Really Sloppy

I've stewed about this for awhile. I doubt there is any originality here, but I had to write something anyway.

On my last flight I had scheduled a different 182 than the one I ended up renting. It's a bit cheaper and of the same vintage. Just before I made the trip to the airport I noticed some automatic email messages from the Ahart scheduling program that indicated that I had been moved to a different plane.

When I picked up the keys for my flight I was told the other 182 was in maintenance for a,” Hard landing..". Later on I checked the owners web site and saw that the hard landing was only discovered after a maintenance inspection.

As a former lease back owner I can understand his pain and anger over the situation. I had my share of maintenance surprises over my short duration on the line. Fortunately none were this serious, or caused as much downtime. (Scroll down here to see one ding)

As a pilot I have to wonder at the mindset of the person who caused the damage. Given the extent of the damage they must have known that something bad had just happened, but decided not to say anything.

My first thought for the avoidance is of course financial. I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know if the Ahart insurance policy has a non-subrogation clause or what the deductible runs. Regardless, any standard aviation deductible will take a healthy bite out of someone’s flying budget, and the 20k estimate plus loss of business income listed on the owners site, would be a life changing penalty for just about anyone.

That withstanding, being a pilot requires responsibility. Not reporting an incident like this is plain sloppy and irresponsible. The owner and the FBO have to live with the expense. The PIC has to live with some level of regret I’m certain and loss of honor

How can the rest of us make it work, and make for more honest pilots? On the deductible side, the first club I was in had a program where you could put in an extra dollar amount, 5 dollars back then I believe, and be part of the deductible insurance pool. Most everyone put in for this.

How can we encourage honesty and honor? Practice it ourselves, insist on it with others. That’s all I know.

Hanger Surprises

I need to remember to take a camera with me next time I'm flying.

Checking my calendar I saw that my currency time at Ahart was about to expire, so a flight block was quickly scheduled earlier this week. Given the up and down weather and the flu bug at my household I was certain I would miss the date and end up on another instructor ride. Not that it's a bad thing to go out and have some instruction, but I just like to know that I can go out by myself if I feel like it.

I scheduled one of the 182T's this time out. It's more family sized and a few knots faster, so I still use it on solo trips. It's not a Mooney, but it keeps me out of the 172's.

As I pulled up in my car, the doors to the hanger where already open and the plane was being fueled. Looking in the corner of the mostly bare hanger I noticed what looked like an odd hangar shrine.

One torn sectional, an uncashed check for a small amount, half used bottle of Pepto Bismol, a few pens and an earring. I hope the aviation sprits have been pleased by the sacrafice.

The more interesting hanger fun came after a couple of older gentlemen pulled up to the hanger just across from the one I was in. I hadn’t paid much attention to them except for a “pilot wave” as they arrived as I was in the middle of preflight (the Artful pilot focuses on the preflight, a skipped item from a distraction could really suck later on).

After the preflight I glanced up, and peaking through the partially open hangar doors was the nose of this P-51D.

The P-51D is my favorite aircraft of all time. It is still my piloting goal to fly one of these planes one day. Unfortunately opportunity and dollars have not aligned themselves for this to happen.

Anyway, the owner invited me in to take a closer look. What a great big shinny beast. Plus it’s a bargain to fly at only $1500/hr.

After some drooling and silly comments like, “Nice plane..”, I thanked him for inviting me in.

The 182 isn’t as sexy a ride after that, but it had it’s own shrine and for a while it did it’s own dance in the sky.

Flying Time Slips By

My fall flying, or lack of, is running true to form at this point. Family activities, work, lack of daylight or weather has a hold on trips to the airport.

Looking thru my log book, there are few flights listed between November and January. Those listed, are maintenance flights when I owned the 172 I had on leaseback. That certainly leads me to odd thoughts about missing a plane that breaks so I can get in some flying time.

I have a possible flight later in the month to my client in Torrance. Given the usual unpredictable weather conditions I estimate a 50/50 chance of being able to fly myself. This being a need to be there trip I'll have the Southwest ticket and rental car reservation in advance. It would be sloppy if I didn't.