DonAlejandro
Well-Known Member
Well, today i probably had my luckiest and unluckiest moment in aviation all at once...
It was early morning. Im working for a VFR traffic survey company. I preflighted the plane inside the hanger cuz its lighted and warm and it was pitch black outside at 5am. Then pulled the plane out of the hanger. In my distraction to make sure that I closed the hanger door, forgot to take off the towbar from the Cessna 172's nosewheel.
Taxied, took-off, then landed with it. Parked in front of the FBO to have it fueled, and out walks a nice gentleman to see if everything is OK... he very nicely asks me how it could have happened, and luckily that nothing went wrong. He then told me it must be my unlucky day, cuz he's an FAA inspector. Just passing through the airport cuz there isnt an office on the field or anything like that...he just happened to be at the right place at the right time...
Asked me for my credentials, i complied and saw his aswell. He was very polite about things, he took down my name and certificate #.... said that he wouldnt worry much about this, but that i should get a call from the Ops Inspector for the area...
My question, if there is a nice enough FAA inspector around here to comment, is... what should i expect? Im furloughed from an airline, and this isnt what i wanted to happen while im waiting to go back. Im always so careful and cautious with everything i do as a pilot...feels really crappy to do something like this. I thank god that nothing worse happened. I was able to handle the aircraft without any damage to any aircraft, persons or property, thank god.... Just kinda needed to get it off my chest i guess, if anybody has any advice...feel free
Thanks
It was early morning. Im working for a VFR traffic survey company. I preflighted the plane inside the hanger cuz its lighted and warm and it was pitch black outside at 5am. Then pulled the plane out of the hanger. In my distraction to make sure that I closed the hanger door, forgot to take off the towbar from the Cessna 172's nosewheel.
Taxied, took-off, then landed with it. Parked in front of the FBO to have it fueled, and out walks a nice gentleman to see if everything is OK... he very nicely asks me how it could have happened, and luckily that nothing went wrong. He then told me it must be my unlucky day, cuz he's an FAA inspector. Just passing through the airport cuz there isnt an office on the field or anything like that...he just happened to be at the right place at the right time...
Asked me for my credentials, i complied and saw his aswell. He was very polite about things, he took down my name and certificate #.... said that he wouldnt worry much about this, but that i should get a call from the Ops Inspector for the area...
My question, if there is a nice enough FAA inspector around here to comment, is... what should i expect? Im furloughed from an airline, and this isnt what i wanted to happen while im waiting to go back. Im always so careful and cautious with everything i do as a pilot...feels really crappy to do something like this. I thank god that nothing worse happened. I was able to handle the aircraft without any damage to any aircraft, persons or property, thank god.... Just kinda needed to get it off my chest i guess, if anybody has any advice...feel free
Thanks