x-country solo

"Joe Johnson" wrote in
. com:

The one comment I would make is that the fact that they reported no
radar contact, IMHO, is not enough to justify cancelling the approach
(or anywhere near "unfathomable" as you describe). Had they said
"Radar Contact, 9 miles East" when you thought you were entering the
pattern, I might have been more inclined to ask for immediate help...

Roger.


The only reason I use the above example is because it actually happened to
me on my first night Cross Country. I was headed to Stewart (SWF), a Class
D, from HPN (White Plains) where I am based. Field in sight, called the
tower, and they instructed me to report entering a left downwind for Runway
9.

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering the
midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's going
on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm setting up
for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled field, so there
was no issue of busting. Plus this was before 9/11, so it might not have
been a big deal even if it was.


But you want to know what the real kicker is?



My instructor was sitting in the right seat, had flown to both those fields
many times before, and his blinders were on just like mine were! This
flying stuff gets the best of all of us every now and then!

Judah wrote:

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering the
midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's going
on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm setting up
for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled field,

Huh? An UNCONTROLLED field has radar facilities???

I don't have a sectional for this area, but is it possible you were
talking to Center / Approach or Departure rather then MJG Unicom?

Allen

No. I was talking to SWF tower - a controlled field 9 miles east of MJG -
the uncontrolled field whose downwind I was entering...

I miswrote, tho - he would have called me 9 miles West of his field...

A Lieberman wrote in :

Judah wrote:

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering
the midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's
going on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm
setting up for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled
field,

Huh? An UNCONTROLLED field has radar facilities???

I don't have a sectional for this area, but is it possible you were
talking to Center / Approach or Departure rather then MJG Unicom?

Allen

Judah was talking to SWF.

I don't have a sectional for this area, but is it possible you were
talking to Center / Approach or Departure rather then MJG Unicom?

Allen

MJG is west of SWF...

Were you at POU?

"Judah" wrote in message
...
"Joe Johnson" wrote in
. com:

The only reason I use the above example is because it actually happened to
me on my first night Cross Country. I was headed to Stewart (SWF), a Class
D, from HPN (White Plains) where I am based. Field in sight, called the
tower, and they instructed me to report entering a left downwind for
Runway
9.

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering the
midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's going
on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm setting
up
for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled field, so there
was no issue of busting. Plus this was before 9/11, so it might not have
been a big deal even if it was.


But you want to know what the real kicker is?



My instructor was sitting in the right seat, had flown to both those
fields
many times before, and his blinders were on just like mine were! This
flying stuff gets the best of all of us every now and then!

A momentary brain cramp... I'm more certain that we were at Orange than I
am that he called us 9 miles East of the field... He probably called us 9
miles West of the field, and I was just having a moment of dyslexic
directional capability. Sometimes I even forget that trick about taking
your left hand and making an L.




Anyway, the point was that student pilots aren't the only ones that make
those kinds of mistakes...


"Joe Johnson" wrote in
. com:

MJG is west of SWF...

Were you at POU?

"Judah" wrote in message
...
"Joe Johnson" wrote in
. com:

The only reason I use the above example is because it actually
happened to me on my first night Cross Country. I was headed to
Stewart (SWF), a Class D, from HPN (White Plains) where I am based.
Field in sight, called the tower, and they instructed me to report
entering a left downwind for Runway 9.

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering
the midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's
going on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm
setting up for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled
field, so there was no issue of busting. Plus this was before 9/11, so
it might not have been a big deal even if it was.


But you want to know what the real kicker is?



My instructor was sitting in the right seat, had flown to both those
fields many times before, and his blinders were on just like mine
were! This flying stuff gets the best of all of us every now and then!

Roger.

First time I was at SWF, I was impressed by those big transport planes (?
C-130).

"Judah" wrote in message
...
snip
Anyway, the point was that student pilots aren't the only ones that make
those kinds of mistakes...

Yeah - I think they're C-130's. Once in the pattern one took off as we were
on downwind. It was quite a site. I am completely convinced that it took
off in less distance than I did in a Tampico, and at a speed that could
have been walking...


"Joe Johnson" wrote in news:Op_Bb.5138$iF1.2189
@newssvr33.news.prodigy.com:

Roger.

First time I was at SWF, I was impressed by those big transport planes (?
C-130).

"Judah" wrote in message
...
snip
Anyway, the point was that student pilots aren't the only ones that make
those kinds of mistakes...