Bad Pilot Habits

ajstoner21

ajstoner21

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Andrew
I think this may have been beat to death, but I'm curious.

What are some bad habits you've noticed in yourself or other pilots?

I know a guy who routinely uses "Any traffic in the area, please advise" and "taking the active" or "departing the active" and fails to see the problem. :mad2:
 
-Setting Cruise power at the moment of (if not before)level off
-Horridly fast power adjustments
-Not keeping a hand on the throttle during takeoff or climb-out
-Riding the brakes on taxi
-Not following the center-line...like at all
-No Post flight inspection
-15 minute approach brief
-No abort plan whatsoever on takeoff?

My top "soap box" items flying with others as CFI or as a training capt..
 
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I recently heard about a post-flight inspection. No idea what it is and why I would do one (as a renter).
I have the tendency to land left of center
I have the habit of reducing power before allowing the aircraft speed to stabilize in cruise
In a level>climb I add power before changing pitch
I do not like to climb with the pitch attitude above where the horizon meets the top of the nosebowl

That's all I have for now.
 
Jaybird180 said:
I recently heard about a post-flight inspection. No idea what it is and why I would do one (as a renter).
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Hi Jaybird,
The post-flight is a great way to catch anything that might affect the next flight....such as missing screws, oil leaks, burned out lights etc. If everyone did a nice post-flight there would be far less downtime associated with maintenance problems....and maybe even a few less master batteries left on.....I once found half of a bloody hawk on my Cherokee (that I rent-out) with the dorsal fin ripped completely off about a month ago when I wanted to take my wife out for a flight....gee thanks
 
Things I have observed over the last few hundred hours of flight instructing:

  • Missing items on the checklist
  • Calling items complete on the checklist while not actually checking to ensure the item has been set/completed
  • Not checking the rudder during the flight control check
  • Not applying right rudder
  • Riding the brakes on taxi
  • Not keeping the nosewheel attached to that dashed white or solid yellow thing painted on the ground (oh yeah, that would be the centerline)
  • Taking your hand off the throttle after it is set to full open during takeoff and climb
  • Not using the heading and altitude bugs (if available) properly
  • Complete lack of or a poor departure briefing
  • Trying to salvage a landing from an unstabilized approach
  • Not writing down things (ATIS, clearances, etc) that you cannot commit to memory and regurgitate
  • Not looking both ways before crossing a runway
  • Being way behind the airplane, especially in the instrument or cross country environment
  • Not following (or knowing) the profiles, particularly for climb and landing.
Ok, I'll stop... :redface:
 
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taters said:
Hi Jaybird,
The post-flight is a great way to catch anything that might affect the next flight....such as missing screws, oil leaks, burned out lights etc. If everyone did a nice post-flight there would be far less downtime associated with maintenance problems....and maybe even a few less master batteries left on.....I once found half of a bloody hawk on my Cherokee (that I rent-out) with the dorsal fin ripped completely off about a month ago when I wanted to take my wife out for a flight....gee thanks
Click to expand...

Okay I can get with the pay it forward deal. I have on more than one occasion after dropping the keys after-hours called the next morning to report a squawk or something else I noticed.
 
Twice, in recent weeks, I have seen pilots drive into the airport, park their car (or get dropped off), load their stuff, start the engine(s), roll straight onto our single runway -- and depart.

No walk around. No pre-flight of ANY kind observed. No run up. Just start the engine(s) (one was a twin), and blast off. Didn't even kick the tires.

Mary and I were incredulous. Both planes had been sitting on the ramp for an entire weekend before departure.
 
ajstoner21 said:
I think this may have been beat to death, but I'm curious.

What are some bad habits you've noticed in yourself or other pilots?
Click to expand...

Visiting in Spin Zone. Exceeded by posting there.
















:D
 
Pilots who don't clear the area behind them before doing a runup.

Pilots who line up and wait for an extended time at a non-towered field where they no longer can clear final.

Pilots who pull up to the fuel pumps and walk away to hit the head or check weather.
 
I see Pilots pulling up to the fuel pumps getting fuel and start up and go flying, trusting they got good fuel..no samples nothing.

I see pilots waiting at the hold short line at idle, cooking their cylinders.

I see pilots that are way too dependent upon the electronic goodies and forgetting to do the basics.
 
Tom-D said:
I see pilots that are way too dependent upon the electronic goodies and forgetting to do the basics.
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This and proper engine management are my two biggest things that I emphasize. Yesterday I had a lesson with a client of mine that was focused around going back to basics - remember that the GPS and AP are tools that you don't have to use.

Poor radio work is a big one as well, using the wrong amount of words to convey the required information.

And... big one... coming up with a lot of things that everyone else does wrong and thinking they're perfect and free of errors.
 
Of all the things I posted I have done most of them at one time or another....
My worst bad habit is sometimes I turn down the volume with ATC if its non-stop and Im trying to teach something..."jeez seems a little quite doesn't it?"
 
forgetting to set the altimeter
calling "tower" for a taxi clearance when I mean "ground control"

and just about everything else in everyone else's lists ,except pre-flights and fuel checks I always do them ,I will even have a quick check over the AC if I've only left it for a few hours!
 
Tom-D said:
I see Pilots pulling up to the fuel pumps getting fuel and start up and go flying, trusting they got good fuel..no samples nothing.
Click to expand...

I'm usually headed for the hangar after the fuel pump. Not flying.
 
taters said:
Of all the things I posted I have done most of them at one time or another....
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Seems like everything listed here is something everyone's probably done at some point or another.

Although I'm not so sure about Jason's "trying to salvage a landing from an unstabilized approach", because I see a lot more problems with people going around too frequently.

