GaTechKid
Well-Known Member
Flying our last leg for the day back into our home airport we entered the traffic pattern making all the appropriate radio calls. On downwind we picked up a target on TCAS about 8 miles away and maneuvering +-500' off our altitude. I'd sometimes catch sight of it above the horizon but then it'd dip down and I'd lose it again. It approached closer as we turned base. On base we picked it up visually and couldn't determine if it was on a straight-in or not. Just as I stated it would cause a traffic alert the TCAS went off and we discontinued the approach and exited the pattern. Just as we go around this pilot comes on the radio for the first time and addresses us by company name and flight number and informs us we can go in ahead of him and he'll come in behind us. My captain apparently knows this guy, a rich pilot who purchased an old Soviet fighter from the Mongolian air force. So we re-enter the pattern and land with this jet in close trail. While we're still in our landing rollout on the runway this idiot executes a low approach and screams past us. I don't know the distance he was away from us since it happened in a flash but it was extremely loud and took up most of my side windscreen. Then the guy did touch & goes while our passengers deplaned. I couldn't believe what happened, my captain was livid, and the company check airman on our flight wasn't too pleased either.
Rant over.
Rant over.
! I once subscribed to a ntsb reports publication that showed how people were getting into trouble with these warbirds. Doing such things as flying too long without the wing tanks, when these planes were designed for maximum range or endurance WITH the tanks. Anyway, I LUV fighters and hope to own some myself (P-40, F-86, F9F and the list goes on). But along with ownership comes RESPONSIBILITY. If this wanna be top-gunner would have demonstrated his willingness to fly in such a manner while taking his lessons, his instructor would probably have refused to fly any longer. Anyway, rant over. I'm just glad you got on the ground safely, that's a plus. It also reinforces for me to continue to take the safe and professional approach to fly how I was trained, even after I start my warbird collection.
