Dumb & Dumber

As we were preparing to depart the Quad Cities Air Show yesterday (an
outstanding show, BTW, with the Blue Angels and perfect spring weather), I
became aware of a Piper Warrior having difficulty a few aircraft down from
us.

All transient aircraft had been parked in the grass off the parallel taxiway
for Rwy 15/33, and it seemed that this fellow was having trouble taxiing
back up onto the hard surface. His nosewheel was tight up against the
concrete lip, and he wasn't going anywhere now that he had lost his "running
start" at the step. I recognized the Warrior's tail number as being a
well-used rental bird from a nearby airport...

Just as we started walking toward him to lend a hand, he shut the engine
down, and the door popped open. I figured he'd push the plane back for
another try at it, or perhaps try pulling the plane up onto the hard surface
with a tow bar.

Instead, out popped this guy's girl friend, who proceeded to walk back to
the stabilator, hunch down, put her shoulder into it, and started to PUSH
THE PLANE BACK ON THE GRASS, straining as hard as she could!

Appalled, I started to shout something, but I was too far away to be heard.
In horror I watched as she pushed the plane backwards through the grass
about ten feet, not by pushing on anything sturdy, but by really leaning
into the thin aluminum, whilst her boyfriend sat all the while quite
comfortably strapped into his seat.

Worse, she wasn't pushing down near the fuselage, where it might take the
load, but was rather giving her all way out at the end, by the fiberglass
tip, obviously unaware of the tremendous twisting force she was exerting on
the Piper's relatively delicate empennage.

Before I could move further, she stood up, wiped her hands on her shorts,
and hopped back in the plane. This time he really gunned the engine and
popped right up onto the hard surface, and taxied merrily away -- completely
oblivious to the hidden damage his girlfriend may have just wrought on that
Warrior.

If there was ever any doubt as to why we were so happy to get out of the
aircraft rental market, this was it. Anyone who has ever seen the
sturdy-yet delicate structure of the Cherokee's stabilator knows that it was
never designed for asymmetric twisting forces like that girl imposed, and
God only knows what hidden damage may have been wrought in those few seconds
of awesome stupidity.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

--
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote:
If there was ever any doubt as to why we were so happy to get out of the
aircraft rental market, this was it. Anyone who has ever seen the
sturdy-yet delicate structure of the Cherokee's stabilator knows that it was
never designed for asymmetric twisting forces like that girl imposed, and
God only knows what hidden damage may have been wrought in those few seconds
of awesome stupidity.

Stupidity, and laziness, on his part, likely just lack of knowledge on
hers (not because she's a woman, but because by the time most people are
pilots, they've been schooled on where NOT to push).

Jay Honeck wrote:
As we were preparing to depart the Quad Cities Air Show yesterday (an
If there was ever any doubt as to why we were so happy to get out of the
aircraft rental market, this was it. Anyone who has ever seen the
sturdy-yet delicate structure of the Cherokee's stabilator knows that it was
never designed for asymmetric twisting forces like that girl imposed, and
God only knows what hidden damage may have been wrought in those few seconds
of awesome stupidity.


Since you recognize the bird, you'd be doing somebody a tremendous favor by
cluing in their maintenance facility to the possibility of damage. If something
ever happens to that airplane where it comes apart in the air and you didn't
warn them, you'll never be able to live with yourself.

Hey, it might be nothing... but it might mean the lives of a family of four.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

Jay Honeck schrieb:

sturdy-yet delicate structure of the Cherokee's stabilator knows that it was
never designed for asymmetric twisting forces like that girl imposed, and
God only knows what hidden damage may have been wrought in those few seconds
of awesome stupidity.

That stabilizer is designed to stand much more twisting force than any
real life girl could ever apply to it. Otherwise it would come off
during the first reasonable bumpy flight. (Nevertheless you shouldn't do
what she had done, of course.)

