Scared the crap outta me...

U

UngaWunga

Pattern Altitude
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UngaWunga
Yesterday, flying back from the Cape to home, just south of Boston, the class B. Did my scan, then quick check of the instruments, and eyes back out the window. Lotsa traffic around Logan.

I looked up and AAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAAHHHH!

:lol: There was a helium balloon, yellow, right in the windscreen. Scared the **** outta me. Wife freaked out because I freaked out, until I explained what I saw, and she laughed at me.

Was not expecting that at all. Yellow balloon, short string, blew up and over the plane as we went by.


Flew in to Katama for lunch. Had to go around the pattern an extra time because of some ass decided to do a 10 mile final straight in. On an uncontrolled grass strip. Get in the pattern like everyone else, jackass.
 
you're required to fly the pattern in uncontrolled grass strips?
 
No, but when you have two other planes in the pattern, it seems to make sense to not jump the queue because you don't feel like flying the pattern.
 
I almost hit a weather balloon once climbing through 14,000. The balloon didn't scare me but that big red box dangling under it sure did.
 
If I'm in the pattern and someone announces a 10 mile final I'm landing unless he's in a F-15.

He can go around.
 
UngaWunga said:
No, but when you have two other planes in the pattern, it seems to make sense to not jump the queue because you don't feel like flying the pattern.
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What kind of a pattern were you flying if you could not get on the ground while he was 10 miles out?
 
txflyer said:
If I'm in the pattern and someone announces a 10 mile final I'm landing unless he's in a F-15.

He can go around.
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Yup. 'Bonanza turning short final, podunk airport'.

Have a nice day. ;)

I used to fly around SoCal and fairly often saw the weather balloon go up out of Long Beach. I passed it once at about 1500' and tried to climb with it. No way Jose!
 
docmirror said:
Yup. 'Bonanza turning short final, podunk airport'.

Have a nice day. ;)

I used to fly around SoCal and fairly often saw the weather balloon go up out of Long Beach. I passed it once at about 1500' and tried to climb with it. No way Jose!
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Absolutely.

Announcing final way the hell out is an egregious abuse of right of way.

Ten miles out you're not on final. You're not even in the pattern or over the FAF.
 
Guess you would have hated me last night. I was flying 15 mile finals at an uncontrolled field doing practice RNAV approaches.
 
It's happened to me twice in 46 years - near miss with a party balloon. The last time it was out in the middle of nowhere and they're so small all you have time for is "what the....whoa!" as it shoots past. The first time I wasn't headed anywhere in particular so circled back but never could find it again.

You should add a poll - how many have had party balloon encounters?

Leave out the part about the 10 mile final though :rolleyes:
 
Weather balloons / hot air balloons / sky divers (not the plane) / drones / "edge of space" student balloons, etc. seem like GREAT reasons to make a cheap ($100?) ADS-B OUT transmitter with integrated GPS.

So what if it's not "certified". The position can be off a few meters and still be really, really useful.

(Yeah, I know it was a party balloon. But I happen to know some people in a group that launches gopros to 100k+ ft and they are totally, completely unconcerned about hitting anything. Idiots.)
 
A couple of weeks ago I had a close encounter with a model rocket just after take off. Some kids were setting them off in a neighborhood across the street from the airport. For just a second I thought I was under missile attack!
 
JasonM said:
Guess you would have hated me last night. I was flying 15 mile finals at an uncontrolled field doing practice RNAV approaches.
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And I would've landed right in front of you if I'm on the downwind.

You're not on final 15 miles out. You're just 15 miles out. ;)
 
This reminds me of a time I saw some idiots in a field with a helium tank launching party balloons with the largest string attached they could unroll for each balloon just for ****s and giggles. They would laugh like they were high every time they let one go and watched it float away.

