What's Up: November 2014
Un-Controlled Airport Traffic
By Larry Shapiro
I am aware that this subject is not going to change the entire aviation world and that we’ve all got our own opinions about this stuff, but how often do you actually think about the possibility of a mistake in your choice of the active runway on an airport without a tower? Remember, it’s just a bunch of pilots like you making the calls and they are seldom if ever challenged.
I believe the rules say no straight in approaches at a non-tower airport… but then, I guess rules are still made to be broken now and then, and I’d have to line up behind those of you that have done exactly that, made a straight-in approach to one of those do-it-yourself airports. With that said, I’d like to put this on the agenda for your next hangar flying meeting. You’re a few miles out getting ready to announce to the world that you intend to land on the above-described airport, no tower, no one sitting in an airport office pretending to be a controller, and any other options I may have forgotten about.
Ok, so here’s an almost first for me; I made an initial call for a traffic advisory at an uncontrolled, lovely seaside airport, and low and behold, I got one. Admittedly, it was not my runway of choice, the one I normally would have used, but then, I’m a guest, so I’ll just go with the flow. But wait there’s more! So as I prepare to land on the recently advised to do so runway, I hear a call from another good looking pilot like myself letting me and my heirs know that he’s on final for the opposing runway.
Hummm, now this may be a first…what to do next required I put down my water bottle and camera and started paying attention to either someone that can’t read runway numbers or is really landing on the wrong end. So drawing on whatever experience I could remember, I expertly pushed my transmit button and said, “Excuse me please, but one of you needs to take another look or listen and consider that one of you may be on the wrong runway heading.” “Its not that I’m responsible for you or this airport, but I am responsible for me and my passenger.” Can we get together on this and decide how we want to handle this?
(Silence)…Ok, it seems that you both are still turning the pages in your “How to Fly” Book, so I’d like to suggest we all use the standard approach to the most often used runway and then the airport won’t be closed and we won’t be on the news at eleven. With that said, I am now entering traffic for runway Three-Zero for a full stop landing. May I get a Roger from one of you on this, so we can complete this leg of our flight? (More Silence) Ok, no fair using your cell phone to call a friend, but unless I get a Roger, I am turning base for runway Three-Zero.
By the way, I am concerned about the dare devil/stunt-man on final for One-Two…have you landed or gone somewhere else?
Hopefully I’ve made my point, which is, announcing your runway of choice is a wonderful idea, but make sure the vote in unanimous and calling your insurance agent won’t be necessary. If you still have doubts, may I suggest you break off your approach and start all over again? One more suggestion, don’t go looking for the other dudes after your landing, you’re not their parent or the FAA and you get a gold star for making a good decision. If you feel overwhelmed by this potential problem and you just happen to find yourself staring at the above mention conflict pilots, the best thing you can say is, “Howdy! I’m really sorry about our near miss, it must have been my fault, so please forgive me and then go order your hamburger.
Young Eagle Crash…80 Year Pilot
I wanted to say a few words about this incident, I tried to learn more about it, but I realized learning more would not change my feeling. I personally love all the octogenarian pilots I know and enjoy them, and I’m looking forward to being one soon. BUT ! ! ! Based on our need to have the non-flying citizens love all of us, I put this out to you, and I do it in a gentle, loving and respectful way…Do Young Eagle folks have any age restrictions on their pilots and if not, do we need one? I may still be flying when I’m inducted to the Hall of Heroes, but I’m not sure I’ll be doing Young Eagle flights.
With that said, and holding my breath, any of you want to share your thoughts on this subject? On bended knee, I beg you not to attack me on this, if you know me, then you would also know I write this with love and with a salute. I might also mention that of the few octogenarian pilots I actually know, I asked them about their feelings and all I got was a “What? And a Huh?” Must have been a battery issue.
Aviation Art
Reproduced with the cooperation of Historicana, Burlingame, Calif.I’ve been struggling with this subject for weeks. I knew I wanted to write about it, but then I have to mentally consider the eyes that will see it. First, I have concerns as to whether or not it will be signed off by my publisher, then my wonderful editors, and finally, I know I can’t please everyone, but I do have to consider how you, my readers might feel about a man who did his best to kill off Nazi propaganda. I don’t know all of you, and I do respect your feelings and opinions, but I also have to be true to myself. Not that I’ve struggled through my pre-amble and preface…I want to share with you my thoughts about Aviation Art.
I am not talking about the posters and signed autographed pictures you have hanging in your Man-Cave or hangar, plus the menus from your favorite airport calorie palace, and certain not the picture of you and your airplane in front of some non-descript place … Ok, maybe Oshkosh. What I want to talk about is “Fine Aviation Art.” When I started thinking about this, the first place I looked were all the walls in my office, and I found some really high class crap … but I also found some really high-end Aviation Art Pieces I couldn’t live without. I’m not talking about all the miniatures and models you might have sitting around, but the well Framed and Matted pieces you spent some serious bucks to acquire.
I want to tell you about one particular artist whom I’ve known about four years, but in telling you about him and maintaining my integrity for the facts, the Artist was and is very well known for taking on the Nazis. He is long gone now, but his art lives on. Among the many pieces that hang in many galleries around the world, he actually did one with an Aviation Theme, and that’s the one that caught my eye. It’s a first edition print that I saw and now own, and it’s beautiful. The artist I speak of is Arthur Szyk (1894-1951 (pronounced Shick). His art is unique and varied, but incredibly beautiful. He covered all the World Events and life in other countries. He focused on historical events but did only one piece on aviation.
I’m not in the Art Business, but I have access to many of his first editions and for that special company out there looking for a holiday gift for their customers or even an aviation company that needs something more special than next year’s calendar, this piece is one you should see. I’m not sure how good the quality of the picture I’m including with my column will read, but I’d love to hear from you if you have some interest in this man’s art. Let me assure you I am not selling these, I can only refer you to the place where I got mine.
On Final
By the time this copy of In Flight hits its third reader, I will be flying home from La Paz, Mexico again. I love the weather and fishing there, and the flight to and from is a gift to aviators. The flight is so beautiful that my wife and daughter are going to fill two of the four seats.
With November being one of my favorite months because I have a birthday, I love left over cold Turkey, and it’s heavy duty family time, I wish November was longer. This year my kids are older, so are my grandchildren, so there will be more phone calls, but as my family always does, we look for those without the gifts mentioned above, so we try to share this holiday with our folks in uniform away from there families. I might also mention you think about the folks pulling duty in your local towers and send some goodies up their way.
PS. On a more serious note, thank you again for your words of hope and encouragement as I continue my battle with cancer. Your notes and my time in Mexico, I believe, were the best medicine, and my final treatment will also happen this month. If the doctors keep their promise and they prove they knew what they were doing, I should be able to report to you soon that I am now cancer free. My thanks to the FAA for hanging in with me and allowing me to continue to sit on my ticket and keep exercising my flying privileges… I know that helped me get to this point.
Until next time …
That’s Thirty!
“Over”
About the writer: Larry Shapiro is an aircraft broker, aviation humorist and fulltime grandfather of three. He’d love to have you share your thoughts and ideas for future articles. Office At the Palo Alto Airport: 650-424-1801 or Larry@LarryShapiro.com
