There's also audio, on the same site, of the ATC comms -- from post takeoff, prior to the landing, where he responds with a "helicopter" designation rather than the "Husky" he was actually flying, and he also screws up the handoff to the next facility, and has to be reminded of which frequency he should be on.
While, for the most part, I'm with the other posters, that individually, most of these (particularly the radio) are common enough mistakes, particularly with someone who flies multiple aircraft types, it IS concerning that they all occurred within a short period of time, and ended in the significant violations at the end of the flight (overflying the airliner, and the taxiway landing). Just seeing the airliner in front of him, *should* have provoked an immediate response of "going around" ... not "is that airliner supposed to be there?".
He was clearly having a *very* bad day. I'm glad that it didn't turn out to be a bad day for anyone else as a consequence, since most aircraft accidents are typically comprised of a chain of questionable judgement, bad decision-making, and outright mistakes.
Given his age, I'm fairly sure there will be some question regarding "competency".
At minimum, I'd expect some remedial training and an FAA checkride -- but adding up the whole picture, the FAA could, if they chose, probably build a pretty good case for yanking his ticket.
I'd bet on the first result rather than the second, but I wouldn't rule it out completely.
The dude should move to his billion dollar ranch in the country and fly around there and buzz his cows, sheep etc.
Maybe he want's to die in an airplane...dunno, if true, he should make sure no innocents die with him.
This is ticket pulling stuff...sadly.
Why the HELL would anybody who can afford almost ANYTHING choose to fly in that mess just reminds me why I don't like most people from CA....Wheels and a few others excepted. (My English prof would call that a classic run on sentence!)
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The dude should move to his billion dollar ranch in the country and fly around there and buzz his cows, sheep etc.
Maybe he want's to die in an airplane...dunno, if true, he should make sure no innocents die with him.
This is ticket pulling stuff...sadly.
Why the HELL would anybody who can afford almost ANYTHING choose to fly in that mess just reminds me why I don't like most people from CA....Wheels and a few others excepted. (My English prof would call that a classic run on sentence!)
Well actually, Even though I have lived in CA for several years I still consider myself a displaced Midwesterner with those values still guiding my everyday life.
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Lifer
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Originally Posted by Jedi Master
This is one reason why pilot's licenses required medical evaluations IIRC. If someone is "foggy" on a regular basis, they really shouldn't be flying.
The Jedi Master
Actually, it isn't. The reason for a medical to fly non-commercially has to do with needing pilots in WWI and the gov't having absolutely no record of who was flying and what their qualifications were and getting caught short. After WWI, all pilots were required to be permitted by the federal government and undergo an induction physical for military fitness. So when WWII came around, they knew just who to draft for Army Aviation. The days of being able to transition from a J-3 Cub trainer (or go directly to an L-4 observation plane, which was a Cub painted green) to a P-40 and put into a fighter squadron are long, long, long gone. But the requirement remains for no damned good reason other than institutional inertia.
And I don't require a medical at all to fly as a Sport Pilot - just my driver's license.
The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
The need for a medical is simply to make sure that you are healthy enough to be flying an airplane. It has nothing to do with WW2. Pilots weren't drafted. They were volunteers. Every one. It has always been like that. Every guy who ever flew for the military was there because he wanted to be there.
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Actually, the initial instructors for WWII were indeed drafted, or directly asked to serve. Or didn't you think we had 100's of aviators in uniform in 1938 when the USA ramped up military strength?
The Sport Pilot program has proven that no more than a driver's license is required health-wise for GA pilots. Not one single accident caused by medical incapacition.
All the medical proves is that on one day out of ten years, if one is younger, and one day out of five if one is older, the medical standards are met.
The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
Actually, for Class 3 medical (normal non-commercial) it is every other year for pilots over 40. Five years if under 40. I don't believe it has to do with drafting pilots. Just establishes a general fitness measure for flying.
Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
Many of the early instructors in the Air Corps were civilians. To meet the need for pilots to fill the thousands of cockpits that were being built, the government took over many civilian flight schools and that is where a lot of Army aviators got their primary instructions. They weren't military instructors. They were still civilians. And as far as the sport pilot license goes, it is very limited. You can not fly at night, for instance. And you are limited to flying very light, low powered airplanes.
"From our orbital vantage point, we observe an earth without borders, full of peace, beauty and magnificence, and we pray that humanity as a whole can imagine a borderless world as we see it, and strive to live as one in peace." Astronaut William C. McCool RIP, January 29, 2003 - Space Shuttle Columbia
#4346767 - 03/25/1709:48 AM'I'm the schmuck that landed on the taxiway'
[Re: Pooch]
Always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel. Romanian born Jewish writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate, Holocaust survivor. 1928 - 2016.
Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. C.S. Lewis, 1898 - 1963.
#4346823 - 03/25/1703:19 PMRe: 'I'm the schmuck that landed on the taxiway'
[Re: Airdrop01]
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All the good flying is in smaller, light aircraft during daylight hours!
I'll dig up the links for the history of the flight physical later, and why it was introduced....might surprise y'all.
At any rate, the Class III physical is now reformed to be much less onerous. The efforts to get it completely removed came a bit short, but the compromise wasn't bad.
The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
Personally I think the relaxation of the 3rd class medical requirements is a step backwards. But then I have to get checked out every 6 months and have an EKG annually (1st Class Medical). Flying an airplane isn't like driving a car or a motorcycle. You can't just pull off to the side of the road if you suddenly feel ill.
Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people. Carl Sagan
#4346989 - 03/26/1704:24 PMRe: 'I'm the schmuck that landed on the taxiway'
[Re: Airdrop01]
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Well, if GA pilots, on average, flew more than 25 hours a year and carried passengers I might agree with you.
Pilots understand that airplanes aren't cars, and go through the pre-flight medical self evaluation.
Just like aircraft aren't cars, Cessna 172's aren't Boeing 777's.
The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
I'm in between the two sides. I guess it's based on the flying you do. I do over a hundred a year, carry passengers, fly long distance to new airfields, fly at night, and fly in controlled airspace. I'm doing instrument training now and may go for the full certification. So I'm a bit over the average Private Pilot, but under any kind of commercial. So I see both sides of the coin and was OK with either way they went on the new medical rulings. I'm halfway through my current two year Class 3 medical.
Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4347001 - 03/26/1704:45 PMRe: 'I'm the schmuck that landed on the taxiway'
[Re: Paul Rix]
Personally I think the relaxation of the 3rd class medical requirements is a step backwards. But then I have to get checked out every 6 months and have an EKG annually (1st Class Medical). Flying an airplane isn't like driving a car or a motorcycle. You can't just pull off to the side of the road if you suddenly feel ill.
That sounds logical, but the problem is that the 3rd class was largely a mirage. Then we got a decade of stats from DL sport pilots not falling out of the sky and showing there's really no benefit to the 3rd class at all as far as safety vs. self-certification.
The 3rd class also included a ton of stupid, unnecessary SIs that cost people thousands (or kept them on the ground) as well.
#4347191 - 03/27/1702:33 PMRe: 'I'm the schmuck that landed on the taxiway'
[Re: Airdrop01]
Joined: Feb 2000 Posts: 49,716Jedi Master
Entil'zha
Flying an airplane isn't like driving a car or a motorcycle. You can't just pull off to the side of the road if you suddenly feel ill.
Then again if such an incident is severe enough to actually incapacitate (but not kill) the result is probably worse in a car.
Imagine things like a non-fatal heart attack, stroke, etc - the GA pilot might well have the time to get through the worst of it and still pull off a landing.
Driving down the freeway? That's probably not going to be a "just pull over to the side of the road"....
And as for an outright fatal medical incident behind the wheel or yoke, I'd think the odds of the resulting crash killing others would actually be higher for the uncontrolled car.
Of course I'm talking strictly GA plane here.......
Back on the Ford thing - I'm not surprised at no disciplinary action, but I'd have thought some kind of "checkride" would result, age considered and all.....