Andrew Gideon wrote:
On Sun, 14 May 2006 20:37:42 +0000, B A R R Y wrote:

Rumor has it that people STILL accidentally land at P&W's East Hartford,
CT site, thinking it's HFD.

A number of years ago, my CFII had me to an approach there to see if I'd
pick the wrong airport. I vaguely recall the approach leaving me pointed
at Rentschler, but none of the IAPs at KHFD appear to do that.
Perhaps I'm thinking of one of the other 'tricks' my CFII tried.


I look at "tricks" like that as *favors*.

A CFI ended a long foggle session right before my PP check ride (the
turn right to 030, climb 1000, descend 500... kind where I don't really
know where we are) with me perfectly lined up on distant runway and
flying straight into a head wind. He then pulled the throttle!

I did the usual A-B-C-C-C's while heading toward the airport I saw when
the foggles came off. He calmly sat there, complimented my execution of
emergency procedures, sat there, sat some more... It became very
apparent that we were gonna' be 1/2-1 mile short. This was in
surburbia, so I had a choice of a rush-hour clogged road, or a steel
mill and railroad yard that's short of the runway. "We aren't gonna'
make it." I said to him in a very quiet tone, adding "It looks like I'm
going for the tracks".

He thottled us up, and then pointed out that my home field was RIGHT
OVER MY LEFT SHOULDER and easily made when he pulled the throttle!!!
Man, was I ****ed!! I spent the 20 minute flight and taxi back to the
parking space totally bitching him out, only stopping to breathe and
call my position in the pattern. I mean, I'm totally ON FIRE!!! During
my speech I went on and on with every detail about how I would KNOW
where _I_ was with my "NRST" button, the GPS map, open charts, VOR's,
etc... If I was the one responsible for where we were going.

Man did he teach me an unforgettable lesson that day!! HE had luleld me
into a false sense of security, when I should have immediately oriented
myself when the foggles came off. I still talk to him on occasion, so I
remind him to do this to every student he gets. G