Dumb & Dumber

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"

"Jay Honeck" wrote:
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.

Stupidity, and laziness, on his part, likely just lack of knowledge on
hers (not because she's a woman, but because by the time most people are
pilots, they've been schooled on where NOT to push).

wrote in message
...
Stupidity, and laziness, on his part, likely just lack of knowledge
on hers

Yup, certainly. A passenger has no responsibility to be educated about such
things. It's the pilot's responsibility to be educated and to instruct
passengers accordingly.

--Gary

Jay Honeck wrote:
As we were preparing to depart the Quad Cities Air Show yesterday (an
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.


Since you recognize the bird, you'd be doing somebody a tremendous favor by
cluing in their maintenance facility to the possibility of damage. If something
ever happens to that airplane where it comes apart in the air and you didn't
warn them, you'll never be able to live with yourself.

Hey, it might be nothing... but it might mean the lives of a family of four.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:

Since you recognize the bird, you'd be doing somebody a tremendous favor by
cluing in their maintenance facility to the possibility of damage. If something
ever happens to that airplane where it comes apart in the air and you didn't
warn them, you'll never be able to live with yourself.

Hey, it might be nothing... but it might mean the lives of a family of four.



You took the words right out of my mouth.

Jay Honeck schrieb:

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.

That stabilizer is designed to stand much more twisting force than any
real life girl could ever apply to it. Otherwise it would come off
during the first reasonable bumpy flight. (Nevertheless you shouldn't do
what she had done, of course.)

Stefan

That stabilizer is designed to stand much more twisting force than any
real life girl could ever apply to it. Otherwise it would come off during
the first reasonable bumpy flight. (Nevertheless you shouldn't do what she
had done, of course.)

There are two stabilator attach points that would have been under tremendous
twisting load with her pushing waaaay out at the end of the "arm" of the
stabilator. I can't think of any in-flight condition that would put such an
asymmetric load on the bird.

Also, you must figure that the plane is 30+ years old. God knows how many
other times those attach points have been subjected to overload.

I cringe every time I think of it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Bafhg.19946$1i1.17134@attbi_s72...
Also, you must figure that the plane is 30+ years old. God knows how many
other times those attach points have been subjected to overload.

I cringe every time I think of it.

I wish planes (especially rental planes) had "Do not push here!" stenciled
on tempting but inappropriate places to push. That would be as useful as
many of the other placards.

--Gary

Gary Drescher wrote:
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Bafhg.19946$1i1.17134@attbi_s72...
Also, you must figure that the plane is 30+ years old. God knows how many
other times those attach points have been subjected to overload.

I cringe every time I think of it.

I wish planes (especially rental planes) had "Do not push here!" stenciled
on tempting but inappropriate places to push. That would be as useful as
many of the other placards.


I remember looking at the stickers on the control surfaces of a Yak at
SMO some years back.

They said "NO PUSHSKI"

As for the pair featured in Jay's posting, I gotta wonder:

What kind of guy sends The Girl to push the plane?

What kind of girl puts up with it?

-jav

What kind of guy sends The Girl to push the plane?

I'm embarrased to say (but I was young, at the time), that I used to
have an old VW bug! I had to park it on hills, because 7 times out of
10 it had to be jump started. My wife (girlfriend at the time) used to
have to give me a bit of a push, from time to time, when we got into
situations that warranted it. I tried many times to have her behind
the wheel, but she just couldn't seem to figure out the whole "popping
the clutch" thing.

What kind of girl puts up with it?

Mine, thank God!!! We've been together for nearly 22 years now, and we
still laugh about how I managed to "land her", after having had her
push start my car to go on dates with me! :-)

To this day, I still open the door for her, pump gas for her and try to
do all the things a guy should do for his gal. I'm just glad she gave
a 17 year old knuck-head the benefit of the doubt! (She does know,
however, not to touch the delicate parts of the plane though!)

Best Regards,
Todd