Andrew Gideon wrote:

If I were an owner or partner of a lone plane, I'd have had to cancel the
flight.

But then again, if you were a single owner or partner you wound probably
not cause some of the incidents that have landed a few of the local flying
club's aircraft in the shop.

For example, a pilot in the club or a passenger didn't hold onto the door
one windy day and it sprung open with such a force that it ripped a few of
the screws from its hinges and bent the door. Two weeks down.

Another time a flying club pilot buried the nose of the club's C172 into
the runway during a single moment of inattention while landing on a clear,
VFR day. Several months of down time to repair the bent firewall and
damaged nosewheel, and perform all tasks related to a propstrike.

Or how about the time a new flying club pilot back-taxied down a single
strip and decided to turn around on the grass adjacent to the asphalt,
sinking the nosewheel into a gopher's hole and causing a prop strike. At
least one month down time. Ok, so maybe the gopher's hole could happen to
anyone but if it were your bird, you might think twice before leaving
perfectly wide asphalt for the unknown of the moderate rough.



--
Peter