My worst bad habit is sometimes I turn down the volume with ATC if its non-stop and Im trying to teach something..."jeez seems a little quite doesn't it?"
Click to expand...

Mine most frequent bad habit is being lazy on keeping the altitude perfect when flying the Aztec on a long XC - the altitude hold doesn't work on its autopilot.

Worst one... depends on whose court, but there are several.
 
Witmo said:
Pilots who line up and wait for an extended time at a non-towered field where they no longer can clear final.
Click to expand...

Line up on the Runway?

Tom-D said:
I see pilots waiting at the hold short line at idle, cooking their cylinders.
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Are you talking about the full closed throttle idle (600rpms or so) or the off idle waiting..... 1000 - 1200rpms?
 
TripleZ said:
Are you talking about the full closed throttle idle (600rpms or so) or the off idle waiting..... 1000 - 1200rpms?
Click to expand...

Other thing is that's not always something you can avoid if the airport is busy or if it's towered and tower won't let you take off, even though it's not busy.
 
- ATITAPA
- Calling 10 miles out in a 152
- Ground taxi calls at a non-towered field.
- Doing your 15 min. pre-takeoff stuff at the hold short line, blocking the runway to others
- Announcing departure and then sitting at the hold short line for another minute, then taxiing to the runway to position and hold for ANOTHER minute (uncontrolled field). Can't you just be ready to go when you announce?
- Being oblivious to prop blast
- Flying final 10kts too fast
- 1500' floats down the runway
- Massive patterns
- Making an approach call, but not saying where or how far out you are
- Reliance on radio
 
Hmm, a couple or few folks mention not having hand on throttle. I think you're better off monitoring manifold & RPM on a constant speed prop.

I know for certain that an inadvertent throttle change is definitely undesirable on the frankenkota. If a hand isn't touching the throttle then it isn't going to be inadvertently pushed forward.
 
turning on the GPS and turning off pilotage and dead reckoning.
post landing checklist on rollout (may as well be texting)
leaving charts in the FBO display case (see #1)
 
Jay Honeck said:
Twice, in recent weeks, I have seen pilots drive into the airport, park their car (or get dropped off), load their stuff, start the engine(s), roll straight onto our single runway -- and depart.
Click to expand...
How do you know they didn't do a complete preflight earlier in the day, or maybe the night before?

I've done this myself... but admittedly, if I preflight the night before, I always at least sump the tanks, and check the fuel and pitot tube just before departure. Now if the plane wasn't mine, or if my mechanic dropped by the hangar to do anything at all, I will repeat the preflight.
 
Preflight complete, pax loaded, seat belt latched and adjusted, ready for engine start - D'OH! Keys still in the pocket!
 
My own observed bad habits:

Waiting until too late on XCs to begin a comfortable descent.
Flaring too high.
Turning final too high and needing to slip it in (I still do that sometimes).
Forgetting to switch off my landing lights after climb out.
Forgetting to log that VOR check I did 2 hours ago.
Putting off washing the airplane until next week...
Leaving the windshield rag on the cowl when walking to the car...
Leaving the CO monitor in my pocket when walking to the car...
 
azure said:
Turning final too high and needing to slip it in (I still do that sometimes)
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IMO, that is a good habit. Much better than getting low and having to rely on the engine to drag it in.
 
Forgetting that there is a CVR. :redface:

Other than that I've probably done everything people have mentioned at one time or another.
 
Clark1961 said:
Hmm, a couple or few folks mention not having hand on throttle. I think you're better off monitoring manifold & RPM on a constant speed prop.

I know for certain that an inadvertent throttle change is definitely undesirable on the frankenkota. If a hand isn't touching the throttle then it isn't going to be inadvertently pushed forward.
Click to expand...

The idea during the takeoff roll is that you are spring loaded for an abort if needed..your accelerate-stop distance will be fouled by the time it takes you to grab the throttle. I get what your saying though but I usually wait till at least 1000 AGL before I relax a little
 
Playing the pilot card at the bar when talking to chicks.
 
I think my only peeve - taxiing around with strobes going.
 
BellyUpFish said:
I think my only peeve - taxiing around with strobes going.
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Heh. Reminds me of a story from an ATR-42 driver. Theirs were outfitted with strobe-like white anti-collision lights... Top and bottom.

ATR was waiting for another Company's aircraft to pass them at a taxiway entrance so they could follow. Taxiway was full with a conga line.

Snotty Captain of aircraft on the taxiway: "Tower, could you tell X to turn off his strobes?"

Before the Tower could answer, the FO keyed up:

"Those aren't strobes! THESE are strobes!", as he threw the switch and the wingtip strobe fired into the other cockpit.

Shoulder/high wing of the ATR was just the right height.

Captain said he was laughing too hard to chastise his FO. ;)

Nothing further, complaints nor the Ground controller, was heard on the radio. :D

Some unlucky folk only have strobes for anti-collision lights too. I'm glad ours are separate.

My strobes go on taking the runway and go off exiting... Lights (strobes), Camera (Transponder and final DG/instrument lineup checks), Action.
 
BellyUpFish said:
I think my only peeve - taxiing around with strobes going.
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Me too but since the Cirrus doesn't have a beacon we leave the strobes on from engine start to engine shutdown during the day. At night, they go on prior to entering a runway and off after clearing the runway.
 
HPNPilot1200 said:
Me too but since the Cirrus doesn't have a beacon we leave the strobes on from engine start to engine shutdown during the day. At night, they go on prior to entering a runway and off after clearing the runway.
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Yeh, it doesn't bother me as much during the day as it does as night. A beacon is not a necessity. My RV has no beacon, only nav and strobe lights. I don't run the strobes in the day time, on the ground, as I don't see the point.
 
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