Now that was a go-around

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Rich
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Now that was a go-around

Post by Rich »

Yesterday I was a participating pilot in a Young Eagles event with my local EAA chapter, right here out of Prineville. In these endeavors communication is the key, as (in this case) we had 6 aircraft continually flying the same mission profile of takeoff, fly about a 40 nm route back to the airport, land, get the next youngster, and repeat.

So for one of these sorties, I pull up as no. 3 for takeoff, with an Ercoupe having called short final, and the first plane in line (and 50's-era 170, also participating) pulls out onto the runway and starts his takeoff roll. This was a really close call. The Ercoupe pilot powers up and goes around, the 170 takes off. The remaining two of us hold and wait for the Ercoupe to come back around a shortened pattern and land. Never heard a peep from the 170. Not a bad job by the Ercoupe pilot, surface DA around 4200 ft, in an old D-model that he says is an 80-knot airplane.

It turned out that the 170 started having radio problems somewhere along the way and may not have known it right away. He later wound up pulling out of the exercise altogether when the battery in his hand-held died. I did note his ADS-B Out worked great the whole time in the air, which was helpful when I was in the air at the same time he was. But I had the feeling he was switching it off when on the ground.
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Pascal
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Re: Now that was a go-around

Post by Pascal »

I participated in a similar event today at CYJN (south of Montreal, QC). The first pilot in the air, an old timer with a Piper Arrow was the first in the air since he apparently could not fly at the 90 knots speed we had all agreed upon in order to maintain separation.

So we all see him about to land, maybe 30 feet in the air, with the gear up. Tower spotted it and told him to go around just in time, he literally was 10-15 feet from the ground at that point. He later said he was distracted by the kids inside the airplane. He obviously was dozing off when at the pilot briefing we were all told about the sterile cockpit environment and the pre-flight briefing we were to give to our passengers before each flight.

Anyway. Close call.
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Steve
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Re: Now that was a go-around

Post by Steve »

Pascal wrote:...He later said he was distracted by the kids inside the airplane. He obviously was dozing off when at the pilot briefing we were all told about the sterile cockpit environment and the pre-flight briefing we were to give to our passengers before each flight.

Anyway. Close call.
When my kids were younger, I made good use of the ISO function on my intercom for all phases of flight except cruise. My kids were pretty well-behaved, but you never can tell when the "Are we there yet?" will interrupt an important activity...

Steve
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Rich
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Re: Now that was a go-around

Post by Rich »

For this event we each only took one at a time. Ostensibly this is so everyone could get a go at the controls. But it does have the effect of not having lots of kid chatter going on in the plane.

The 6 kids I flew yesterday were all very well-behaved. Most had some questions, which it is our role to answer. And they were all good questions. One young man was quite chatty but personable, also with great questions and observations. He pointed out his house. I enjoyed all our Young Eagles yesterday :)

Probably another go at this in 3 weeks :thumbsup:
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Pascal
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Re: Now that was a go-around

Post by Pascal »

Rich wrote:For this event we each only took one at a time. Ostensibly this is so everyone could get a go at the controls.
I could only take one at a time anyway with my DA20 :)

The organizers packed the airplanes with as many kids as they could as we had over 107 kids and only twelve airplanes and bad weather was going to move in towards the end of the afternoon.

I’m glad I did it, I know I made a few very happy kids. Congratulations to you Rich!
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Re: Now that was a go-around

Post by Colin »

That isolate button on the intercom panel is key. I still use it now, although I learned to use it when the boys were 7 and 9. It made me push it reflexively when I needed to focus, so I'll do that even when I have adults in the plane. I'll then apologize afterwards.
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Steven
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Re: Now that was a go-around

Post by Steven »

Steve wrote:
When my kids were younger, I made good use of the ISO function on my intercom for all phases of flight except cruise. My kids were pretty well-behaved, but you never can tell when the "Are we there yet?" will interrupt an important activity...

Steve
My daughter doesn't yet understand that you don't have yell above the engine noise when using a headset with a microphone. Yesterday, on the takeoff roll just approaching Vr my daughter screamed "DADDY WHAT'S THAT ON THE RUNWAY!" :shock:

It was a windsock. :scream:
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Colin
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Re: Now that was a go-around

Post by Colin »

When passengers speak too loud it is usually solved by turning their headset volume WAY up.
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