My ma took up flying in her early 50s and bough a 182,got her ifr rating and around 70 or so she retired from it and sold her plane. She enjoyed it along with my son,but that was one bug that never bit me lol.
Close Calls at Airports
- Thread starter martyd
- Start date
Exaviator
Member
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2020
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In forty years of professional flying and 22,000 hours I had only three serious close mid-air encounters. One whilst in cloud and in the holding pattern at Tehran (Iran) when I found myself staring into the cockpit of a C-130 at the same altitude and going in the wrong direction. The second in Indian airspace when an opposite direction B-747 was cleared to climb through my level (FL330) only saved by the onboard TCAS. The third in Russian airspace and a similar situation. All three involved aircraft either using a foreign language, or on another radio frequency. Usually, these occurrences are minimised by situation awareness, or TCAS.
The last time I flew was while on the PD. Had to fly to LA to pick up a prisoner and bring him back.
I won't fly now because I won't put up with the **** from TSA.
A good friend used to fly for UPS until his diabetes grounded him. He will not fly anymore either.
I won't fly now because I won't put up with the **** from TSA.
A good friend used to fly for UPS until his diabetes grounded him. He will not fly anymore either.
ggibson511960
Member
The industry struggles. An ex-associate got stuck in Europe last week on an airliner when a passenger tray table was stuck down for too long and the flight crew timed out. New York Air Traffic Control Center is 50% understaffed. Runway incursion near misses at JFK and Austin almost took hundreds of lives. We narrowly averted having an FAA director with ZERO aviation experience. The FAA has yet to solve the 5G frequency interference with radar altimeters mandated in emergency helicopters and Cat III landing systems.
Yeah my above mentioned friend died very shortly after getting an IFR rating. I started off as a student in a Tomahawk and then switched to a Warrior to finish my training. I will never fly a Tomahawk again.
Hair Trigger
US Veteran
Flying (as a pilot) is a perishable skill and requires constant practice to be competent and safe, regardless of all the ratings you have. I never had my pvt license, but flew fairly often with a friend who owned his own plane. I'd work the radios when we went cross-country, and I'd need refreshers from him if I didn't fly for as little as a month.
My SIL is a charter pilot with just under the 1500 hours he needs to get hired by the majors, has his instrument, commercial, multi engine and instructor ratings, and says he learns something new every day, like how to get a B200 King Air in and out of a 3200 foot airstrip when each end of the runway ends on a beach. (He flies to the Bahamas at least twice a week). Lots of practice, and you need to fly frequently. Even a week off feels strange to him when he climbs back in the cockpit.
My SIL is a charter pilot with just under the 1500 hours he needs to get hired by the majors, has his instrument, commercial, multi engine and instructor ratings, and says he learns something new every day, like how to get a B200 King Air in and out of a 3200 foot airstrip when each end of the runway ends on a beach. (He flies to the Bahamas at least twice a week). Lots of practice, and you need to fly frequently. Even a week off feels strange to him when he climbs back in the cockpit.
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Sistema1927
US Veteran
All the fancy equipment in the world won't save you from incompetence.
For example, I knew a guy who had a brand new Beech Baron with full glass panel including WX radar and HSI. ATC warned him of a thunderstorm on his path, to which he responded that he saw it on his radar. He then flew into it, killing himself and his three passengers.
For example, I knew a guy who had a brand new Beech Baron with full glass panel including WX radar and HSI. ATC warned him of a thunderstorm on his path, to which he responded that he saw it on his radar. He then flew into it, killing himself and his three passengers.
Lee in Quartzsite
Member
I owned and flew a Cessna Cardinal for 11 years and logged over 2800 hours, all VFR. During that time I had what some call “Near misses”, 5 in total. Two were in the landing pattern with planes going the wrong way, and THREE while under the control of FAA radar flight following! One mid-air was close enough I could see all 4 people in the other airplane. When I called and spoke with an FAA supervisor at a Flight Service Station he simply stated “We all make mistakes”. I was beyond words!
Now driving is my preferred method of travel, but I do miss flying.
Now driving is my preferred method of travel, but I do miss flying.
