What really upsets me...
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Germany
What really upsets me...
Is there anything which really got you mad when you were watching other pilots and their obvious lack of airmanship?
Yesterday, I was just firing up our EC120 when little dumf*** in his R44 comes around the corner and passes by in close distance and parks the aircraft right in front of me (maybe 60 ft away). His wife jumps out to get the ground handling wheels from the hangar. By the time she gets back (about 1 minute later) the engine is shut down and out jumps Mr. Pilot himself, the blades still spinning at idle speed. The only one left on the controls is Mom's little Chiwawa.
"Oh boy", I hear myself saying. " You better stay here for now and don't move". Mom hands over the wheels to her hubby and act No. 2 starts (remember, those blades are still spinning). He puts on ground handling wheel No.1 and ..... sure enough, jacks up the helicopter on the right hand side.
This was the moment when I decided not to wait any longer and to give a damn about his rotorhead. I backed up and flew away.
Yesterday, I was just firing up our EC120 when little dumf*** in his R44 comes around the corner and passes by in close distance and parks the aircraft right in front of me (maybe 60 ft away). His wife jumps out to get the ground handling wheels from the hangar. By the time she gets back (about 1 minute later) the engine is shut down and out jumps Mr. Pilot himself, the blades still spinning at idle speed. The only one left on the controls is Mom's little Chiwawa.
"Oh boy", I hear myself saying. " You better stay here for now and don't move". Mom hands over the wheels to her hubby and act No. 2 starts (remember, those blades are still spinning). He puts on ground handling wheel No.1 and ..... sure enough, jacks up the helicopter on the right hand side.
This was the moment when I decided not to wait any longer and to give a damn about his rotorhead. I backed up and flew away.
Joined: Sep 2018
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: California
Hmm, I suppose the exceedingly large number of pilots I see on youtube who don't bother with a simple hover check kinda grinds my gears a bit. They just pick it up and yank it over in one motion,...even after the FAA issued a safety reminder.
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: EGDC
Hmm, I suppose the exceedingly large number of pilots I see on youtube who don't bother with a simple hover check kinda grinds my gears a bit. They just pick it up and yank it over in one motion,...even after the FAA issued a safety reminder.
Joined: Sep 2018
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 888
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From: California
Originally Posted by [email protected]
Then they might actually have to pay attention to the manifold pressure and realise they don't have unlimited performance or a rev limiter like in their cars.
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1
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From: United States
Is there anything which really got you mad when you were watching other pilots and their obvious lack of airmanship?
Yesterday, I was just firing up our EC120 when little dumf*** in his R44 comes around the corner and passes by in close distance and parks the aircraft right in front of me (maybe 60 ft away). His wife jumps out to get the ground handling wheels from the hangar. By the time she gets back (about 1 minute later) the engine is shut down and out jumps Mr. Pilot himself, the blades still spinning at idle speed. The only one left on the controls is Mom's little Chiwawa.
"Oh boy", I hear myself saying. " You better stay here for now and don't move". Mom hands over the wheels to her hubby and act No. 2 starts (remember, those blades are still spinning). He puts on ground handling wheel No.1 and ..... sure enough, jacks up the helicopter on the right hand side.
This was the moment when I decided not to wait any longer and to give a damn about his rotorhead. I backed up and flew away.
Yesterday, I was just firing up our EC120 when little dumf*** in his R44 comes around the corner and passes by in close distance and parks the aircraft right in front of me (maybe 60 ft away). His wife jumps out to get the ground handling wheels from the hangar. By the time she gets back (about 1 minute later) the engine is shut down and out jumps Mr. Pilot himself, the blades still spinning at idle speed. The only one left on the controls is Mom's little Chiwawa.
"Oh boy", I hear myself saying. " You better stay here for now and don't move". Mom hands over the wheels to her hubby and act No. 2 starts (remember, those blades are still spinning). He puts on ground handling wheel No.1 and ..... sure enough, jacks up the helicopter on the right hand side.
This was the moment when I decided not to wait any longer and to give a damn about his rotorhead. I backed up and flew away.
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 31
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From: Den Helder
i definitely believe that there has been a reduction in consideration and common decency over the last 23 years since i started flying.
for example people come storming in and land, or rush to takeoff next to you even if you have the rotor at low speed when either starting up and shutting down,
there is usually no attempt to get a "thumbs up" or coordinate
its not clear to me if this is a lack of knowledge, lack of situational awareness, general lack of consideration or they just dont give a s*** ??
for example people come storming in and land, or rush to takeoff next to you even if you have the rotor at low speed when either starting up and shutting down,
there is usually no attempt to get a "thumbs up" or coordinate
its not clear to me if this is a lack of knowledge, lack of situational awareness, general lack of consideration or they just dont give a s*** ??
