On Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:09:07 -0700, Dave wrote in
.com:


While taxiing out for takeoff
I heard an announcement on the CTAF - delivered so fast as to be
unintelligible. After completing my checklist I did a 360 to
scan for traffic. Nothing - So I took the runway and announced my
takeoff.

It may have been more prudent if you had made your announcement BEFORE
taking the runway.

Then somebody piped up on the channel lambasting me about not
keeping clear of the runway for the "approaching IFR traffic".

While I can understand that pilot's attempt to warn you of the
approaching hazard, technically his broadcast was contrary to FAA AC
90-42 which only permits self-announce broadcasts of position and
intentions.

So I looked again - and lo and behold, there it was: a speck in the
sky approaching from downwind. I could easily have taken off and
turned crosswind before there would have been a conflict - but elected
to hold on the ground.

Why? If you're sure your departure was possible without undue hazard,
you should have made it, IMO. (I'll tell you a little story about my
experience later.)

Then I discovered that my place at
the hold short line had been taken by another aircraft, and there was
no room to return to the taxiway (without going off into the grass).
So I announced "holding at the departure end" and remained there until
the approaching aircraft declared a missed and passed overhead.

So who is right and who is wrong in that situation? Am I obliged to
vacate the runway by any means (at the risk of damaging my aircraft)
just because somebody is "landing" (though he may actually be planning
to execute a missed approach) - or is the runway "mine" because I am
occupying it, and got there first?


Personally, I don't see anybody as being wrong. It's a matter of
pilot desecration, IMO.

Here's an incident I still remember after 37 years:

Many years ago during a dual cross country training flight in a
slow Cessna 150 (before the inception of CTAFs), I encountered a
frightening situation. As I was lined up on ~1 mile, full-flap
final approach at the then uncontrolled Chino Airport, I observed
an SNJ/T6 taxi onto the runway on which I was about to land. The
frightening part was the fact that he began to depart downwind and
headed directly for me head-on! I was stunned, but my instructor
told me to continue the approach, and I did.

The powerful military trainer was off in a few seconds, and the
pilot adroitly side-slipped out of my path. I landed normally,
and he departed without further incident.

At the time I felt that the behavior of this pilot was arrogant
and reckless. But, upon reflection after my pulse rate returned
to normal, aside from his nearly causing a wet spot on my seat
cushion, his departure was safe, even if it was rude. He knew
that his aircraft was easily capable of completing his departure
without incident. But, I had no way knowing if he had seen my
aircraft nor that he intended to slip out of my path.

This incident taught me a valuable lesson early in my training:
expect to encounter the unexpected. Or, to put it in the
vernacular, s**t happens; deal with it.

My 2¢