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[FONT="]Airport incursions[/FONT]
[FONT="]I’ve seen many possibilities over the years. The first thing comes to mind is the two 747’s Tenerife incident due to an overzealous Captain.[/FONT]
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[FONT="]LAX…737 landed on top of a commuter cleared to threshold. 73 was on short final with AOA most likely could not see the holding A/C. ATC at fault.[/FONT]
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[FONT="]The worst that I witnessed; we were visiting some friends one summer morning and the kids were in the front yard playing. We heard a loud bang and 3 of the kids came bursting through the door screaming airplanes crashed! I ran out front and my elder daughter was standing there mesmerized with the carnage of two ancient Cessna 140’s laying in pieces. I was holding her and making sure she wasn’t hurt when she looked up and with tear swollen eyes said, “ Daddy there is a leg and foot still in the tennis shoe over there.” There were body parts everywhere.[/FONT]
[FONT="]There is an uncontrolled recreational airport within a mile of the homes and with what we refer to as “June gloom” these two beige colored Cessnas didn’t see each other. End of the line.[/FONT]
[FONT="]I’ve seen many possibilities over the years. The first thing comes to mind is the two 747’s Tenerife incident due to an overzealous Captain.[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
[FONT="]LAX…737 landed on top of a commuter cleared to threshold. 73 was on short final with AOA most likely could not see the holding A/C. ATC at fault.[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
[FONT="]The worst that I witnessed; we were visiting some friends one summer morning and the kids were in the front yard playing. We heard a loud bang and 3 of the kids came bursting through the door screaming airplanes crashed! I ran out front and my elder daughter was standing there mesmerized with the carnage of two ancient Cessna 140’s laying in pieces. I was holding her and making sure she wasn’t hurt when she looked up and with tear swollen eyes said, “ Daddy there is a leg and foot still in the tennis shoe over there.” There were body parts everywhere.[/FONT]
[FONT="]There is an uncontrolled recreational airport within a mile of the homes and with what we refer to as “June gloom” these two beige colored Cessnas didn’t see each other. End of the line.[/FONT]
y last flight was in 1999. I'm tired of being treated like a tired sheep & being charged big bucks for it.
Rich Richardson
Member
Been a pilot and Bonanza owner for 30 years. The closest I came to having mid airs were in the traffic pattern at Replublic airport, KFRG. Usually happened when a tower trainee was on duty and his superior let him get too far behind managing the flow.
1300 hours of combat time, SIP in 4 helicopters and 5 F/W aircraft, Maintenance Test Pilot in 5 F/W, MTP Evaluator. On the civilian side, ATP (typed in a couple). They say flying is inherently dangerous, but I did love doing it. I still miss flying helicopters.
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LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
Interesting. As an 18-year old soldier I was recruited for airborne training (jump school, parachutes). We were told that the two most dangerous parts of any airplane ride were take-off and landing, so by jumping out we could avoid half the danger of the airplane ride.
That made sense to me, as an 18-year old. Why hike halfway around the world to go to war when you can ride comfortably in a nice airplane, and avoid half the danger by jumping out before the landing? Seemed to work out pretty well, other than the occasional injury to ankles, knees, hips, lumbar spine.
Still remember the large sign on the parachute shed where riggers packed the parachutes for each use, "IF IT DOESN'T WORK BRING IT BACK".
Several years later I realized that I could have avoided all the danger of the airplane ride very easily by refusing to volunteer for jump school. Lots of take-offs, very few landings.
18 years old was a long time ago.
I have a Cherokee. They are nose heavy and controls are a bit heavy but just not resetting the trim on a touch and go should not cause such an accident. Must have been other factors involved. He might have forgotten to raise the flaps before trying to take off after landing.
The trim was set at max nose up. A former factory rep said at rotation speed it would take over 100 pounds of forward pressure to prevent excessive pitch up attitude, causing aerodynamic stall. there were other factors. The US government (ATC) paid $8 million in the wrongful death suit. The flight school was only insured for $1 mil and that's what they coughed up.
windypoint
Member
I have had the good fortune to fly for private in bush planes and commercially in helicopters in Alaska. It has taken me places few have had the privilege to see. Now grounded due to eye issues, I reflect on my times spent in the air. A few times I survived bad situations, some self inflicted, some Murphy in action. I would not trade those times for anything. Life is an unsure proposition. Good training and learning from your mistakes is essential. That said, I also rarely fly commercially. Not due to safety issues as much as the mentality of today's carriers. Bad schedules, high costs and NO people concerns for comfort. The anger shown in the passengers these days is evidenced by the videos on the news. I feel fortunate to have lived in the days of fun and exciting commercial flying.
My mom worked for Eastern Airlines, So we traveled a lot on employee standby tickets, which cost $2 as I recall. Even on employee passes, we were treated like royalty. I'd have to be traveling overseas to get on an airliner now.
