Why does the Pilot parking empty first?

[Al]

Ok, the air show season is running down, and once again I ask, Why does
the Pilot parking empty first. For years I worked at the Medford National
Air show, Medford, Oregon. We had a Pilot/Performer parking lot that held a
couple hundred cars. Without exception, the Pilot parking emptied first.

My only thought was cooperation. The pilots seem to space themselves out
approaching the gate. With two car length spacing, two rows "feeding" into a
gate, the streams can merge with about 1/2 car length spacing at the gate.
Of course like a fire hose and nozzle, rapid acceleration takes place right
at the narrowest point. I've never seen a pilot stop at the gate to say
"After You". But it happened all the time at the public parking gate. The
pilots seemed to act as one under the "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way"
protocol.

My wife says that they are all going to the same place, the Bar just
down the road. With formation driving, and even though they circle the bar
parking lot once on their way in, they can fill the Bar lot rapidly and
sequentially, like 50 "Blue Angels"(My apologies to the NAVY).

My son says that it is the "school of fish" theory as applied to the
stop sign at the gate, and the speed limit on the dirt road. If you are a
cop, and you have 100 smoothly moving cars, (even at high speed), do you
mess with It? Who do you stop? How? Stop 'em all? (the Mayor is probably in
there somewhere).

Your Thoughts?

Al

[Dudley Henriques]

I'm sorry your wife has such a low opinion of airshow pilots.

To answer your question, if the lot was full of pilots qualified enough to
be doing demonstration work, you would probably have a situation filled with
people who first of all had done this many times before and were comfortable
with the "system", and secondly, people who were capable of making flow
decisions in real time.
In other words, if you have people who are flow conscious and you have three
cars approaching a constricted spot that has room for only one at a time,
you will most likely get all three sizing up the situation at once as to
exactly how each fits into the pipeline as that pertains to rate of closure,
range, and angle off the constricted spot. Each would automatically adjust
to that real time input to create a spacing favorable to each one's
position.
The result could easily be a smooth transition area just in front of the
constriction (or gate as the case may be).
As a show performer, I've seen this happen many many times and think little
about it.
On the reverse side of this coin you have the average everyday driver facing
a constriction on the highway. The result is usually chaos, gridlock, and
every other driver exercising his or her middle finger to the point of
carpal tunnel syndrome!! :-))
Dudley Henriques

"Al" > wrote in message
news:1127751174.aa11e9afd7c04f9f243b8c96e56f68fe@t eranews...
> Ok, the air show season is running down, and once again I ask, Why does
> the Pilot parking empty first. For years I worked at the Medford National
> Air show, Medford, Oregon. We had a Pilot/Performer parking lot that held
> a couple hundred cars. Without exception, the Pilot parking emptied first.
>
> My only thought was cooperation. The pilots seem to space themselves
> out approaching the gate. With two car length spacing, two rows "feeding"
> into a gate, the streams can merge with about 1/2 car length spacing at
> the gate. Of course like a fire hose and nozzle, rapid acceleration takes
> place right at the narrowest point. I've never seen a pilot stop at the
> gate to say "After You". But it happened all the time at the public
> parking gate. The pilots seemed to act as one under the "Lead, Follow, or
> Get Out of the Way" protocol.
>
> My wife says that they are all going to the same place, the Bar just
> down the road. With formation driving, and even though they circle the bar
> parking lot once on their way in, they can fill the Bar lot rapidly and
> sequentially, like 50 "Blue Angels"(My apologies to the NAVY).
>
> My son says that it is the "school of fish" theory as applied to the
> stop sign at the gate, and the speed limit on the dirt road. If you are a
> cop, and you have 100 smoothly moving cars, (even at high speed), do you
> mess with It? Who do you stop? How? Stop 'em all? (the Mayor is probably
> in there somewhere).
>
> Your Thoughts?
>
> Al
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Al]

Well Dudley, I think she said it sorta tongue in cheek, but I agree with
you. Pilots think ahead of the car/plane etc. al