Let me paint you a picture, giant party balloons with reflective 100+ feet strings. Now what would you do if you saw that? This was 3 years ago, now I really wonder how much damage they caused. :(
 
txflyer said:
Ten miles out you're not on final. You're not even in the pattern or over the FAF.
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When I'm on an instrument approach, I often announce that I'm on a "five mile final" and sometimes even a "ten mile final." It's a very concise way of stating exactly where I am.

If the field is VFR, I'm not trying to claim any priority in the pattern when I say that, I'm just trying to be succinct and clear about my position. I can't think of a shorter and more precise way of stating my position than those three words.
 
NoHeat said:
When I'm on an instrument approach, I often announce that I'm on a "five mile final" and sometimes even a "ten mile final." It's a very concise way of stating exactly where I am.

If the field is VFR, I'm not trying to claim any priority in the pattern when I say that, I'm just trying to be succinct and clear about my position. I can't think of a shorter and more precise way of stating my position than those three words.
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I think you may be on to something here. I do the same as you. I wonder if there are a good bit of pilots that think we are trying to claim our position to land rather than giving position reports.
 
UngaWunga said:
Yesterday, flying back from the Cape to home, just south of Boston, the class B. Did my scan, then quick check of the instruments, and eyes back out the window. Lotsa traffic around Logan.

I looked up and AAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAAHHHH!

:lol: There was a helium balloon, yellow, right in the windscreen. Scared the **** outta me. Wife freaked out because I freaked out, until I explained what I saw, and she laughed at me.

Was not expecting that at all. Yellow balloon, short string, blew up and over the plane as we went by.


Flew in to Katama for lunch. Had to go around the pattern an extra time because of some ass decided to do a 10 mile final straight in. On an uncontrolled grass strip. Get in the pattern like everyone else, jackass.
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I see helium balloons probably once every fifth flight. Usually on a midday Saturday. The shiny mylar ones really stand out. I've never had oner sneak up on me.

Why the hate for the straight in? Sounds like you didn't sequence yourself very well.

Matter of fact last time I approached from the SW I did a straight in because everyone was using runway 3. I was prepared to do an upwind entry; a 45 to downwind isn't practical due to MVY class D.
 
NoHeat said:
When I'm on an instrument approach, I often announce that I'm on a "five mile final" and sometimes even a "ten mile final." It's a very concise way of stating exactly where I am.

If the field is VFR, I'm not trying to claim any priority in the pattern when I say that, I'm just trying to be succinct and clear about my position. I can't think of a shorter and more precise way of stating my position than those three words.
Click to expand...



JasonM said:
I think you may be on to something here. I do the same as you. I wonder if there are a good bit of pilots that think we are trying to claim our position to land rather than giving position reports.
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I usually call "10 mile straight in runway XX", which is the same number of syllables as "10 mile final runway XX" and communicates position just as well (IMO).
 
Geese. I did not/not know they flew at night. Don't laugh. Two large white balls flash into view, in my landing light, on base. Thump. Number three (or his wingman) hits the upper strut, just below the fairing. "Startled " is giving me credit for more nerve than I exhibited. For a few seconds I thought it was ground fire, as I didn't see/register "birds"; just two white balls.

Bad karma to leave it like that, so I bought two loaves of bread and went to the lake closest to the airport, and fed the geese a few days later.
 
Saying " I'm ten miles out, or fifteen miles out ON FINAL" is giving yourself right of way priority according to the rules. Aircraft on final have right of way.

Aircraft in the pattern or on the ground are then all discombobulated by law.

I won't say it. Not that far out. Unless I'm in the space shuttle or similar.
 
"10 miles east of the airport, will make for straight in approach to runway 27".

"5 miles east of airport will make straight in 27"

3 mile final runway 27"
 
Mistake Not... said:
Weather balloons / hot air balloons / sky divers (not the plane) / drones / "edge of space" student balloons, etc. seem like GREAT reasons to make a cheap ($100?) ADS-B OUT transmitter with integrated GPS.

