They did what?!

Acadia

Well-Known Member
So today I arrive at the FBO I work at to this comment. "The guys from "blank" (other FBO several states away also owned by same company) came and traded the Archer for the Saratoga". The guys are a commercial student and instructor that work at the other FBO who needed to Saratoga to give the student 10hrs of complex time. I knew that they would be doing this at some point and that part was A-Ok.

Here is the thing.

If you live in northern New England you know that today was not a day for any kind of GA flying. It might have been better to the south, but Airmets and terrible forecasts were to be found across northern VT, NH, & ME (route of flight). The nearest TAF was calling for low IFR (100-200 overcast with visibility around 2 miles and dropping to nothing in expected heavy downpours) and here is the best part… winds around 45-50kts with gusts to 60. Even before the time they would have departed to get to out FBO the winds were already gusting well into the 40's and we had the low IFR and heavy rain as forecast.

So they come anyway and according to multiple witnesses almost trash the Archer trying to land it with winds gusting close to 50kts and a substantial about of it was crosswind (200 foot ceiling as well). I thought everyone was joking, but F###in-A it was true. They then climb into the Saratoga that neither of them has seen or flown and depart into the same conditions. Obviously they managed to pull it off, but I don’t think I have ever seen a more disgusting display of terrible judgment in my life. At the time nobody at the FBO had any authority to stop them from heading back out. Though one employee of did call the head office to report the events.

Had I been there I would have denied them the key to the Saratoga and slapped them silly if they got in my face. I already called the owners to report the stupidity and recommend that they be fired on the spot (not that I have any pull like that, but I was pissed). WTF they needed the aircraft to get 10hrs of complex time not to deliver a heart for a transplant patient. If I ever see them I think I might slap them anyway.

Oh BTW... The Saratoga was not current for IFR (no 30 day VOR check and no way to do one on the ground and I think a Nav squawk)
 
I brought the plane back safely so whats the problem. Pipers are all the same, i didnt need a checkout.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I brought the plane back safely so whats the problem. Pipers are all the same, i didnt need a checkout.

[/ QUOTE ]

Please tell me you are joking! I would hope that nobody from JC is that stupid.
 
Of course. Only joking!
grin.gif
 
The bad thing about this is that these folks rolled the dice, and they won, and now they'll figure that they can do it again. And again. And again.

And sooner or later, the dice will come up wrong and they'll be in a world of hurt.
 
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