I've observed at our local airport, when the local airport manager and
some flight instructors pointed it out, how the MD State Police and
Customs helicopters don't report positions when they fly past the airport.
They have these cynical statements like, "I'm still waiting for the day
when they call in their position . . ." and others.

I guess these "officials" are just too consumed with other stuff to
worry about GA pilots safety. Maybe they listen but just go about their
business.

Is this common in other places?

I was also watching a recent news report on getting a tower at FDK
in Maryland, and they referenced several "near misses" with State Police
helicopters - but it makes me think that it was the State Police
who didn't call their positions!
Maybe anecdotal evidence, but still!


Joe Johnson wrote:
Me: 240 hr PP-ASEL, minding my own business, doing touch & goes at an
untowered field, and scrupulously calling my position in every leg of the
pattern.

The offender: pilot of a small Citation jet.

I saw the Citation taxiing toward the active as I was downwind. I watched
the plane carefully (suspiciously) as there was never any transmission on
the CTAF frequency. I listened to departure on my second radio; he/she
wasn't on that frequency either. When I turned base, the Citation was at
the hold short line adjacent to the active threshold. As I was on 1/4 to
1/2 mile final, the Citation suddenly took the runway and started the
takeoff roll; nary a radio call was heard. Prepared for this, I did a 360,
landed, and got the tail number from an airport employee.

Should I report this to the FAA? If so, how? When in the course of an
aviation career does someone become so complacent that they don't say "boo"
before taking an active runway?

We all see lots of idiot drivers on the road. I used to think aviation was
different, both because the training is more rigorous and because the stakes
are so much higher. With all the idiotic and careless mistakes I read about
in NTSB accident reports, I'm beginning to wonder.

Thanks for reading--I'm a little less upset after having written this down.