA28 started taxiing down 28 to get to the pumps instead of using the taxiway which was clear at the time. We all started taking bets about how far he would get before the nosewheel dug in. And sure enough it stopped, the occupants climbed out scratching their heads and then had to be extracted by a group of jeering colleagues.

We have SNOWTAMS, I think that maybe with all the rain we've been having MUDTAMS would be more in order. But then these people probably down read NOTAMs anyway, so you just can't win.

Hope you weren't held up too long.

RD

Thankfully, as it was a club a/c, they managed to get him extricated pretty quickly. Hadn't appeared to have learnt his lesson, though. After backtracking he turned off onto the taxiway and decided to use the grass at the side as a guide. He managed to go all the way past the holding point with his right wheel in the mud.

I think I'm going to start wearing wellies from now on.

There is a big notice opposite the reception desk/place for paying landing fees...

This does raise another question. Just by the 22L hold, there is a constriction, and if you've landed and there's one at the hold, or vice versa, one of you will have to go onto the mud. As a matter of courtesy I (in a C152) always pull onto the mud, as I'm easier to get out than a Warrior/Arrow or even a twin. But sometimes I've ended up sitting there for ages after landing, when I could get past if people would only wait just slightly back from the hold. I had to wait for the twin to pass and nip in behind it since I'd waited over a quarter of an hour when a simple bit of common sense would have made things easier.

Sorry! (Here endeth the lesson! :) )
-tacc