Quote:
Originally Posted by WTE_Galway
Actually here in Australia, instead of flying circuits the traditional holding pattern is vertical loops with an Immelman onto final. its also traditional to do a low flypast to scatter any roos or sheep that have wandered onto the runway.
It reduces pilot boredom, one of the known factors in aviation accidents.
For the same reason we have banned turbines ...
As a result Aussie aviation is one of the safest in the world. |
Lol
I have practical experience that you should always expect unconventional stuff from aussie pilots
When I was taking my gliders pilot license at the age of 16 (in 1986 so it's been a while), I was going to have my first flight in a single seater (a Pilatus PC11 B4). I got the instructions to be careful with the horizontal stability as the elevator is extremely more sensitive than the Bergfalkes I had flown before that... Enters the Aussie tow pilot that is doing his first tow flight in Sweden, but with tons of flight hours. We take off and realizing how extremely sensitive the stick in the Pilatus was I tried to be a bit careful to not get into the horizontal oscillations I was warned of. I got a bit over the normal tow position but gently started to easy down the nose... This was right after take off so we where at 150 meters over an Industrial area that is next to the airfield...
And then suddenly "smack", I see the tow line getting disconnected from the tow plane... There I am, with 15 hours in my book having to decide the eternal "aborted take off" question. Shall I try to land ahead in the place where I have the best chances of survival, or make a tight 180 degree turn at low altitude an hope I don't stall and make it back over the ravine at the end of the airfield? I had not done a turn in the plane type so after a split second thinking I did a tight left turn (naturally
) and got back to the field for a downwind landing with 25 meters left when I passed the boundary of the field...
Still strapped into the aircraft my instructor who had been a voluntary fighter pilot in finish winter war briskly said: "Well done, don't get out of the plane, you are going up immediately again so you don't start having any funny ideas about flying being dangerous! ". At this moment the tow plane was landing as I naturally came down before him. The Aussie pilot seemed a bit shaked and wondered why the heck I had been 30 meters over my normal tow position? (this conversation screamed with the Pawnee still running and us both strapped in).
The instructor screamed: "Hey, you do realized we tow ABOVE the prop wash in Sweden? ".
Aussie tow pilot : "Argh, sorry, I'm not used to that so I disconnected as I thought he was going to pull my tail up so I was going to crash... "
Ex finish winter war veteran instructor: "OK, we can talk about that tonight over a beer, let's get the reserve tow line connected - you both stay in your aircraft and don't think more about this now! " (last part with "it's an order " tone).
Off we went and it went well the second time
To the tow pilots defense I was a bit above the swedish tow position so for him it nust gave been scary... But... I would not be surprised in the future if an Aussie pilot did a looping holding pattern
And had it been today I would have landed straight ahead trying to minimize the damage... Tight 180 turns at zero altitude are dangerous stuff!
/mazex