Military Airports

I don't know how anyone could mistake Peter O for MacDill. Peter O has a North/South runway and MacDill doesn't.
I don't know. I do know I read an article about Cessnas landing at MacDill and the co-worker mentioned the other. When I flew in there I didn't notice MacDill, but we came from the North. The GPS does help keep the airports straight. :) I was just thinking they could save all the headaches of any confusion by changing colors?
 
I When I flew in there I didn't notice MacDill, but we came from the North. The GPS does help keep the airports straight. :) I was just thinking they could save all the headaches of any confusion by changing colors?

Don't really see the point. Most military fields are part-time class D towers. Many also have a fair bit of civilian traffic too. As for the trouble you would get in landing there, it probably isn't much worse than the trouble you would get in landing at any other towered field without a clearance. (except perhaps the guns pointed at you until they figure out who you are).
 
Don't really see the point. Most military fields are part-time class D towers. Many also have a fair bit of civilian traffic too. As for the trouble you would get in landing there, it probably isn't much worse than the trouble you would get in landing at any other towered field without a clearance. (except perhaps the guns pointed at you until they figure out who you are).

If it weren't a joint use base, then you would be in trouble. We have had 0 civilian traffic at either of the NAS's I have spent time flying from.
 
If it weren't a joint use base, then you would be in trouble. We have had 0 civilian traffic at either of the NAS's I have spent time flying from.

Exactly what type of trouble? I've landed at DOV (Dover, Delaware), no civilian operations that I know of there. I did talk to the tower (it was an emergency), but they certainly weren't expecting us. Wrote a letter explaining what happened, that was the end of it.

If you screwed up and landed at the wrong airport, what exactly would happen differently? I would think you would have to notice the tower and long runway though if you were looking for an uncontrolled field...
 
Exactly what type of trouble? I've landed at DOV (Dover, Delaware), no civilian operations that I know of there. I did talk to the tower (it was an emergency), but they certainly weren't expecting us. Wrote a letter explaining what happened, that was the end of it.

If you screwed up and landed at the wrong airport, what exactly would happen differently? I would think you would have to notice the tower and long runway though if you were looking for an uncontrolled field...

In an emergency, all bets are normally off as long as you are making prudent choices about where to go/what to do. If you just accidentally landed at a mil field you could expect to be introduced quickly to the base security forces, and depending on the type of field, probably detained for some time. In other words, you wouldn't just be calling the FSDO to say sorry. They might not take it further than questioning, but I doubt it would be very comfortable for you.
 
On my 'long' cross-country as a student pilot I entered a right downwind at Hill AFB while talking to OGD tower. They're not too far apart, IIRC. In retrospect, the F-16's probably shoulda given it away....
 
I don't know. I do know I read an article about Cessnas landing at MacDill and the co-worker mentioned the other. When I flew in there I didn't notice MacDill, but we came from the North. The GPS does help keep the airports straight. :) I was just thinking they could save all the headaches of any confusion by changing colors?

What you're missing, and what you should be asking, is "Why don't some pilots get their navigation unscrewed and done correctly; rather than having to change an entire system that works fine, due to their own inability, incompetence, laziness, stupidity, SA or lack of it....or a combo of any of the five."

That's they true question.
 
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