"Dudley Henriques" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> I'm sorry your wife has such a low opinion of airshow pilots.
>
> To answer your question, if the lot was full of pilots qualified enough to
> be doing demonstration work, you would probably have a situation filled
> with people who first of all had done this many times before and were
> comfortable with the "system", and secondly, people who were capable of
> making flow decisions in real time.
> In other words, if you have people who are flow conscious and you have
> three cars approaching a constricted spot that has room for only one at a
> time, you will most likely get all three sizing up the situation at once
> as to exactly how each fits into the pipeline as that pertains to rate of
> closure, range, and angle off the constricted spot. Each would
> automatically adjust to that real time input to create a spacing favorable
> to each one's position.
> The result could easily be a smooth transition area just in front of the
> constriction (or gate as the case may be).
> As a show performer, I've seen this happen many many times and think
> little about it.
> On the reverse side of this coin you have the average everyday driver
> facing a constriction on the highway. The result is usually chaos,
> gridlock, and every other driver exercising his or her middle finger to
> the point of carpal tunnel syndrome!! :-))
> Dudley Henriques
>
> "Al" > wrote in message
> news:1127751174.aa11e9afd7c04f9f243b8c96e56f68fe@t eranews...
>> Ok, the air show season is running down, and once again I ask, Why
>> does the Pilot parking empty first. For years I worked at the Medford
>> National Air show, Medford, Oregon. We had a Pilot/Performer parking lot
>> that held a couple hundred cars. Without exception, the Pilot parking
>> emptied first.
>>
>> My only thought was cooperation. The pilots seem to space themselves
>> out approaching the gate. With two car length spacing, two rows "feeding"
>> into a gate, the streams can merge with about 1/2 car length spacing at
>> the gate. Of course like a fire hose and nozzle, rapid acceleration takes
>> place right at the narrowest point. I've never seen a pilot stop at the
>> gate to say "After You". But it happened all the time at the public
>> parking gate. The pilots seemed to act as one under the "Lead, Follow, or
>> Get Out of the Way" protocol.
>>
>> My wife says that they are all going to the same place, the Bar just
>> down the road. With formation driving, and even though they circle the
>> bar parking lot once on their way in, they can fill the Bar lot rapidly
>> and sequentially, like 50 "Blue Angels"(My apologies to the NAVY).
>>
>> My son says that it is the "school of fish" theory as applied to the
>> stop sign at the gate, and the speed limit on the dirt road. If you are a
>> cop, and you have 100 smoothly moving cars, (even at high speed), do you
>> mess with It? Who do you stop? How? Stop 'em all? (the Mayor is probably
>> in there somewhere).
>>
>> Your Thoughts?
>>
>> Al
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

[Dudley Henriques]