Stefan

Since you recognized the N-number, perhaps you should tell
the owner about what you saw.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:kf7hg.764747$084.87755@attbi_s22...
| As we were preparing to depart the Quad Cities Air Show
yesterday (an
| outstanding show, BTW, with the Blue Angels and perfect
spring weather), I
| became aware of a Piper Warrior having difficulty a few
aircraft down from
| us.
|
| All transient aircraft had been parked in the grass off
the parallel taxiway
| for Rwy 15/33, and it seemed that this fellow was having
trouble taxiing
| back up onto the hard surface. His nosewheel was tight up
against the
| concrete lip, and he wasn't going anywhere now that he had
lost his "running
| start" at the step. I recognized the Warrior's tail
number as being a
| well-used rental bird from a nearby airport...
|
| Just as we started walking toward him to lend a hand, he
shut the engine
| down, and the door popped open. I figured he'd push the
plane back for
| another try at it, or perhaps try pulling the plane up
onto the hard surface
| with a tow bar.
|
| Instead, out popped this guy's girl friend, who proceeded
to walk back to
| the stabilator, hunch down, put her shoulder into it, and
started to PUSH
| THE PLANE BACK ON THE GRASS, straining as hard as she
could!
|
| Appalled, I started to shout something, but I was too far
away to be heard.
| In horror I watched as she pushed the plane backwards
through the grass
| about ten feet, not by pushing on anything sturdy, but by
really leaning
| into the thin aluminum, whilst her boyfriend sat all the
while quite
| comfortably strapped into his seat.
|
| Worse, she wasn't pushing down near the fuselage, where it
might take the
| load, but was rather giving her all way out at the end, by
the fiberglass
| tip, obviously unaware of the tremendous twisting force
she was exerting on
| the Piper's relatively delicate empennage.
|
| Before I could move further, she stood up, wiped her hands
on her shorts,
| and hopped back in the plane. This time he really gunned
the engine and
| popped right up onto the hard surface, and taxied merrily
away -- completely
| oblivious to the hidden damage his girlfriend may have
just wrought on that
| Warrior.
|
| If there was ever any doubt as to why we were so happy to
get out of the
| aircraft rental market, this was it. Anyone who has ever
seen the
| sturdy-yet delicate structure of the Cherokee's stabilator
knows that it was
| never designed for asymmetric twisting forces like that
girl imposed, and
| God only knows what hidden damage may have been wrought in
those few seconds
| of awesome stupidity.
| --
| Jay Honeck
| Iowa City, IA
| Pathfinder N56993
| www.AlexisParkInn.com
| "Your Aviation Destination"
|
| --
| --
| Jay Honeck
| Iowa City, IA
| Pathfinder N56993
| www.AlexisParkInn.com
| "Your Aviation Destination"
|
|

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:

Since you recognize the bird, you'd be doing somebody a tremendous favor by
cluing in their maintenance facility to the possibility of damage. If something
ever happens to that airplane where it comes apart in the air and you didn't
warn them, you'll never be able to live with yourself.

Hey, it might be nothing... but it might mean the lives of a family of four.



You took the words right out of my mouth.

That stabilizer is designed to stand much more twisting force than any
real life girl could ever apply to it. Otherwise it would come off during
the first reasonable bumpy flight. (Nevertheless you shouldn't do what she
had done, of course.)

There are two stabilator attach points that would have been under tremendous
twisting load with her pushing waaaay out at the end of the "arm" of the
stabilator. I can't think of any in-flight condition that would put such an
asymmetric load on the bird.

Also, you must figure that the plane is 30+ years old. God knows how many
other times those attach points have been subjected to overload.

I cringe every time I think of it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

wrote in message
...
Stupidity, and laziness, on his part, likely just lack of knowledge
on hers

Yup, certainly. A passenger has no responsibility to be educated about such
things. It's the pilot's responsibility to be educated and to instruct
passengers accordingly.

--Gary

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Bafhg.19946$1i1.17134@attbi_s72...
Also, you must figure that the plane is 30+ years old. God knows how many
other times those attach points have been subjected to overload.

I cringe every time I think of it.

I wish planes (especially rental planes) had "Do not push here!" stenciled
on tempting but inappropriate places to push. That would be as useful as
many of the other placards.

--Gary

Gary Drescher wrote:
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Bafhg.19946$1i1.17134@attbi_s72...
Also, you must figure that the plane is 30+ years old. God knows how many
other times those attach points have been subjected to overload.

I cringe every time I think of it.

I wish planes (especially rental planes) had "Do not push here!" stenciled
on tempting but inappropriate places to push. That would be as useful as
many of the other placards.


I remember looking at the stickers on the control surfaces of a Yak at
SMO some years back.

They said "NO PUSHSKI"

As for the pair featured in Jay's posting, I gotta wonder:

What kind of guy sends The Girl to push the plane?

What kind of girl puts up with it?

-jav