Red Faced!

[F10]

This started with me doing a repair to a broken support bracket on my Gazelles LHS muffler. Every 10 hours of so, I lie on my back and have a careful look at the engine undersides with a torch, through the rear cowling air opening, as the bottom cowling is a bit of a job to take off. I noticed the broken bracket. A rubber strap is attached to the bracket, supporting the rear section of the muffler. A mate did a great job welding the bracket back on. I removed both mufflers cleaned up areas, painted them in high heat silver and attached brackets with new hardware. Rotax Service manual calls for Loctite anti seize compound to be smeared on the exhaust tub ends, so the mufflers don't corrode onto the stubs. This I did. Satisfied with my work, I put back cowlings, oil tank burped engine, checked fuel contents and drained sumps for water, dragged her out the hangar and was keen to get airborne!

Having done maintenance, and spent two days looking over the Gazelle in the hangar, I felt I had more than the usual pre-flight and as such climbed in without my final gross check walk around. Taxied for RWY 09 West Sale. Wind was 160/16, not great but in limits. Started my take off, acceleration and rate were normal, speed was indicating but low and fluctuating, things happen fast and she was in the air, as I do, held the climb attitude and saw speed was very low and fluctuating. I watched the flickering IAS needle and was surprised to see it still only showing 20 odd Kts....Then it clicked... Whipped my head left, there was the red "Remove Before Flight" ribbon happily waving at me, with still attached pitot tube cover....I was astounded I had simply not noticed it, despite looking around whilst in the taxi and doing control checks!...🙄🙊🙈

In that instant I thought, land back. But in this crosswind and the end of the runway approaching, I decided a need a moment to assess this situation. I selected the climb attitude and climb power, knowing it would give me the normal climb performance. I selected the GPS page showing ground speed, as taking the surface wind into consideration, this would be a useful speed reference. I flew a 500 Ft circuit, using standard power settings and flight attitudes for downwind and base leg descent. I try fly constant circuits with as few power changes as possible, which gives me a good idea of power settings required in the circuit. All the time I referenced the ground speed readout as an indicator for safe speed. I flew finals and landed without further incident, appreciating the Gazelles gentle handling!

Safely on the ground and shut down, I inspected the landing gear for what could have been a high speed touch down and examined the pitot tube for any damage. Furious with myself, 😡 I started up and carried on the local area flight, happily with no further issues. Airspeed indications were now normal and as per usual she sailed along without a care in the world. Well what can I say..... my first pitot tube cover forget in 35 odd years in the game, hopefully my last!  I have filed an incident with RAAus, so hopefully some may learn from it.       

[F10]

Murphys Law, just noticed the aircraft accidents/Incidents page, happy for an administrator to move his post.

[turboplanner]

Good story and good reminder to the rest of us to have a tighten up of checks and actually observe as well and point or look at an item.

[Thruster88]

Thanks for sharing.  

[Bruce Tuncks]

Thanks f10. You didn't do too much wrong in my opinion.

Glider pre-solo checks used to contain a circuit with the ASI covered up. .

All that happens is that the student has about 5 knots more speed than usual, and this is just fine.

But all the same, I will be more careful on my checks after your story.

[Kiwi]

Nearly happened to me once, then I saw the "remove before flight" tag.

[kgwilson]

We are all human and so as humans we make mistakes. After 46 years flying I still make them. I berate myself whenever I do but I still make them. A while ago I forgot to fasten the canopy & it was some time later I wondered why there was so much wind noise. Luckily for me the airflow forces the canopy down so it will never get ripped off like some designs.

 

One bloke at our aerodrome forgot to lower his undercarriage a couple of weeks ago for the second time in the same aircraft. He has his landing checklist stuck to the panel with it highlighted "UC down & locked, 3 GREENS". He was lucky to start with as it is an amphibian so skidded quite well on the grass till he got to the bitumen & then the excrement hit the fan. One wing float got ripped off & there is a pretty decent repair job on the keel and both sides.

[pmccarthy]

I don’t forget flaps up after takeoff but do forget to turn off the electric fuel pump sometimes, as I leave it on until we’ll established and over paddocks. Once I have forgotten, I can fail to notice it is on for half an hour sometimes, I don’t know why. Am scanning everything. 

[spacesailor]

A bigger light needed !.

( not brighter )

spacesailor

[Old Koreelah]

20 hours ago, pmccarthy said:

I don’t forget flaps up after takeoff but do forget to turn off the electric fuel pump sometimes, as I leave it on until we’ll established and over paddocks. Once I have forgotten, I can fail to notice it is on for half an hour sometimes, I don’t know why. Am scanning everything. 