I''m sure she did. Let's just say that as an ex demonstration pilot, I have
a "friendly, but negative reaction to seeing a thought like that in print
for the world to see. It's the kind of thing that has been known to give the
wrong impression so to speak. I'm sure you understand. :-)
DH
"Al" > wrote in message
news:1127774106.21e916c9d31fca1e141892015f223ca2@t eranews...
> Well Dudley, I think she said it sorta tongue in cheek, but I agree with
> you. Pilots think ahead of the car/plane etc. al
>
>
>
> "Dudley Henriques" > wrote in message
> nk.net...
>> I'm sorry your wife has such a low opinion of airshow pilots.
>>
>> To answer your question, if the lot was full of pilots qualified enough
>> to be doing demonstration work, you would probably have a situation
>> filled with people who first of all had done this many times before and
>> were comfortable with the "system", and secondly, people who were capable
>> of making flow decisions in real time.
>> In other words, if you have people who are flow conscious and you have
>> three cars approaching a constricted spot that has room for only one at a
>> time, you will most likely get all three sizing up the situation at once
>> as to exactly how each fits into the pipeline as that pertains to rate of
>> closure, range, and angle off the constricted spot. Each would
>> automatically adjust to that real time input to create a spacing
>> favorable to each one's position.
>> The result could easily be a smooth transition area just in front of the
>> constriction (or gate as the case may be).
>> As a show performer, I've seen this happen many many times and think
>> little about it.
>> On the reverse side of this coin you have the average everyday driver
>> facing a constriction on the highway. The result is usually chaos,
>> gridlock, and every other driver exercising his or her middle finger to
>> the point of carpal tunnel syndrome!! :-))
>> Dudley Henriques
>>
>> "Al" > wrote in message
>> news:1127751174.aa11e9afd7c04f9f243b8c96e56f68fe@t eranews...
>>> Ok, the air show season is running down, and once again I ask, Why
>>> does the Pilot parking empty first. For years I worked at the Medford
>>> National Air show, Medford, Oregon. We had a Pilot/Performer parking lot
>>> that held a couple hundred cars. Without exception, the Pilot parking
>>> emptied first.
>>>
>>> My only thought was cooperation. The pilots seem to space themselves
>>> out approaching the gate. With two car length spacing, two rows
>>> "feeding" into a gate, the streams can merge with about 1/2 car length
>>> spacing at the gate. Of course like a fire hose and nozzle, rapid
>>> acceleration takes place right at the narrowest point. I've never seen a
>>> pilot stop at the gate to say "After You". But it happened all the time
>>> at the public parking gate. The pilots seemed to act as one under the
>>> "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way" protocol.
>>>
>>> My wife says that they are all going to the same place, the Bar just
>>> down the road. With formation driving, and even though they circle the
>>> bar parking lot once on their way in, they can fill the Bar lot rapidly
>>> and sequentially, like 50 "Blue Angels"(My apologies to the NAVY).
>>>
>>> My son says that it is the "school of fish" theory as applied to the
>>> stop sign at the gate, and the speed limit on the dirt road. If you are
>>> a cop, and you have 100 smoothly moving cars, (even at high speed), do
>>> you mess with It? Who do you stop? How? Stop 'em all? (the Mayor is
>>> probably in there somewhere).
>>>
>>> Your Thoughts?
>>>
>>> Al
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

[Al]

Oh, I do. I showed my wife our posts last night, and she says:

#1, strike "Bar", read "Restaurant with good service, and owned by
friends"
#2, "The views expressed here are those of the correspondent, and do not
necessarily reflect those of the management"
#3, "I have the highest respect for Airshow Pilots, Performers, and
participants, particularly military, and I love a good uniform."

She has obviously spent too much time hanging around airports.

