You've got to be kidding!

[FastEddieB]

Nomore767,

Thanks for putting that in perspective.

[dstclair]

Well stated.

Unfortunately, I've made a few "idiot" maneuvers in my time behind the stick with none of them resulting in more than personal embarrassment. I may have left the tow bar on taxi that was pointed out by a hangar neighbor as I taxied out of hangar row

On landing at the wrong airport. Jack Edwards (Gulf Shores) has the following Remarks:

CAUTION: NOLF BARIN LOCATED 6 MILES NE OF AIRPORT MAY BE MISTAKEN FOR JACK EDWARDS AIRPORT. HIGH VOLUME OF MILITARY TRAFFIC WILL BE OPERATING IN THE BARIN FIELD TRAFFIC PATTERN FROM SURFACE TO 3000 FT AGL.

These two airports look NOTHING alike:


Apparently, low and slow VFR pilots have a tendency to land at the wrong airport.

[Nomore767]

I think we should be easier on ourselves as pilots and not be so quick to call ourselves 'idiots'. After all, we most often catch our mistakes, and give ourselves a mental tongue lashing. We wonder, how we could have missed it, when we 'always' do it normally.
That said, aviation is a lot less forgiving of foolishness and mistakes than other areas of life.

Distractions, complacency, laziness, apathy...they can all kick in. A check-list doesn't always help...we've read it so many times that we can still miss it by not really reading it anymore. Better if we look at the check-list as a 'check' list rather than a 'do' list?
We often see what we want to see...hence we make a runway look like the one we want to land on.

Experienced pilots are probably so because...they've experienced all the mistakes and done all the dumb things the rest of us are still waiting to do. That's why the old guys can sit and yarn....'there I was...", "I remember this one time..."

To those learning to fly who are currently engrossed in learning the fundamentals of simply controlling the plane...learn from the older guys. Become an 'aviator' not just a button pusher....know the limitations of how your airplane flies, don't just learn the POH rote. Learn to read the skies and have a weather eye.

Most of all, learn risk assessment and risk awareness. Just because one guy, who knows it all, because he says he does, gets away with it all the time...doesn't mean that you are being meek and mild.
He's the idiot...you're becoming an aviator.

[drseti]

Excellent advice from a real aviator.

[Wm.Ince]

It's easy to be critical of other people when you're not in their shoes. That brings up the question of who is the real idiot?

We all know the answer to that.

[Nomore767]

It's easy to be critical of other people when you're not in their shoes. That brings up the question of who is the real idiot?

We all know the answer to that.

Ooh ooh...is this a quiz? I think I know, I think I know.....

[Wm.Ince]

For the great majority of both flying careers, with regard to accidents, I always had the contention to wait for all the facts to be presented, before making any judgements or second guessing what I may have done in others' shoes. I have never found it wise, in aviation, to jump to conclusions.

Some people don't get it. Some people never will get it.

"there but for the grace of God, go I"

[sandpiper]

"there but for the grace of God, go I"

Bill,

I was about to post the same thing.

[drseti]

I tried to restrain myself, but the title of this thread wouldn't let me. The actual expression is "You've got to be s#!tti!ng me!"

Back in the bad old days of the last century, when I wore a blue suit with shiny silver buttons, I got involved with a bunch of airmen known as the Wild Weasels, who had a dangerous mission that only 22 year old adrenaline junkies would volunteer for. At that age, you're immortal and invulnerable (it took us all a couple of decades to wise up). The squadron commander held a contest to see who could come up with a squadron patch design. The committee who chose the winning entry agreed that they'd show it to the Old Man, and the first words out of his mouth would become the squadron slogan.

The actual winner looked like this:

weasel.jpg (11.17 KiB) Viewed 4992 times

But what the committee showed the commander was instead this:

ygbsm.jpg (12.12 KiB) Viewed 4992 times

...which explains the YGBSM at the bottom of the above, as well as the official squadron patch.

To those of you who've been there, done that, I say "Cave Putorium!"

[MackAttack]

YGBSM should be the motto for a lot of things!! And I love the expression on that weasel's face!!

Great stories and posts... I really appreciate the perspective from more experienced pilots on this stuff.

Cheers