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"