The unicom police

S

skysnake

New Member
Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be a huge decrease in the patience level of fellow pilots at uncontrolled fields?

Here is my observation: I own an old 172 that requires a lot of attention so I spend quite a bit of time in my hangar at an uncontrolled field working on my airplane. I have 122.8 (The CTAF) dialed up on my handheld most of the time while I'm up there. I learned to fly at this airport 25 years ago and it isn't any busier now than it was back then but I can't tell you how often I hear a pilot publicly chastising a fellow aviator on the frequency! It's pretty disturbing to listen to a corporate pilot proceed to chew out a student pilot on the radio because he said he was turning "left final to rwy 16." And please don't take offense, anyone, to who it seems the guilty party is. It is almost always the guy in the Lear, Hawker or Citation. We have a Part 121 regional carrier that serves the town and I have never heard them go off on an unprofessional tirade.

Anyone else notice this going on at their field?
 
Fortunately, no.

But I have been to some airports that seem to be that way.

I must admit that when ever I hear "leftfinal" i always want to push the button and say "no such thing". Very tempting.
 
Frederick Unicom I mean Trafficcccccccccccccccccc BBBBBOOONNNNANZa November 1 4 Oh sugar papa is taking runway twenty three for immediate depature for left closed circuits Frederick Unicom I mean traffic.

Love it.
 
Geez....talk about getting worked up over something small.

Anyone who's been around the pattern a few thousand times should have some idea about what a "left final" would be...I would imagine he's in a left pattern turning base to final.

And with that...I think I become Old School with this post??! ;-) Only took since 2001.
 
skysnake said:
how often I hear a pilot publicly chastising a fellow aviator on the frequency
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I don't have a problem with this conceptually...some pilots *need* to be chewed out, and if it's not done on the CTAF frequency, it won't be done at all. Putting up with boorish behavior in the name of "politeness" simply leads to an increase in the frequency of it. That's why bullies exist. Nip the behavior early with massive social disapproval and the standards of behavior would go up considerably.

Of course, the behavior of the corporate pilot in your example was overkill, which is why I used the word "conceptually" above.
 
People mess up comms all the time. I do, I know many others do too....even the airline pros do it on occaison. So what....deal with it. There are some circumstances where we can I'm sure all agree that it can be really annoying, especially in the instrument environment, but seriously....people know when they sounded dumb. Speaking of this, recently a friend of mine heard this while doing work out in the local MOA:

Female regional airline pilot: "xxxxxx base, -insert t/o weight discrepancy report here - "
Repeats transmission several times, all the time transmitting on guard
Other airline Capt " xxxx you are transmitting on guard"
Regional girl continues to repeat herself on guard
Sequence of other aircraft try to correct her off guard freq
Regional girl transmits once more to "base"
Finally salty old dude comes over " there is a lonely kitchen somewhere tonight"

Not totally "PC" but pretty damn funny
 
Baronman said:
Geez....talk about getting worked up over something small.

Anyone who's been around the pattern a few thousand times should have some idea about what a "left final" would be...I would imagine he's in a left pattern turning base to final.

And with that...I think I become Old School with this post??! ;-) Only took since 2001.
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Yes, you did! :beer: Gratz!
 
///AMG said:
People mess up comms all the time. I do, I know many others do too....even the airline pros do it on occaison.
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Occasionally? Are you kidding me? They are the BIGGEST offenders.

"I got the traffic on the fishfinder"

"Out of 4 point 8 for 19"

"What? We weren't asleep...just deep in conversation!"

Shall I go on?
 
I once had an instructor who insisted on pulling up to the edge of the ramp before running checks. Not my preference because it blocks other aircraft from getting to the taxiway - but there is another entry point not far away.

Anyways, one day we're delayed checking just a bit running instrument checks. After three or four minutes we call up ground with ready to taxi. After the clearance I here:

"It's about time" in the most snide manner possible. Look behind me and there's a 172 waiting to taxi behind us.

So naturally I open the window, give the one fingered salute, and call ground...