Sitting corrected, Al



"Dudley Henriques" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> I''m sure she did. Let's just say that as an ex demonstration pilot, I
> have a "friendly, but negative reaction to seeing a thought like that in
> print for the world to see. It's the kind of thing that has been known to
> give the wrong impression so to speak. I'm sure you understand. :-)
> DH
> "Al" > wrote in message
> news:1127774106.21e916c9d31fca1e141892015f223ca2@t eranews...
>> Well Dudley, I think she said it sorta tongue in cheek, but I agree with
>> you. Pilots think ahead of the car/plane etc. al
>>
>>
>>
>> "Dudley Henriques" > wrote in message
>> nk.net...
>>> I'm sorry your wife has such a low opinion of airshow pilots.
>>>
>>> To answer your question, if the lot was full of pilots qualified enough
>>> to be doing demonstration work, you would probably have a situation
>>> filled with people who first of all had done this many times before and
>>> were comfortable with the "system", and secondly, people who were
>>> capable of making flow decisions in real time.
>>> In other words, if you have people who are flow conscious and you have
>>> three cars approaching a constricted spot that has room for only one at
>>> a time, you will most likely get all three sizing up the situation at
>>> once as to exactly how each fits into the pipeline as that pertains to
>>> rate of closure, range, and angle off the constricted spot. Each would
>>> automatically adjust to that real time input to create a spacing
>>> favorable to each one's position.
>>> The result could easily be a smooth transition area just in front of the
>>> constriction (or gate as the case may be).
>>> As a show performer, I've seen this happen many many times and think
>>> little about it.
>>> On the reverse side of this coin you have the average everyday driver
>>> facing a constriction on the highway. The result is usually chaos,
>>> gridlock, and every other driver exercising his or her middle finger to
>>> the point of carpal tunnel syndrome!! :-))
>>> Dudley Henriques
>>>
>>> "Al" > wrote in message
>>> news:1127751174.aa11e9afd7c04f9f243b8c96e56f68fe@t eranews...
>>>> Ok, the air show season is running down, and once again I ask, Why
>>>> does the Pilot parking empty first. For years I worked at the Medford
>>>> National Air show, Medford, Oregon. We had a Pilot/Performer parking
>>>> lot that held a couple hundred cars. Without exception, the Pilot
>>>> parking emptied first.
>>>>
>>>> My only thought was cooperation. The pilots seem to space themselves
>>>> out approaching the gate. With two car length spacing, two rows
>>>> "feeding" into a gate, the streams can merge with about 1/2 car length
>>>> spacing at the gate. Of course like a fire hose and nozzle, rapid
>>>> acceleration takes place right at the narrowest point. I've never seen
>>>> a pilot stop at the gate to say "After You". But it happened all the
>>>> time at the public parking gate. The pilots seemed to act as one under
>>>> the "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way" protocol.
>>>>
>>>> My wife says that they are all going to the same place, the Bar just
>>>> down the road. With formation driving, and even though they circle the
>>>> bar parking lot once on their way in, they can fill the Bar lot rapidly
>>>> and sequentially, like 50 "Blue Angels"(My apologies to the NAVY).
>>>>
>>>> My son says that it is the "school of fish" theory as applied to the
>>>> stop sign at the gate, and the speed limit on the dirt road. If you are
>>>> a cop, and you have 100 smoothly moving cars, (even at high speed), do
>>>> you mess with It? Who do you stop? How? Stop 'em all? (the Mayor is
>>>> probably in there somewhere).
>>>>
>>>> Your Thoughts?
>>>>
>>>> Al
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

[Dudley Henriques]

