Cessna hits SUV on student's first solo landing

How does a student develop proficiency flying a proper glide path if he doesn't have access to an airport with VASIs or PAPIs?

You do realize that pilots were flying and soloing well before the advent of these visual glidepath aids. IPs teach it, and students refine it, from contact flying demo and do.......no aids needed. They're a luxury, not a requirement.
 
They should implement stop sticks on that road, and i'd bring along a red turtle shell as PIC

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True story. The car was absolutely in violation of the signage (Been to 52F multiple times and it's pretty clear... "watch for departing/approaching aircraft," or some variation thereof.) Had they run a stop sign and collided with another car the driver would have been liable.

Where? No signage at all. You can kind of see the word stop painted in the middle of the street. Not in the lane.

In addition, the car was on an airport and operating in the airport environment. Not only was he subject to traffic laws (driving through the stop sign.) but also the airport rules, (landing aircraft have the right of way.)

Clearly there isn't a stop sign and the street is NOT on airport property. I thought you knew this airport?
 
Regardless of what the car did, if the FAA determines the pilot was coming in too low, they're going to nail him to the wall. I'd expect local FAA guys to start hanging around more GA airports as well 'threshold watching'.
 
Regardless of what the car did, if the FAA determines the pilot was coming in too low, they're going to nail him to the wall. I'd expect local FAA guys to start hanging around more GA airports as well 'threshold watching'.

I seriously doubt they're very concerned about this. For the most part the FAA does very little enforcement, let alone surveillance, of part 91 general aviation operations, so unless you tick off a controller enough for them to file a deviation, you're repeatedly reckless and other pilots are reporting you, you bend metal, or happen to catch the luck of the draw and get the rare ramp check... your chances of even talking with an FAA inspector are very low as a GA pilot.
 
Where? No signage at all. You can kind of see the word stop painted in the middle of the street. Not in the lane.




Clearly there isn't a stop sign and the street is NOT on airport property. I thought you knew this airport?
Slow down there kimosabe. I'll go take a drive by there today and take some pics of the signage to post. And by the way, when did it become acceptable to become condescending to another person based on a blurry (understatement) google maps image? I mean if I missed the memo that's cool, I can make sure I'm in compliance ASAP.
 
Slow down there kimosabe. I'll go take a drive by there today and take some pics of the signage to post. And by the way, when did it become acceptable to become condescending to another person based on a blurry (understatement) google maps image? I mean if I missed the memo that's cool, I can make sure I'm in compliance ASAP.

Yeah, not sure how anyone would trust Google Maps over first hand account.
 
I've flown out of this airport a few times. It's near my house. It's a tricky airport and even more fun at night. That road is just a road to get to the other side of the airport from the main entrance. There are more hangars there too. AA's formers CEO Arpey keeps (kept?) his plane at this airport as well. No houses are on the field.

I haven't driven out there in a year or two, but I do remember there being signs on the road. I don't remember what they say or how good they are, but there are signs. There are a couple flight schools on the field too. But I'm not sure why they would have a first solo there though. Fort Worth Alliance is a 5 minute flight away with two huge runways and Denton is not far either.

But this makes me want to take a trip out to Northwest Regional when I home next and check it out.
 
I seriously doubt they're very concerned about this. For the most part the FAA does very little enforcement, let alone surveillance, of part 91 general aviation operations, so unless you tick off a controller enough for them to file a deviation, you're repeatedly reckless and other pilots are reporting you, you bend metal, or happen to catch the luck of the draw and get the rare ramp check... your chances of even talking with an FAA inspector are very low as a GA pilot.


Pretty sure the FAA is going to be concerned with this, as well as the NTSB, and the instructor/student will still have some explaining to do. The regs are pretty clear on dropping below the glide slope to land, the approach path is supposed to remain clear, the car disregarded "STOP" written on the ground, airplane on approach has the right of way, etc. There are a ton of ways a good attorney could spin this to show that the pilot wasn't negligent.

P.S. I've been ramped numerous times pt91 and 135. They are around, you just aren't paying attention and your card hasn't come up yet. When I see a fed, I run and hide! If they want to find something, they will, just like a cop. If they want to find something, they usually can.
 
P.S. I've been ramped numerous times pt91 and 135. They are around, you just aren't paying attention and your card hasn't come up yet. When I see a fed, I run and hide! If they want to find something, they will, just like a cop. If they want to find something, they usually can.

What airports?
 
Pretty sure the FAA is going to be concerned with this, as well as the NTSB, and the instructor/student will still have some explaining to do

Oh I wasn't very clear, yes I agree they will care about this incident, what I meant is I do not think this will incline the FAA to go out and sit around watching Cessna approach paths at numerous airports in the coming weeks, just waiting to nail someone who seems too shallow.
 
What airports?


VNY, GCN, SZP, TUS, etc. Those are the ones I have been ramped at, and that doesn't include the ones I have seen ramps happen at. They get a list of ramp inspections they have to do I think every quarter. So they have to get it done. If you're the unfortunate guy to be there when they have to check the box, poo poo on you.

I was on a first name basis with one inspector at Van Nuys when I was flying the Chieftain because I would get ramped so much. When I asked my friend who works as an investigator at that FSDO to "call off her dogs!" her response was "He has to check the box."
 
P.S. I've been ramped numerous times pt91 and 135. They are around, you just aren't paying attention and your card hasn't come up yet. When I see a fed, I run and hide! If they want to find something, they will, just like a cop. If they want to find something, they usually can.

I've never been ramped either. Only guys I've ever seen ramped had done something wrong like land on the wrong runway. The FAA did ask to see my license once in 1978, two days after an accident.
 
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