"St. Pete Ground - Cessna 52633 has a stuck parking break - will need a short delay to resolve it".

Murdoughnut never passes up a chance to put a d-bag in his place :)
 
Murdoughnut said:
\
So naturally I open the window, give the one fingered salute, and call ground...

"St. Pete Ground - Cessna 52633 has a stuck parking break - will need a short delay to resolve it".

Murdoughnut never passes up a chance to put a d-bag in his place :)
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Makes me wonder who the d-bag was?
 
Considering the fact that using the CTAF isn't even legally required, it's pretty dumb to chew out a pilot over bad phraseology when at least he's actually voluntarily increasing safety by using the CTAF.
 
Murdoughnut said:
I once had an instructor who insisted on pulling up to the edge of the ramp before running checks. Not my preference because it blocks other aircraft from getting to the taxiway - but there is another entry point not far away.

Anyways, one day we're delayed checking just a bit running instrument checks. After three or four minutes we call up ground with ready to taxi. After the clearance I here:

"It's about time" in the most snide manner possible. Look behind me and there's a 172 waiting to taxi behind us.

So naturally I open the window, give the one fingered salute, and call ground...

"St. Pete Ground - Cessna 52633 has a stuck parking break - will need a short delay to resolve it".

Murdoughnut never passes up a chance to put a d-bag in his place :)
Click to expand...

Guy behind was snide yes, but on your end was it really necessary to block a taxiway entrance in order to perform checks? So what if there was another one not far away. There are other places on the airport that are convenient to all.

Courtesy and consideration is a two-way street.
 
It could be considered careless and reckless after an incident or accident if you didn't. Then again, it could be considered careless or reckless if you used poor phraseology too.

I remember doing a long-IFR cross country with a very radio-shy student but otherwise very competent. It was the middle of the afternoon with no traffic out there except for a regional and us. We were climbing out of the departure airport and ATC asks my student to say altitude. My student responds "altitude". It's quiet on the frequency while I'm trying not to laugh too hard or show any frustration.

After what felt like a long 15 seconds, I jump on the radio and give the altitude. The regional chimes in then for no reason "Hey approach, just wanted to let ya know we're @ uh ...3,000 altitude."

ATC: "Very good sir, turn left to a heading of 180, vector for sequence."

It's never too early or late in your career to make a mistake and/or act like a d-bag.
 
Murdoughnut said:
I once had an instructor who insisted on pulling up to the edge of the ramp before running checks. Not my preference because it blocks other aircraft from getting to the taxiway - but there is another entry point not far away.

Anyways, one day we're delayed checking just a bit running instrument checks. After three or four minutes we call up ground with ready to taxi. After the clearance I here:

"It's about time" in the most snide manner possible. Look behind me and there's a 172 waiting to taxi behind us.

So naturally I open the window, give the one fingered salute, and call ground...

"St. Pete Ground - Cessna 52633 has a stuck parking break - will need a short delay to resolve it".

Murdoughnut never passes up a chance to put a d-bag in his place :)
Click to expand...

:confused:that's pretty d*u*hey on your part, man
 
As a student pilot at an airport with a fair amount of traffic I have been on the receiving end of some less than kind words over the CTAF more than once. I will admit that my communication procedures were/are less than perfect but isn't it the job of the CFI to correct the mistakes that are made. Some people believe that because their aircraft can go 2-3 times faster than others that they arebe all end all judge on what is right and wrong. That is when you shut up and let them get on their soapbox cause in the end they are the ones who look bad.
 
MikeD said:
Guy behind was snide yes, but on your end was it really necessary to block a taxiway entrance in order to perform checks? So what if there was another one not far away. There are other places on the airport that are convenient to all.

Courtesy and consideration is a two-way street.
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Oh you're right - I didn't want to be block it, but my instructor kept getting on my tail about not pulling up to the line. On my own I always move over to the side. But we were really only there 3 or 4 minutes at the most. No need for this guy to be a jerk about it.
 
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