fun with controllers at OSU

I wouldn't really call it unfriendly, it just seems they contradict
themselves sometimes, then blame the pilot for the mistake

One time I was with my instructor, we were in Buckeye 4 (N40SU) waiting at
9R. The governor's king air was taxiing out to 9R from the north side. I
believe their tail # was N440H or something like that, it had a 4 and an OH
on the end. Anyway, I call up the tower and tell them we are ready to go.
tower : '40SU position and hold'. we roll out and stop, with the king air on
the taxiway on the north side, waiting.
so 30-45 seconds go by, no instructions to anybody, no radio comm. Then,
tower: '40SU, exit rw 9R'. What the hell!? I was speechless. I just looked
at my instructor, who was shaking his head.
Later, when we were done with the lesson, he had talked to the controller, I
don't know who initiated the call. But he told me that the controller had
read him the riot act about 'holding up the governor' and all this crap. The
idiot just read the wrong call sign and wouldn't admit it. If he would have
just cleared us to go, we would have been gone and out of the way. By having
us hold, then exit probably ate up a couple of minutes.

"Bruce E Butts" wrote in message
. ..
I fly out of OSU as well and have found that since it is a Non Federal
Control Tower the controllers there can have an unfriendly attitude
depending on which controller is working at the time. I do not know them
except having met the control tower manager a few times, he is concerned
about the less than friendly treatment that students and others get at
OSU so I encourage you to call.

The management is aware that they have a reputation as being nonstudent
friendly and have encouraged local pilots to respond to surveys
regarding the service.

It sounds like to me that the controller made a mistake.

Bruce.

It sounds like you were right, if that means much except from the point of
education or personal gratification. If this is the worst thing that a
controller has said you're doing pretty well- you didn't violate any FAR's,
no one was hurt, and you didn't damage anything.

The controllers are human too, and get tired, make mistakes, and have a hard
time knowing all of the often ridiculous FAA regulations, just like pilots.
If the particular controller has had a habit of snapping at people and
berating them over the air, then it should be reported to the tower supe as
well as the customer assurance controller at the nearest facility (Newps can
provide the exact job titles). You can call them and report the time and
date of the incident, and ask that they review the tapes.

Also, you should take it up with the airport staff as well as the FBO, since
such individuals have a negative impact on business (who wants to go to an
airport with a bad reputation and the anticipation that you'll get yelled
at, particularly if you're unfamiliar?) If enough pilots complain about
their treatment over the air, you can bet that something will be done
quickly.

The worst thing would be to get into a ****ing contest on the air. Also, if
you did make a major error like a runway incursion, etc remember that if you
call the tower and admit you did something majorly wrong (like an obvious
FAR violation) your comments could potentially be used against you in an FAA
action.

Viperdoc wrote:
then it should be reported to the tower supe as
well as the customer assurance controller at the nearest facility (Newps can
provide the exact job titles). You can call them and report the time and
date of the incident, and ask that they review the tapes.

If it's a nonfederal tower then a call to the nearest big city FAA tower
is in order. The FAA oversees these towers and can have an impact on
stuff like this.

I've always just specifically requested a stop and go if that's what I
wanted to do so the controller could plan accordingly. All the other
options imply that you're going to keep moving or exit the runway.


"Mike W." wrote in message
...
This afternoon I went out for a few laps at Ohio State. Weather was pretty
marginal, so I did 2 landings there, departed to an uncontrolled field
about
12mi away for a few, then came back. I wanted to do a few more, so I was
doing t-n-g's on the north runway. Each time, the controller said 'clear
for
the option'. So on one lap, I decided I wanted to practice a short field
landing. Stuck it, stopped and requested a back taxi. Nope, roll down to
end
and taxi back on taxiway, then reprimanded me for stopping on the runway.
He
wasn't nasty about it. 'I know you're the only one up there, but it's
baaaaaad practice...' etc.
I went through this several times when I was learning to fly there, as did
other students. Even my flight instructors would get frustrated with this
exact situation.
The airport was not at all busy. I am not arguing this guys authority or
anything, but we have to be able to practice these landings somewhere, I'm
not going to an 1500' strip out in the boonies to practice for real. I
was
this close to asking the guy for the number up in the cab, but figured
I
would just go home even more puzzled.
So, you controllers out there, what exactly am I cleared to do with
'cleared
for the option' that differs from 'clear for touch and go' or 'clear to
land'? Do I need to request, specifically, that I am wanting to practice a
short field, with full braking and a complete stop on the runway?