OK, there is another epic thread running about the proposed improvements to the Airventure arrival after last year’s massive debacle on the opening weekend. A lot of time and effort is being put in by a lot of people to revise the procedures that have been used for the past twenty or thirty years, and which revealed their lack of margin for when things go wrong. Folks can debate the reasons things went sideways, they can debate the improvements to the procedures, they can debate if they are ever going to fly in to the show again. But you know what? You probably aren’t going to have much of an affect on those new procedures. Complain, shout and scream all you want on the internet…others are making those changes.
But you know what you CAN do? The same thing that I (me, personally) can do – I can list the things that I (me, personally) will do to make my arrival safer for everyone – including myself. That is what this thread is about. Taking personal responsibility for myself and others out there in the wild blue Wisconsin sky. Many of the problems last year were created by pilots who simply ignored the rules and held themselves first and foremost – they cared not for what they were doing to anyone else. And that, my friends, is a way to make the skies very ugly indeed.
So here is the start of my list.
1) I will ALWAYS follow the NOTAM – or I won’t go to Oshkosh during the show. I won’t rationalize why I fudge here and there. I won’t fly a little faster, or a little higher than the NOTAM says. I will be exactly where it says to be.
2) I will listen a long ways out so that I know if the arrival is going well, or if a furball is going on.
3) I will NEVER hold in the air – I will find a great spot on the ground to go and sit, probably where an EAA chapter is holding a pancake breakfast, and I can visit with other pilots who are waiting as well.
4) I will time my arrival to be at an off-peak period. First thing in the morning has always been good – and I mean right as things open up. Practice those “time on target” skills. (Full disclosure – my current job generally has me arriving on Thursday – easy-peasy.)
5) I will give way to others – there are lots of places I can go and land.
6) I will always remember that the world will not end if I don’t make it in to Airventure with my plane(s).
That’s a start – I have others, but I will let others add their own. Remember - this is about personal responsibility – you can’t control what others do, only what you do yourself.
But you know what you CAN do? The same thing that I (me, personally) can do – I can list the things that I (me, personally) will do to make my arrival safer for everyone – including myself. That is what this thread is about. Taking personal responsibility for myself and others out there in the wild blue Wisconsin sky. Many of the problems last year were created by pilots who simply ignored the rules and held themselves first and foremost – they cared not for what they were doing to anyone else. And that, my friends, is a way to make the skies very ugly indeed.
So here is the start of my list.
1) I will ALWAYS follow the NOTAM – or I won’t go to Oshkosh during the show. I won’t rationalize why I fudge here and there. I won’t fly a little faster, or a little higher than the NOTAM says. I will be exactly where it says to be.
2) I will listen a long ways out so that I know if the arrival is going well, or if a furball is going on.
3) I will NEVER hold in the air – I will find a great spot on the ground to go and sit, probably where an EAA chapter is holding a pancake breakfast, and I can visit with other pilots who are waiting as well.
4) I will time my arrival to be at an off-peak period. First thing in the morning has always been good – and I mean right as things open up. Practice those “time on target” skills. (Full disclosure – my current job generally has me arriving on Thursday – easy-peasy.)
5) I will give way to others – there are lots of places I can go and land.
6) I will always remember that the world will not end if I don’t make it in to Airventure with my plane(s).
That’s a start – I have others, but I will let others add their own. Remember - this is about personal responsibility – you can’t control what others do, only what you do yourself.
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