So what if it's not "certified". The position can be off a few meters and still be really, really useful.

(Yeah, I know it was a party balloon. But I happen to know some people in a group that launches gopros to 100k+ ft and they are totally, completely unconcerned about hitting anything. Idiots.)
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Where are you getting this $100 ADS-B out unit ? I have the Raspberry $114 in unit. But I'm interested in your out unit
 
I got pretty close to a little red balloon once. It surprised me as I didn't recognize what it was at first, but then I thought it was pretty neat.
 
txflyer said:
Absolutely.

Announcing final way the hell out is an egregious abuse of right of way.

Ten miles out you're not on final. You're not even in the pattern or over the FAF.
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I'd view it as a position report. Can't we all just get along?
 
LDJones said:
I'd view it as a position report. Can't we all just get along?
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Agree.
Now that I know where you are, and you know where I am, we can coordinate our arrivals.

I'm not a mind reader and won't be reading anything more into what was announced.
 
txflyer said:
Saying " I'm ten miles out, or fifteen miles out ON FINAL" is giving yourself right of way priority according to the rules. Aircraft on final have right of way.

Aircraft in the pattern or on the ground are then all discombobulated by law.

I won't say it. Not that far out. Unless I'm in the space shuttle or similar.
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Aircraft ON FINAL have the right of way, not anyone that mistakenly calls being on "final". Even controlled class D airports have a 5 mile airspace radius, it is not possible to be on "final" 10 miles out.
 
I am detecting some animosity toward "long straight-ins" (or "finals"). Maybe some VFR-only pilots do not realize that in order to practice instrument approaches, one needs to fly the whole approach and usually starts 10-15 miles away.
Though the position report as "10-mile final" sure sounds incorrect. I usually announce for example "10 miles north, 2000, RNAV 18". I've had pilots in the pattern ask me if they can squeeze in and I usually give them my GS and ETA and say "if you can make it, go for it". :)

Same for the reverse scenario. If I am on DW abeam the numbers and hear a "10-mile final" call, I ask for their speed and ETA and if they give me at least 3 minutes, I pull the power and call "turning short base".

It is all about communication and playing nice. Afterall, it is our sky, we all share it and we all LOVE TO FLY so why not keep that attitude at all times? :)
 
No RNAV, no nothing at this airport. I don't play chicken with planes. I went around.
 
I once departed SAF, then turned left onto a 49 mile final for runway 22 at KAEG (when it was uncontrolled).

Called it as it was - "Double Eagle Traffic, N8816J on 49 mile final for runway 22, full stop. Double Eagle."
 
SkyHog said:
Called it as it was - "Double Eagle Traffic, N8816J on 49 mile final for runway 22, full stop. Double Eagle."
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You're such a sky hog! Tied up Double Eagle for 30 minutes.

Joshua
 
SkyHog said:
I once departed SAF, then turned left onto a 49 mile final for runway 22 at KAEG (when it was uncontrolled).

Called it as it was - "Double Eagle Traffic, N8816J on 49 mile final for runway 22, full stop. Double Eagle."
Click to expand...

I got ya beat. Took off from H88 and was on a 130nm final into Gaston's. And yep, I went straight in!
 
EdFred said:
I got ya beat. Took off from H88 and was on a 130nm final into Gaston's. And yep, I went straight in!
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130nm? As a joke? Realistically all you must have done is scare some people who were on final at airports sharing common frequencies near you.
 
TK211X said:
130nm? As a joke? Realistically all you must have done is scare some people who were on final at airports sharing common frequencies near you.
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I didn't make the radio call until 5 miles out. But yeah, it was a 130nm straight in.
 
Blew passed a mylar birthday balloon at 4000agl a few months ago, caught my attention!

As for you being a scared pilot, scaring your passenger, then calling others "Jackasses" for doing 10 mile straight in landings, you kind of seem like one of those guys us competent, knowledgeable, and friendly pilots really worry about. :(
 
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