Tom... thanks for your suggestion.
Could you kindly do me a big favor. I am putting together a
presentation and need specific examples of motorgliders operating out
of Towered Airports and also single runway airports. I am having a
hard time finding specific examples to use in the proposal. I will
need to present the proposal next Wed and so I am a bit behind the
curve. FSDO is being very helpful but we need some ammunition to slay
the dragon (airport manager) with.
I wish to show other locations where self launch sailplans /
motorgliders are able to any of the following:
Safely and effeciently mix with other airtraffic and airlines
Operate on Airports that have a Tower
Operate at Airports that have a Single Runway
A short story including which airport and type of motorglider mixing
with the air traffic and taxi operations.
This is Hawaii... and still a third world country where they shoot
first and ask questions later. It is also one of the top two states
for corruption, Louisiana being the other. That said... Tower guy and
Airport Manager have used the safety and efficency route to stall the
ability for me to fly there. It is just a hurdle that need to be
cleared.
Mahalo
Steve Barnes
(Tom Seim) wrote in message . com...
Steve,
DON'T ASK PERMISSION FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE THE RIGHT TO
DO!
Part of this is JUST DOING IT and getting comfortable with the system.
Have I made my point? If you go to these guys uncertain about your
rights they are going to trample all over you (maybe not, but why risk
it?). At the very least, they will start imposing restrictions on you
that they dream up on the spot.
I have flown my MG out of a number of tower controlled A/Ps without
problems, including Class B. The simplist situation is to launch out
of a uncontrolled A/P and land at the controlled A/P using standard
radio procedure. On initial contact (outside of the control zone) use
the term "glider", not "motorglider" (I assume you will not be under
power). This automatically gives you priority over virtually all other
A/C (unless there is another glider, of course). You can then,
generously, allow other powered A/C to land as normal (assuming you
have sufficient altitude-once I didn't and I ****ed off the
controller, but that's another story-BTW, your safety preempts
controller's atitudes).
This eliminates the A/P access situation. I have also showed up with
my glider and requested access to the A/P. Once they realize you have
an N number and a radio they become acceptive and helpful. If you
hesitate in ANY WAY they will become suspicious. Hey, this is their
job.
Flying in as a powered GA A/C is Ok, but unnecessary. If you don't
know the A/P layout ask for a "progressive taxi". The controllers know
this lingo and will bend over backwards to cooperate.
Tom Seim
DG-400
Richland, WA
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