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,886
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From: U.S.A.
Early in my flying career, while at a civilian airfield I did the pre-flight out of sequence (on a fixed wing) because I thought the battery wouldn't stand too much flap motoring. As I was finishing up, a guy came over to me, and in a very polite and respectful manner asked if I had realized I hadn't done the flap extension check (he was operating the same type). I explained why I was doing it out of sequence, and as the words came out of my mouth, realized I was well on my way to an accident report narrative. I felt chastened, but eventually appreciative that someone had bothered to share their professionalism and diligence in the service of flight safety.
So back to the original post. When we see others operating in an unsafe or unsure manner, don't walk away. Take the time out to question and confirm that things are as they seem. It takes tact and diplomacy not to come across as an asshat, but is it better that someone thought you were a busybody but maybe a learning point was made, or wait until you read the accident report and say "hey, I saw that guy doing that..."
A professional aviator is probably someone who shares the learning and experience whenever possible.
So back to the original post. When we see others operating in an unsafe or unsure manner, don't walk away. Take the time out to question and confirm that things are as they seem. It takes tact and diplomacy not to come across as an asshat, but is it better that someone thought you were a busybody but maybe a learning point was made, or wait until you read the accident report and say "hey, I saw that guy doing that..."
A professional aviator is probably someone who shares the learning and experience whenever possible.
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: halifax
Early in my flying career, while at a civilian airfield I did the pre-flight out of sequence (on a fixed wing) because I thought the battery wouldn't stand too much flap motoring. As I was finishing up, a guy came over to me, and in a very polite and respectful manner asked if I had realized I hadn't done the flap extension check (he was operating the same type). I explained why I was doing it out of sequence, and as the words came out of my mouth, realized I was well on my way to an accident report narrative. I felt chastened, but eventually appreciative that someone had bothered to share their professionalism and diligence in the service of flight safety.
So back to the original post. When we see others operating in an unsafe or unsure manner, don't walk away. Take the time out to question and confirm that things are as they seem. It takes tact and diplomacy not to come across as an asshat, but is it better that someone thought you were a busybody but maybe a learning point was made, or wait until you read the accident report and say "hey, I saw that guy doing that..."
A professional aviator is probably someone who shares the learning and experience whenever possible.
So back to the original post. When we see others operating in an unsafe or unsure manner, don't walk away. Take the time out to question and confirm that things are as they seem. It takes tact and diplomacy not to come across as an asshat, but is it better that someone thought you were a busybody but maybe a learning point was made, or wait until you read the accident report and say "hey, I saw that guy doing that..."
A professional aviator is probably someone who shares the learning and experience whenever possible.
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 240
Likes: 50
From: San Diego, CA
Disembarking with spinning rotors is idiotic but I don't see how jacking up a skid would damage the rotorhead. It obviously is fine when the rotor is still, and it obviously is fine when the rotor is spinning at flight speed because slope landings and especially full-down autos (or hover autos) results is significantly greater shocks to the system. So is there some magic point where the rotor is spinning, but relatively slowly, that somehow makes the rotorhead subject to damage? If it's a reference to ground resonance, that's not an issue with Robinsons.
Joined: Mar 2005
Aviation Qualifications: Military
Posts: 6,562
Likes: 952
From: Aus
So let me get this right: This post is about you being upset with the lack of airmanship and you end your post by saying you didn't give a damn about this guy and his helicopter and right next to this guy while his blade was still spinning? Oh, and don't get me wrong! He definitely lacked airmanship. But you didn't display much airmanship yourself.
Joined: Jun 2016
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: Brantisvogan
Disembarking with spinning rotors is idiotic but I don't see how jacking up a skid would damage the rotorhead. It obviously is fine when the rotor is still, and it obviously is fine when the rotor is spinning at flight speed because slope landings and especially full-down autos (or hover autos) results is significantly greater shocks to the system. So is there some magic point where the rotor is spinning, but relatively slowly, that somehow makes the rotorhead subject to damage? If it's a reference to ground resonance, that's not an issue with Robinsons.
Some pilots, particularly recreational pilots, forget this.
It isn't uncommon, I have had to politely remind (mainly Robbie) pilots to keep the RPM up on a few occasions, though not as often as suggesting they return to pick up their fuel caps.