Tell her "hi" from a friend.
DH

"Al" > wrote in message
news:1127835222.9c9f425d6548a91a8c0bd683082e6c93@t eranews...
> Oh, I do. I showed my wife our posts last night, and she says:
>
> #1, strike "Bar", read "Restaurant with good service, and owned by
> friends"
> #2, "The views expressed here are those of the correspondent, and do
> not necessarily reflect those of the management"
> #3, "I have the highest respect for Airshow Pilots, Performers, and
> participants, particularly military, and I love a good uniform."
>
> She has obviously spent too much time hanging around airports.
>
> Sitting corrected, Al
>
>
>
> "Dudley Henriques" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
>> I''m sure she did. Let's just say that as an ex demonstration pilot, I
>> have a "friendly, but negative reaction to seeing a thought like that in
>> print for the world to see. It's the kind of thing that has been known to
>> give the wrong impression so to speak. I'm sure you understand. :-)
>> DH
>> "Al" > wrote in message
>> news:1127774106.21e916c9d31fca1e141892015f223ca2@t eranews...
>>> Well Dudley, I think she said it sorta tongue in cheek, but I agree with
>>> you. Pilots think ahead of the car/plane etc. al
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Dudley Henriques" > wrote in message
>>> nk.net...
>>>> I'm sorry your wife has such a low opinion of airshow pilots.
>>>>
>>>> To answer your question, if the lot was full of pilots qualified enough
>>>> to be doing demonstration work, you would probably have a situation
>>>> filled with people who first of all had done this many times before and
>>>> were comfortable with the "system", and secondly, people who were
>>>> capable of making flow decisions in real time.
>>>> In other words, if you have people who are flow conscious and you have
>>>> three cars approaching a constricted spot that has room for only one at
>>>> a time, you will most likely get all three sizing up the situation at
>>>> once as to exactly how each fits into the pipeline as that pertains to
>>>> rate of closure, range, and angle off the constricted spot. Each would
>>>> automatically adjust to that real time input to create a spacing
>>>> favorable to each one's position.
>>>> The result could easily be a smooth transition area just in front of
>>>> the constriction (or gate as the case may be).
>>>> As a show performer, I've seen this happen many many times and think
>>>> little about it.
>>>> On the reverse side of this coin you have the average everyday driver
>>>> facing a constriction on the highway. The result is usually chaos,
>>>> gridlock, and every other driver exercising his or her middle finger to
>>>> the point of carpal tunnel syndrome!! :-))
>>>> Dudley Henriques
>>>>
>>>> "Al" > wrote in message
>>>> news:1127751174.aa11e9afd7c04f9f243b8c96e56f68fe@t eranews...
>>>>> Ok, the air show season is running down, and once again I ask, Why
>>>>> does the Pilot parking empty first. For years I worked at the Medford
>>>>> National Air show, Medford, Oregon. We had a Pilot/Performer parking
>>>>> lot that held a couple hundred cars. Without exception, the Pilot
>>>>> parking emptied first.
>>>>>
>>>>> My only thought was cooperation. The pilots seem to space
>>>>> themselves out approaching the gate. With two car length spacing, two
>>>>> rows "feeding" into a gate, the streams can merge with about 1/2 car
>>>>> length spacing at the gate. Of course like a fire hose and nozzle,
>>>>> rapid acceleration takes place right at the narrowest point. I've
>>>>> never seen a pilot stop at the gate to say "After You". But it
>>>>> happened all the time at the public parking gate. The pilots seemed to
>>>>> act as one under the "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way" protocol.
>>>>>
>>>>> My wife says that they are all going to the same place, the Bar
>>>>> just down the road. With formation driving, and even though they
>>>>> circle the bar parking lot once on their way in, they can fill the Bar
>>>>> lot rapidly and sequentially, like 50 "Blue Angels"(My apologies to
>>>>> the NAVY).
>>>>>
>>>>> My son says that it is the "school of fish" theory as applied to
>>>>> the stop sign at the gate, and the speed limit on the dirt road. If
>>>>> you are a cop, and you have 100 smoothly moving cars, (even at high
>>>>> speed), do you mess with It? Who do you stop? How? Stop 'em all? (the
>>>>> Mayor is probably in there somewhere).
>>>>>
>>>>> Your Thoughts?
>>>>>
>>>>> Al
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

[Al]