Been there PM, done that. When I’ve left the boost pump on, scanning the panel I haven’t noticed the switch position, but realise my error when the Mizer reads a few l/hr higher than it should. Must have Scottish ancesors.

[IBob]

 

10 minutes ago, Old Koreelah said:

Been there PM, done that. When I’ve left the boost pump on, scanning the panel I haven’t noticed the switch position, but realise my error when the Mizer reads a few l/hr higher than it should. Must have Scottish ancesors.

More likely Yorkshire, OK:
Definition of a Yorkshireman : a Scotsman with all the generosity squeezed out................)

[Marty_d]

7 minutes ago, IBob said:

 

More likely Yorkshire, OK:
Definition of a Yorkshireman : a Scotsman with all the generosity squeezed out................)

Ooh, that's savage.

(And inaccurate - we have friends in Skipton - loveliest, most generous people you'll ever meet!)

 

Funny though.  I'll have to tell them that one.

[Old Koreelah]

12 minutes ago, IBob said:

 

More likely Yorkshire, OK:
Definition of a Yorkshireman : a Scotsman with all the generosity squeezed out................)

Hadn’t heard that, iBob.

You might be into something, because my father’s line comes from Yorkshire, and AFAIK, there’s no Scottish ancestors.

[IBob]

26 minutes ago, Old Koreelah said:

Hadn’t heard that, iBob.

You might be into something, because my father’s line comes from Yorkshire, and AFAIK, there’s no Scottish ancestors.

OK, I was born there.....we're fine people....just misunderstood.........)

 

I can also tell you a difference between visiting Glasgow and Edinburgh people:
The  Glaswegians will say 'you'll have some tea', while the Edinburgh folk will say 'you'll have had your tea'.........)

[IBob]

But....apologies to F10 for the thread drift............(

[F10]

No probs, it's achieved it's purpose of reminding us we all make mistakes and to be aware/mindful.

[spacesailor]

Not my problem  !.

No, carbie heat, No electric fuel pump, No flaps, No battery. ,.

AND 

No passengers.

PLUS

No bloodi licence. Boo hoo.

Why does this world revolve around ' academic licence '. To the detriment of enything else.

spacesailor

[Marty_d]

Spacey, what's stopping you getting your licence?

[spacesailor]

Big lack of confidence.

Caused by bad teachers, ( demobed ex army ).

spacesailor

[Marty_d]

They're different now.  Maybe try a TIF, see if you get on well with the instructor?

[spacesailor]

My instructor was great love flying with him, no problems there, told me ' ready for solo ' !.

But.

The chief  instructor made really nervouse, every thing l did, was Not to his liking .

Actually told me " l was wasting my money & his time ' .

Not much point in carrying on in that situation, knowing he is the one to pass or fail you..

Never flew or made any improvements on my '  dream machine ) .

Maybe in the next life, LoL

spacesailor

PS, my grandaughter took her first TIF ( out at Camden ) really enjoyed it, and wants another flight, but will have to wait after her last year of uni exams..

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by spacesailor
PS

[Marty_d]

It's a bugger isn't it.  All I can suggest is not to let one person's opinion end your dream.  There are lots of schools out there and lots of instructors (sometimes they are also the CFI because it's a one man show).  Sounds like you need someone with patience and empathy, not someone who thinks that teaching you is a waste of their time.

[Bruce Tuncks]

I agree with Marty Space.  In my time, I have seen guys who were told to go away do big things. One was eventually the tugmaster at Gawler for many years. He was a great guy and a good pilot and instructor but superficially he presented as a bit of a spastic. Anybody who was smart themselves could see past that but alas there are many stupid people out there, some in positions of power.

Keep trying till you find a good school.

[Methusala]

Once had an "instructor". Went round & round always landing nervously. Nary 1 word did he speak apart from, "Do another one!"

Another instructor took notice and invited me to do circuits with him. He said land this thing twice and you can solo. 2 good landings and off I went! Hahaha. Don

[sfGnome]

I was fortunate to have a good instructor from the beginning. Everything was always calm and well explained (although during one rather tentative landing approach, I will admit that he yelled “will you fly the f***ing plane!” 🙂). It wasn’t until I had to fly with some other instructors (BFRs, hiring at other airstrips, etc) that I discovered just how fortunate I had been. Some people will respond well to the drill sergeant type, others (myself included) won’t. It’s your money and your time. If you’re not comfortable, go find somewhere where you will be.