bob turner
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- Jan 7, 2005
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My buddy made a precautionary landing last week. Not a big deal, just a little engine roughness - taxied over to a friend's hangar and I went to pick him up.
As we pushed it into the hangar, I said: "Be sure to get a mechanic's signature in the logbook before the next takeoff" just as a very nice guy in a white car was getting out. He said "speaking of the feds . . ."
He was very nice - asked if medical, etc. were all up to date, but did not demand proof. Said the matter would be closed if we sent him a xerox of the mechanic's entry.
This is all ok so far - after all, there are half as many of us and five times as many of them. But the moral of the story is that maybe next time, to avoid even the small hassle, we just limp around the pattern with a rough engine and keep our mouth shut? I do not advise that, but this intense scrutiny might be begging it. We are already spring-loaded to not reject takeoffs, because we know it will be a major NTSB and FSDO event if we do.
The next incremental step will be if you announce "taxi for take off" and then decide not to for some reason. Inquiring minds will want to know why? All the more reason to shorten that callup to "taxi", or at least take it around the pattern with a bad mag? (Don't do that; tell them you had a sudden urge or something).
As we pushed it into the hangar, I said: "Be sure to get a mechanic's signature in the logbook before the next takeoff" just as a very nice guy in a white car was getting out. He said "speaking of the feds . . ."
He was very nice - asked if medical, etc. were all up to date, but did not demand proof. Said the matter would be closed if we sent him a xerox of the mechanic's entry.
This is all ok so far - after all, there are half as many of us and five times as many of them. But the moral of the story is that maybe next time, to avoid even the small hassle, we just limp around the pattern with a rough engine and keep our mouth shut? I do not advise that, but this intense scrutiny might be begging it. We are already spring-loaded to not reject takeoffs, because we know it will be a major NTSB and FSDO event if we do.
The next incremental step will be if you announce "taxi for take off" and then decide not to for some reason. Inquiring minds will want to know why? All the more reason to shorten that callup to "taxi", or at least take it around the pattern with a bad mag? (Don't do that; tell them you had a sudden urge or something).