Will Do. Al


"Dudley Henriques" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> Tell her "hi" from a friend.
> DH
>
> "Al" > wrote in message
> news:1127835222.9c9f425d6548a91a8c0bd683082e6c93@t eranews...
>> Oh, I do. I showed my wife our posts last night, and she says:
>>
>> #1, strike "Bar", read "Restaurant with good service, and owned by
>> friends"
>> #2, "The views expressed here are those of the correspondent, and do
>> not necessarily reflect those of the management"
>> #3, "I have the highest respect for Airshow Pilots, Performers, and
>> participants, particularly military, and I love a good uniform."
>>
>> She has obviously spent too much time hanging around airports.
>>
>> Sitting corrected, Al
>>
>>
>>
>> "Dudley Henriques" > wrote in message
>> ink.net...
>>> I''m sure she did. Let's just say that as an ex demonstration pilot, I
>>> have a "friendly, but negative reaction to seeing a thought like that in
>>> print for the world to see. It's the kind of thing that has been known
>>> to give the wrong impression so to speak. I'm sure you understand. :-)
>>> DH
>>> "Al" > wrote in message
>>> news:1127774106.21e916c9d31fca1e141892015f223ca2@t eranews...
>>>> Well Dudley, I think she said it sorta tongue in cheek, but I agree
>>>> with you. Pilots think ahead of the car/plane etc. al
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Dudley Henriques" > wrote in message
>>>> nk.net...
>>>>> I'm sorry your wife has such a low opinion of airshow pilots.
>>>>>
>>>>> To answer your question, if the lot was full of pilots qualified
>>>>> enough to be doing demonstration work, you would probably have a
>>>>> situation filled with people who first of all had done this many times
>>>>> before and were comfortable with the "system", and secondly, people
>>>>> who were capable of making flow decisions in real time.
>>>>> In other words, if you have people who are flow conscious and you have
>>>>> three cars approaching a constricted spot that has room for only one
>>>>> at a time, you will most likely get all three sizing up the situation
>>>>> at once as to exactly how each fits into the pipeline as that pertains
>>>>> to rate of closure, range, and angle off the constricted spot. Each
>>>>> would automatically adjust to that real time input to create a spacing
>>>>> favorable to each one's position.
>>>>> The result could easily be a smooth transition area just in front of
>>>>> the constriction (or gate as the case may be).
>>>>> As a show performer, I've seen this happen many many times and think
>>>>> little about it.
>>>>> On the reverse side of this coin you have the average everyday driver
>>>>> facing a constriction on the highway. The result is usually chaos,
>>>>> gridlock, and every other driver exercising his or her middle finger
>>>>> to the point of carpal tunnel syndrome!! :-))
>>>>> Dudley Henriques
>>>>>
>>>>> "Al" > wrote in message
>>>>> news:1127751174.aa11e9afd7c04f9f243b8c96e56f68fe@t eranews...
>>>>>> Ok, the air show season is running down, and once again I ask, Why
>>>>>> does the Pilot parking empty first. For years I worked at the Medford
>>>>>> National Air show, Medford, Oregon. We had a Pilot/Performer parking
>>>>>> lot that held a couple hundred cars. Without exception, the Pilot
>>>>>> parking emptied first.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My only thought was cooperation. The pilots seem to space
>>>>>> themselves out approaching the gate. With two car length spacing, two
>>>>>> rows "feeding" into a gate, the streams can merge with about 1/2 car
>>>>>> length spacing at the gate. Of course like a fire hose and nozzle,
>>>>>> rapid acceleration takes place right at the narrowest point. I've
>>>>>> never seen a pilot stop at the gate to say "After You". But it
>>>>>> happened all the time at the public parking gate. The pilots seemed
>>>>>> to act as one under the "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way"
>>>>>> protocol.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My wife says that they are all going to the same place, the Bar
>>>>>> just down the road. With formation driving, and even though they
>>>>>> circle the bar parking lot once on their way in, they can fill the
>>>>>> Bar lot rapidly and sequentially, like 50 "Blue Angels"(My apologies
>>>>>> to the NAVY).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My son says that it is the "school of fish" theory as applied to
>>>>>> the stop sign at the gate, and the speed limit on the dirt road. If
>>>>>> you are a cop, and you have 100 smoothly moving cars, (even at high
>>>>>> speed), do you mess with It? Who do you stop? How? Stop 'em all? (the
>>>>>> Mayor is probably in there somewhere).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Your Thoughts?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Al
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

[Don Hammer]

My answer is they leave the airport after they do their routine. Same
as professional pilots when they get home from a trip. They don't
hang around the airport to watch planes fly.

[Dudley Henriques]

Most of the time, we hung around to help each other and didn't leave the
field after a routine. Everybody usually has a few issues with aircraft,
equipment, and security as well and can use a hand. It was quite common for
me to fly a show, park the airplane, run over and hold the poles for Art
Scholl's inverted ribbon pickup, or handle a phonograph for Scotty McCray.
I can remember taking the mike more than once to announce for someone who's
narrator was ill or couldn't make it for some reason.
Hangar space was usually crowded, and a P51 or an F8F can get a mite heavy
to push around in tight places. Help was always appreciated, and the gang
always was there to pitch in.
When we weren't flying, there was usually a safety meeting going on
somewhere we had to attend or even preside over, and many of us had
concurrent on and off site obligations to attend via the sponsoring
authority for a show.
Seldom did either myself or any of the other airshow pilots I knew and know
now simply fly a demonstration and leave the field.
There's a great deal that goes on behind the scenes at a show site that the
spectator never sees :-)
Dudley Henriques

"Don Hammer" > wrote in message
...
> My answer is they leave the airport after they do their routine. Same
> as professional pilots when they get home from a trip. They don't
> hang around the airport to watch planes fly.