tdowell
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2017
- Messages
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Some days you just have to tell a story.
So, on Friday night, my wife, my 11yo, and I decided to fly 30 minutes over to KFWB on a little night cross country to drop off a friend. Takeoff at KASG was just after dark and uneventful. The short flight Started to get interesting as we passed about 5 miles northwest of 4m1, when someone decided to lase us. It was a low intensity green laser and wasn’t really a major deal, but it did startle me and had me on edge. I was on flight following and immediately notified ATC. They marked the location, put out an aircraft alert, notified local law enforcement and informed me they would maintain contact all the way to the ramp.
Shortly after that happened, I was switched to Springfield approach right as I had the airfield in site about 15 miles out. It’s pretty easy to spot at night because it sits on a hill between a few other hills that are pitch black, making the lights stick out like a sore thumb.
After confering with Approach, I decided to make a straight in for landing. They confirmed no traffic in the area, and the hills and varying terrain around the field can be a little disconcerting when flying a pattern while it’s pitch black outside.
So once I had the VASI in site, I decided for the straight in. I called final at 8,6,4,2, miles then short, just to make sure I hadn’t missed anyone. As I was setting up for landing I felt like I was going a little fast, but I was trimmed right, was on slope, and other than a little extra speed, I felt good about the setup.
Now, at this point I should explain a little. I have 4 sons ages 25, 17, 14, and 11. Each of them are all boy. Athletes (college basketball player, high school QB, JV running back, and little league QB, Reciever, and Running back). They are rowdy, talk ALOT, don’t mind a good fist fight or wrestling match with each other once in a while, and are all around pretty confident kids.
They’re good kids and very respectful to others, but pretty hard on each other and me!
I don’t say this to brag, simply to say, because of this, we have rules. And with these kids, you have to be very strict with the rules or things can get out of hand in a hurry! Some broken bones, a few bad sprains, and even an ACL injury have resulted in the boys not being kept under control. So, when dad lays down a rule, it’s the law, no ifs, ands, or buts. (My oldest is 6’7”, 230lbs and somehow I still have my bluff in on him even though I’m 7in shorter.)
One of these rules is, in the last 10 minute of flight prior to touchdown I expect a completely steril cockpit. They know this and they follow the rule to the letter.
When my wife is with me, she normally handles the check list just because it helps her OCD to feel a little in control. She’s a nervous flyer so she runs the checklist, it’s just her thing. Tonight though, she wasn’t feeling great so she was sitting in back watching a movie.
So... back to the landing. I’m approaching an untowered, black hole, mountain (ok, big hills) airport at night, set up on the VASI, and coming in a little fast. As I cross the numbers, I start to ease back into flare. The ole Cherokee settles down nicely though still a little fast. At that point, the 11 yo says, “uh, dad, flaps.” I said “what” he said, “you forgot flaps”. He was right, that shook me up a little more. I’ve never done anything like that. So, last Saturday evening about 30 seconds after landing, I changed my steril cockpit rule... sorry if it’s a little anticlimactic, but the story has two morals and a proud moment for me.
Moral 1, maybe give the short one a little more leeway. He’s learning, time to let him show it more.
Moral 2, it’s my responsibility to man the checklist, no matter what. I know no-flap landings are a common occurrence, but not knowing my configuration was a stupid mistake on my part. I’ve never made that mistake before, and I can assure you, I will never make it again.
The proud moment, when the 11yo shows you, hes not always the class clown who talks and never listens. he’s paying attention, even when it’s night and he’s sitting in the back of a dark airplane.
All in all it was one of the most interesting night flights I’ve had in a while.
So, on Friday night, my wife, my 11yo, and I decided to fly 30 minutes over to KFWB on a little night cross country to drop off a friend. Takeoff at KASG was just after dark and uneventful. The short flight Started to get interesting as we passed about 5 miles northwest of 4m1, when someone decided to lase us. It was a low intensity green laser and wasn’t really a major deal, but it did startle me and had me on edge. I was on flight following and immediately notified ATC. They marked the location, put out an aircraft alert, notified local law enforcement and informed me they would maintain contact all the way to the ramp.
Shortly after that happened, I was switched to Springfield approach right as I had the airfield in site about 15 miles out. It’s pretty easy to spot at night because it sits on a hill between a few other hills that are pitch black, making the lights stick out like a sore thumb.
After confering with Approach, I decided to make a straight in for landing. They confirmed no traffic in the area, and the hills and varying terrain around the field can be a little disconcerting when flying a pattern while it’s pitch black outside.
So once I had the VASI in site, I decided for the straight in. I called final at 8,6,4,2, miles then short, just to make sure I hadn’t missed anyone. As I was setting up for landing I felt like I was going a little fast, but I was trimmed right, was on slope, and other than a little extra speed, I felt good about the setup.
Now, at this point I should explain a little. I have 4 sons ages 25, 17, 14, and 11. Each of them are all boy. Athletes (college basketball player, high school QB, JV running back, and little league QB, Reciever, and Running back). They are rowdy, talk ALOT, don’t mind a good fist fight or wrestling match with each other once in a while, and are all around pretty confident kids.
They’re good kids and very respectful to others, but pretty hard on each other and me!
I don’t say this to brag, simply to say, because of this, we have rules. And with these kids, you have to be very strict with the rules or things can get out of hand in a hurry! Some broken bones, a few bad sprains, and even an ACL injury have resulted in the boys not being kept under control. So, when dad lays down a rule, it’s the law, no ifs, ands, or buts. (My oldest is 6’7”, 230lbs and somehow I still have my bluff in on him even though I’m 7in shorter.)
One of these rules is, in the last 10 minute of flight prior to touchdown I expect a completely steril cockpit. They know this and they follow the rule to the letter.
When my wife is with me, she normally handles the check list just because it helps her OCD to feel a little in control. She’s a nervous flyer so she runs the checklist, it’s just her thing. Tonight though, she wasn’t feeling great so she was sitting in back watching a movie.
So... back to the landing. I’m approaching an untowered, black hole, mountain (ok, big hills) airport at night, set up on the VASI, and coming in a little fast. As I cross the numbers, I start to ease back into flare. The ole Cherokee settles down nicely though still a little fast. At that point, the 11 yo says, “uh, dad, flaps.” I said “what” he said, “you forgot flaps”. He was right, that shook me up a little more. I’ve never done anything like that. So, last Saturday evening about 30 seconds after landing, I changed my steril cockpit rule... sorry if it’s a little anticlimactic, but the story has two morals and a proud moment for me.
Moral 1, maybe give the short one a little more leeway. He’s learning, time to let him show it more.
Moral 2, it’s my responsibility to man the checklist, no matter what. I know no-flap landings are a common occurrence, but not knowing my configuration was a stupid mistake on my part. I’ve never made that mistake before, and I can assure you, I will never make it again.
The proud moment, when the 11yo shows you, hes not always the class clown who talks and never listens. he’s paying attention, even when it’s night and he’s sitting in the back of a dark airplane.
All in all it was one of the most interesting night flights I’ve had in a while.
